Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-08-17
BOUND BY AN OATH.

DVUND ID l. AN VA Lille
Mrs. St. Evremond, Pandora Road,
Shepherds Bush, to Arthur Prius,
ESQ.,, Barrister at Law, Middle Tenn
pie, July 1, 1889:
DEAR Mr.. PRIUs-My dear child has
acquainted me with your very f1attering
proposal, and I am grieved to the heart
that cannot say to you, ''Take her and
be happy" Had foreseen the danger
Of your valued friendship for her ripen-
| ing into love l should have told you
| earlier what it becomes my melancholy
| duty to say to you now-your career is
an insuperable objection to the mar
riage. She can never become the wife
Of barrister.
| OF course l am aware that it is ex-
| ceptional for an actress mother to re-
fuse her blessing on grounds like these
Il know that it is my little Nellie's
profession and not your own which is
more usually esteemed an obstacle-but
when you have heard my explanation
you will admit it's force and exonerate
IuG, 1 dlu ouIO, 4loAA et1y ohSE1OAOA VI
GOODNESS or Indifference.
l am bound by deathbed oath!
When married my late husband, he,
like yourself, was at the bar. was an
unsophisticated girl at the time-in ap-
pearance much what my Nellie is today
but while she, as a popular ingenue,
is in receipt of a substantial income,
[ was penniless and dependent on his
support.
He had no influence; his struggles
were pitiful.
will not weary you with the tale OF
the misery we endured. His talent,
given no chance to display itself, was,
have often thought, a misfortune rather
than boon. He, who should have taken
silk at five and thirty and risen to the
bench 10 years later, was forced to toll
far into the night in order to earn a
guinea fee Conscious Of his ability and
oppressed by the sight of the wretched-
ness he had inflicted on the wife he
loved and the daughter who had sprung
from the union, he lost spirit and
health. Morose and disappointed, his
last illness came almost as a release,
but before he died he made me take a
solemn VOW It was that his child should
never be given to member Of the legal
profession.
You may reply that you are succeed
ing; that your means are sufficient for a
young couples simple wants-that does
not free me from my sacred undertak-
ing. Mr.. Prius, it can never be. And
trust to you, appeal to your good feel
ing and your honor, to abstain from
seeing my little Nellie any more. With
kind regards and sincere regrets, l re-
main very truly yours,
MATILDA ST. EyREMOND.
Mrs. ST. Evremond, 8 Pandora Road,
Shepherds Bush, to Captain Maurice
Fairbrain, lib, Jermyn Street, W.,
May 10, 1890:
DEAR CAPTAIN FAIRBRAIN-I have
just learned from my child of the honor
of your proposal, and let me say at once
that know no man to whom l would
more gladly con6de the happiness OF
her life I am the more anxious that
you should believe this assurance be-
cause am compelled to tell you she can
never be your wife, and wish you to
understand that am helpless in the
matter.
am bound by deathbed oath.
Let me explain: When | married my
late husband, he, like you, was in the
army. A young man and young, I'M
sophisticated girl, we fell in love at a
country ball and welded without a
thought of consequences He was hand
some, popular and practically penniless,
and it was not long before discovered
also that he was deeply iii debt.
His father, who idolized him, freed
him from his embarrassment, for the
second time, 1 heard, but with his last
effort the old man. S powers of assist
ance came to an end, and in a year there
were embarrassments again.
I will not detail the history of my
poor husbands difficulties-the history
of a young fellow placed in all expen-
siye regiment and tempted to extrava-
gance by the example of bosom friends,
whose position made their companion
ship curse. I will only say that in his
last years, disgraced and broken heart
ed, it was to his mistaken choice of a
profession that he always attributed his
ruin, and before he died he called me
to him and bound me by formal VOW. 1t
was that when his child was marriagea-
BILE she SHOULD never be given to mill
tary man. I shall always keep that
sacred pledge 1 gave in the chamber Of
death-I feel that nothing can absolve
me from it--and it is my painful duty
to beg you not to approach my little
Nellie again. Sympathizc with me i'll
my distress. Captain Fairbrain, and be-
lieve me sorrowfully yours,
MATILDA ST. EvREMOND.
Mrs. st. EYremond, s Pandora Road,
Shepherds Bush, to Harley Hares-
foot, Esq, Corinthian Theater, Picca-
dilly, Sept. Z, 1891:
DEAR MR. HAREsFooT-My child III
forms me that you proposed to her in
the omnibus last night, and that you
are anxious to marry each other without
delay. am compelled to tell you that
your vocation makes it impossible. She
can never be the wife Of an actor.
am bound by a deathbed oath.
Since my little Nellie is in the pro-
fession, too, this may astonish you, but
am speaking in accordance with her
poor fathers wish.
When married my late husband, he.
lie yourself, was on the stage. Ours
was not a happy union, l confess it
frankly, yet we loved each other at the
beginning dearly enough.
Dependent upon precarious profess
sion, we were forced to take what offers
we could get-to accept separate engage
ments, to live apart, one in the north
when the other was In the south, one