The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-03-22
(Copyright.)

w. esss4
rha story wes not to be told until
.<ser the old mans death. l had 1t
: T., hls own lips and under peculiar
Messrs. Vyse and west,
IA well-known family lawyers, asked
~s n would call upon Mr.. Septimus
|obn Blake. philanthropist, and the
IA = srn TO tell me the story Of his life
"a fortunes. The old man was ninety
IL I was one of his favorite authors,
N he was convinced that his story
~ould interest me. and that I should
ID il an attractive subject Moreover,
"a Blake was anxious to make my
,ccua intance. Mr.. Vyse, the senior
.rtner was explicit in warning me
"a to expect that their client had any
utentlon of leaving me a legacy; his
q stameutary dispositions were made,
"a they had instructions to pay me
Isndsome fee for any trouble / might
.Ee In the matter of my visit to their
lent, and In respect of the ultimate
uhbMcati ton of his narrative. Under
#is curious legal impulse 1 made my
Ry to the little-known residence of
Er septimus John Blake, The Cottage,
Iampstead. 1t was a curious old
puse with a charmingly laidout gar
kn Blake looked every inch his age,
hough his faculties were as clear az
" own, and his memory seemed to
L unmpaired. For many years he
kd lived with his late wife almost
fithln the retirement of their cottage
hd garden. All that the outer world
i ew Of their early life was that one
h. y had become suddenly rich,
bd tIat madame was the daughter of
b a.- ocratc spandthrift, who had
b. with a violent death. The result
/ my interview with the interesting
will he found In the fol-
pW'ng extraordinary narrative, told as
Ieay as possible in the words of my
Ios'. who has since died, at the age OF
iinety nine.
I confessed my love for Ruth Moor
hnd. /, Septimus John Blake, mer-
phants clerk, and she accepted my
proposal of marriage. Before her
Grandfather would consent to our mar
fage he said he had a confession to
fake that might change my views. I
Iald that nothing could do that so far
Is Ruth was concerned. Ruth lived
Eith her grandfather. They were poor
pix; We were all poor. l had place
, the city as a clerk, with moderate
Prospect of advancement; but the
oorer a man is the more he loves the
irl he has taken up with. That Is a
eneral exp erience. Ruth Moorland
nd I had resolved to be married, and
AXE lie chances.
Ruth went every day to cheaper
hings the market in Church street.
he and her grandfather occupied
oomS close by. He had the interest
( fifty pounds a year from a thousand
hat would come to Ruth at his death.
lodged in Lisson Grove. On high
ays and holidays we generally went
or walk to Hamnstead Heath, and
lad tea at the Spaniards or Jack
'raw's Castle. One Easter Monday,
when Ruth was doing her marketing,
The old man said now was the time TO
ell me what he had got to say that
n'gh make me change my mind about
marrying his granddaughter.
II was a strange story, but | can tell
to YOU in w words. Ruth's
ather was a highwayman. His name
vas Moorland Lestwck. He had be-
onged to a good family, but fell in
With bad company. At one time he
lad been quite buck at Whites, and
e danced to perfection. The ladies
we're all delighted with him, not only
II tfat account, but for his aristocratic
earring and his handsome face and
gnre One night he was hard hit at
Whites; cleared out in fact, and with
sudden impetus he Joined another
oung daredevil and went on the road,
10 uncommon thing for young bloods
l those days. Tn an encounter with
Neriif's posse on Hampstead Heath he
vas shot. 1t was not known at the
me that he had been secretly mar
led. His wife had died, however, the
ear previously, leaving "a little girl to
nherlt the dishonored name.
hanged 1t to Moorland and took the
1alf home.
NO, l have never been married." he
aid, "and I am ninety-six, not a bad
ge for bachelor. Well, that's the
Tory; there's not much Of 1t, except
nat want you to know the secret of
'uth's birth. She knows nothing of II.
or Will she; you must not tell her.
'rter ALL Moorland Lestwick came out
euer than his companion, Norman
llacglllan. Re had a run Of two or
nree years, was a terror, took no end
I money. nearly married an heiress,
arred his audacity right into the city
nd robbed bank. and was eventually
anged at Tyburn."
l married Ruth, all the same; I need
ardly tell you that. Her grandfather
led soon afterwards. The thousand
ounds which ne left us was not forth
oming. 1t had been made away with
y a false trustee. He had paid the
imposed dividend Of nifty pounds
sar and when the old man died he
seconded, and I never touched q
'enny OF the old mans money. This
.ss a great disappointment. But We
'V's Young. ! and Ruth. and It did net
''uOie us long. she was a capItay