The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-08-22

personal estate in addition to Apley
Park, and the Childs entered into pos
session.
James Townley had no force Of char
acter and was, moreover, improvident
and careless, and he added to his re-
sponsibilities by marrying very pretty
young woman, named Cray, who was
seamstress in one of those one storied
shops on Eighth street, below Sansom
Each did their best to make a living,
but the husbands health failed, and
then poverty came. Mrs Townley was
delicate and could do little to support
the household, now increased by the
birth of sickly boy
Rachel Barron had known the elder
Townley and nursed his son when Ill
with fever and she came forward,
took the stricken family to her own
home at the Fourteen Chimneys" and
cared for them. The husband was then
dying from quick consumption and the
wife failing in health, and both were in
effect paupers.
o,
thin man, evidently English and look
ing very much like a ferret, came to see
James Townley. He was, he said, q
friend Of his fathers and had but re-
Gently heard of the sons affiiction He
talked sympathetically, left several dol
lars and promised to call again, and
this he did several times, always giving
Mrs, Townley money.
Rachel watched him closely and be-
came very distrustful. Mrs. Townley
had told her something of her husband S
history, and after many injunctions to
do nothing until she returned the reso-
lutte Rachel paid visit to the late Rich
ard Mccall
He heard her story indifferently, but
advised that Mrs. Townley should sign
no papers without letting him know of
it. The woman hurried home, and en-
tering the house heard some one talk
ing up stairs She went at once to the
Townley's room and peeped In. Two
men were at the bedside. James, prop
ped up by pillows, had before him ON a
piece of board paper, and his wife had
just placed pen in his feeble hand.
On the table was pile of notes and
gold. 5....,
With rush the mulatto grabbed the
paper, almost upsetting both men, who
turned ON her fiercely.
BE careful what you re doing, wom-
an. That is legal document that Mr..
Townley has received money to execute,
and I'll hold you responsible for dam
ages.
"An right This yer is my house.
You get out and take yer money with
you We amt signing anything today. .
And the men were resolutely hustled
down stairs In an hour after Mr.. Nc
Call and his clerk came walking in and
heard the story.
LET me see the paper All, yes, a
shrewd scheme to get Townley to con-
vey his right to o magnificent estate fol
$3.50. We are just in time, it seems. y
f. Townley was almost unconscious, but
no lived long enough to know that he
was tho owner of Apley Park. This
freak of fortune came about in this
manner.
Mrs. Childs' husband died before the
baronet, and she was the head Of the
family. Shortly after coming to Apley
Park the eldest son broke his neck IN
the hunting field and was brought home
dead. His elder sister was i'll Germany,
and her mother received n letter telling
of her sudden illness, and with several
children, maid and q man attendant
started at once to cross the channel,
posted through France and got safely tc
Germany, and with two carriages was
driving along the Rhine, when the bank
gave way and all were precipitated into
the river, and the maid and position
alone escaped. Thus the Childs family
was extinguished.
The attorney for the heir lost no time
in communicating with Mr.. Mccall, ap-
prising him that one of their clerks
had sailed for America, and that his or
rand was to make some arrangement fol-
his own benefit with the new heir and
to warn that gentleman ut once.
Thanks to Rachel Barron, no warn
ing was needed. James Townley died
two months after hearing of his good
| fortune, and his wife, attended by Ra
chel, started for England. Inside O
| two years both the widow and son died
Rachel married very respectable whit
man in the neighborhood, moved t.
Brighton and kept hotel there, mucl
frequented by Shropshire people. He
property here was looked after by Rich
ard Vaux, who was also patron of hel
hotel at Brighton. She died in 1865
quite wealthy.
The Foster family again came int
ownership of Apley Park. and 1t is now
one of the most beautiful places in Eng
land. --Philadelphia Times