Middletown transcript., 1892-08-04
u, REDNAYNE'S ! D WIFE.
CHAPTER 1.
From All the Year Around.

CHAPTER I.
would be impossible for me to
express ia anything like reason
able terms the astonishment, not to
speak Of a much stronger feeling,
with which 1 one day received the
news that Philip Redmayne, who had
left home ostensibly for a weeks holi-
day, had brought a wife back with
him. Naturally enough, I at first
poohpoohed the news as being the in
vention of some one wao had grudge
against him, or was minded to make
him the victim OF a foolish joke; but
a few hours later the news was con-
firmed in way which left me no
room for doubt. The wary bachelor
of 80, who had been unsuccessfully
.angled for by so many mammas with
.marriageable daughters. had been
caught at last. Phil Redmayne was
really and truly married man +!
was his godfather, and had been
his guardian till he came of age. and
I had always felt as much regard for
the boy as if he had been my own
son. Not. mind you, that there was
any likelihood of my having son Of
my own, for | had definitely ajured
matrimony and all its snares ever
since tLat day, 80 years before, when
Matilda Jane
But that is not to the purpose fmy
narrative.
Here I may take the opportunity
Of introducing myself more speci6cal-
" to the readers notice. Ny name,
then, is Josiah Crocker, of the firm OF
Crocker & WHISKY, brewers, lids
tuUIPo, oisSeA'
1t was to Tidsthorpe that my god
son came on his arrival ut mans es-
tate, and where he had served his
time in the Office Of the land surveyor
to whom, at his own request, he had
been articled. It was there that l had
the pleasure of handing over to him
certain coupons to the value OF
$4,000, for to that amount had his
inheritance grown through careful
husbandry on my part during the
years of his minority.
Before Phil was many months Older
be had set up in business at lids
thorpe on his own account as land
surveyor, estate agent, and | know
not what besides, for he was eminent
ly Of a speculative turn Of mind, and
by no means disposed to coniine him
self to the strict lines of the profession
to which he had been brought up. III
took to the buying aud selling Of
house property, and opened a whar
at the new railway station, with
patent apparatus of his own invention
for screening coal. Then he contract
ed an interest in more than one of th'
schooners engaged in the coastinl
trade between the neighboring tow
of Perry rybeach and sundry other ports
A little later he became proprietor o
the Haredale lime kilns, situatet
about three miles from Tidsthorpe
which had proved a disastrous specu
lation to their previous owner, VIII
was glad to get rid Of them at an!
price.
No thought Of taking to himself
wife seemed ever to enter Phil
mind and l could not but applau
his good sense in copying the exampl
of his godfather in keeping himsel
aloof from all feminine entanglementl
All the harder, therefore, to bear wa
the blow when it did fall.
But when Phil brought his wife t
see me--which he did on the da
following their arrival at home
almost found in my heart to forgiv
him his folly. She was so sweet
pretty, SO fresh, so innocent looking
SO charming in every way that, had
been 80 years younger. and had th
chance been put in my way. I woul'
not have answered for the strength 9
my resolves never to venture into th,
pitfall of matrimony.
Her manner was childlike an
caressing and she spoke with jul
enough suspicion Of a foreign accer
to lend an added piquancy to all sh
said. Her name was Mimi-Min
Ducious 1t had been before her mar
riage. Her father, Frenchman, ha
married an English girl, and she ha
been brought up partly in the countr
Of one parent and partly in that G
/ the other.