Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-04-29
MEM.sAHIe's PROMISE.

It was on a brilliant January. day.
towards the close Of the afternoon,
that Thomas Urquhart, captain Of the
Black Horse. pushed big chair up to
the fire in the ante-room, and sat down
therein to enjoy The Naval and Mill
tary Gazette, which had just arrived.
He had the room to himself, for the
entire regiment seemed to have gone
mad over the superb skating which
the continuous frost afforded the in
habitants Of Wharnecliffe.
There were two or three exceptions,
however the orderly officer of the
day was lying on his cot, reading one
Of Whyte-Melville's novels, and smok-
ing the fret lazy pipe of the fourteen
hours Of wearying and tedious work
which constitutes the time known as
being on duty; and before Urquhart
twice turned leaf, the door opened
and the colonel entered the room.
"All alone, Urquhart z he re-
marked, cheerily.
"All alone, sir-cursing my fate q
little that last months sprain won't
let me think Of the castle mere, out
side edges, spread-eagles, and the
like"
ANY news" asked the colonel.
"Sir John Farquhar is dead"
Dead All! Poor Jack Farquhar !!
A better fellow and braver officer
never drew breath" the colonel said,
sadly. 80 he's gone at last, after
one-aud.twenty years of misery. Ah,
poor Jack | never like to think Of
him--nsver / remember when /
joined lie was the very life and spirit
of the old Black Horse-full of fun
and play as a kitten four moaths old
or a monkey that has never felt cold
weather. But cruel blight fell on
him in 81, and Jack never held up
his head after. Poor Jack !"
And how sir?" Urquhart inquired
I'll tell you," said the colonel
Jack was just seven-and-twenty when
he joined. He wasn't baronet, nor
had he any hopes of ever being one
then. but was just Jack Farquhar,
with a modest income of six hundred
year over and above his pay. Well,
l hadn't been two months in the
regiment, and we were just off to
India then, when Jack fell in love
not only in love, but with the youngest
and loveliest daughter of old Lord
Saturn, who of the proudest and
haughtiest men was. just as his con is
after him, one in England or out oft.
Jack knew well enough that if he,
with only his handsome face and his
modest six hundred a year to recon-
mend him, were to 60 to old Lord
Saturn and ask for the hand of the
Lady Majory Starshine in marriage
Lady Majory, who was just l6, and
destined to become a court beauty-he
would be declined with thanks and
politely shown the exact position of
the door while measures would be
taken efectually to secure the lady
from any further communication with
him; and, as he didn't see the good of
such an arrangement-to himself, at
least-he just persuaded Lady Marjory
to run away with him.
II don't think she needed very
much persuasion, for Jack was an
amazingly handsome fellow, and she
was desperately fond of him. Any
how, run away they did, and managed
to get safely and legally tied up and
made man and wife.
The Saturns were furious; but
since all the clustering and fuss in the
world can not undo what the marri-
age ceremony has accomplished, they
contented themselves with blotting
Lady Marjory name out of the family
tree, and blOtting her once and for
ever out Of the list OF their acqusint-
Snces.
But Lady Marjory and Jack didn't
care, not a button. She laughed
when she heard her name had been
bl0tted out Of the family tree; and a
few weeks later she sailed for Iudia.
I'VE went round the cape, but
Lady Marjory and Jack Farquhar
never seemed to find the voyage in