Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-10-21
A TRUST.

trust whlch was coHlnitteu W my
keeping many years ago. and which 1
have ever held as sacred. The few
still living who knew the man whose
behest am carrying out on reading
nv narrative will at once recognize
him, and their faith in the nobility i'll
hcrent in human nature, which, for a
time at least, must have been shaken,
will be strengthened. To the general
public the story ought to prove scarcely
less interesting. as it reveals an instance
of boundless love and sacrifice.
Ferrier was the most brilliant of my
contemporaries at Oxford and not only
was he the most distinguished scholar
of his time, but it may be doubted if
ever before there had been any member
of the university whose academical sue
cess was greater. Though of course a
steady worker, he had achieved his
great distinction without any exception
al effort, and as he possessed all the
qualities which command success in the
more ambitious paths of life, his friends
had formed the highest expectations re-
garding his future career.
To a man endowed with Terriers
great gifts ambition is q second nature;
so, instead of remaining as resident
fellow of this college, and engaging in
tuition, he was called to the bar; and
with the determination to succeed in
his profession was united the desire to
earn both literary and political fame.
In London he became the center of
small and exclusive band of young
men, who, like himself had taken high
honors at the university, and were al
ready making their mark in the sever
al careers which they had adopted.
The aim of that talented group was
no less than that of influencing the
thought of the age in which they lived;
and more than one of them-for good
or ill-has since attained this end.
Ferrier was their acknowledged leader,
but trust he was not responsible for
some of the opinions which l was
grieved to learn prevailed among them.
l, too, had come to town; but, though
knew most of its members, / was
neither invited nor did l care to be-
come one of the cotere.
There were several reasons which
kept us apart Though / had done as
well as most of them at the university,
! seemed recently to have dropped be-
hind them, and could scarcely now be
considered as their intellectual equal.
Our religious and political views were
opposed; and lastly, they were all
and l was working hard in poor
curacy. Like most of his Oxford con-
tempoearies, l was much interested in
Terriers career, and by-and-by heard
with surprise that he was rapidly max
ing his way at the chancery bar, and
was already looking out for seat in
Parliament. | still occasionally saw
him, as we belonged to a university
club, and on all occasions when we
met he showed toward me an undi-
minished friendship. We had been
members of the same college, and,
though never one of his most intimate
companions, had at one time enjoyed
a considerable share of his society.
l can remember the surprise with
which l heard from common friend
that Terrier was about to be married.
l had not thought he was a man who
was likely to take wife on the thresh-
old of his career, but that he would
more probably wait till his position
was secure. was told it was love
match. That, too, caused me to won.
der, as I knew that he was one who
was very unlikely to permit sentiment
to interfere with his ambition. And
that he would be hampered by his mar
riage was clear, as | was informed
that the lady had no money, and |
knew that Terrier had not much Of his
own, and could not yet be making a
large professional income. Soon after
ward learned the tidings from his own
lips, and our intimacy had never SEEM
ed to me so close as when he made me
his confident on this occasion. He
asked me to come to his rooms, and we
had long talk together. He had been
staying in the country, he said during
the long vacation, and had fallen in
love. Then he related to me some Incl
dents in his courtship which l am sure
he would never have revealed to his
more intellectual and cynical compan-
ions.
Soon afterward ] read his marriage
In the papers and wondered what man.
ner of woman she could be with whom
the brilliant Ferrier had linked his fate
When he returned to town after the
honeymoon he invited me to his house.
You are the first of my Oxford friends
who has dined with US, he said gayly,
as he received me. On seeing Ferrier' S
wife was no longer surprised at his
love match. There was something ex-
traordinarily fascinating about her.
She was beautiful, but to her confines
and grace there was added a charm
that was more attractive than hand.
some looks. She was not tall, but both
her form and features were exquisite,
and in her eyes there was depth and
tenderness which l have never seer
equaled in any other face. The world
has since endorsed the opinion l Their
formed of her, as it afterward &C
knowledged her to be one of the mos
lovely women of her time.
They were evidently greatly attached
to each other. 1t was easy to see tina
Terrier cherished his wife with fond
ness and pride; and she sometime
looked at him with that expression 0
trustful affection which gives beaut,
to even the plainest features, an,
makes face that is already lovely ap
pear almost divine.
i was much impressed with the han