The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-09-17
Copyrigh't.)

The story was not to be told until
after the old mans death. had It
from his own l1ps and under peculiar
circumstances. Nessrs. vyse and West,
the well-known family lawyers, asked
me II would call upon Mr. septimus
John Blake, phi1anthropist. and the
NIT Hmm to tell me the story Of his life
and fortunes. The old man was ninety
six. I was one Of his favorite authors.
and he was convinced that his story
would interest me. and that I should
and It an attractive subject Moreover,
Mr.. Blake was anxious to make my
partner. was explicit in warning me
not to expect that their client had any
Intention Of leaving me a legacy; his
testamentary dispositions were made,
but they had instructions to pay me a
handsome fee for any trouble might
take in the matter of my Visit to their
client, and in respect of xhe ultimate
publica ton Of his narrative. Under
this curious legal impulse made my
way to the little-known residence Of
Mr. Septimus John Blake. The Cottage,
Hampstead. It was a curious old
nOuSc, Will q CUdIIlIN6ly ltilu-OUl edA
den. Blake looked every inch his age.
though his faculties were as clear as
my own, and his memory, seemed to
be unimpaired. For many years he
had lived with his late wife almost
within the retirement Of their cottage
and garden. All that the outer world
knew Of their early life was that one
day they had become suddenly rich.
and that madame was the daughter Of
an aristocratic spendthrfft, who had
met with violent death. The result
OF my interview with the interesting
cctogenarfan will be found in the fol-
lowing extraordinary narrative, told as
nearly as possible in the words OF my
host. who has since died, at the age Of
ninety-nine.
I confessed my love for Ruth Moor
land. /. Septimus John Blake, mer-
chants clerk, and she accepted my
proposal Of marriage. Before her
grandfather would consent to our mar
riage he said he had confession to
make that might change my views
said that nothing could do that 30 far
as Ruth was concerned. Ruth lived
with her grandfather. They were poor
folk; we were all poor. had place
In the city as clerk. with moderate
prospect of advancement; but the
poorer a man Is the more he loves the
girl he has taken up with That is a
general experience. Ruth Moorland
and / had resolved to be married, and
take the chances.
Ruth went every day to cheaper
things at the market In Church street.
She and her grandfather occupied
rooms close by. He had the interest
Of fifty pounds a year from thousand
that would come to Ruth at his death.
/ lodged in Lisson Grove. On high
days and holidays we generally went
for a walk to Hampstead Heath, and
had TEA at the Spaniards or Jack
0traw's Castle. One Easter Monday,
when Ruth was doing her marketing,
the old man said now was the time to
tell me what he had got to say that
might make me cha nge my mind about
hts granddaughter.
It was q strange story, but can tell
II TO you In a few words. Ruth.s
father was q highwayman. His name
was Moorland Lestwick. He had be-
longed to q good family. but fell In
with bad company. At one time he
had been quite buck -at~White's. and
he danced to perfection. The ladies
were all delighted with him, not only
On that account, but for his aristocratic
bearing and his handsome face and
figure. One night he was hard hit at
cleared out In fact, and with
a sudden impetus he Joined another
young daredevil and went on the road.
no uncommon thing for young bloods
in those days. In an encounter with
posse on Hampstead Heath he
was shot It was not known at the
time that fe had been secretly mar
ried. His wife had died. however, the
year previously, leaving q little girl to
inherit the dishonored name. I
1t to Moorland and took the
waif home.
mo, have never been married" he
said, "and l am ninety-six. not q bad
age for a bachelor. Well. that's the
story; there's not much Of 1t. except
THAT want you to know the secret Of
Ruth's birth. She knows nothing OF 1t.
nor will she: you must not tell her.
After all, Moorland Lestwick came out
better than his companion. Norman
Magellan. Re had run Of two or
three years. was terror. took no end
OF money, nearly married an heiress.
carr ed his audacity right into the city
and robbed bank. and was eventually
hanged at Tyburn."
I married Ruth. all the same; need
hardly tell you that. Her grandfather
died soon afterwards. The thousand
pounds which he left US was not forth
coming. It had been made away with
by q false trustee. He had paid the
IMPOSED dividend Of fifty pounds a
year end when the old man died he
Rbscc-ded, and never touched
penny of the old mans money. This
Was p great appointment But We
were young. ] and Ruth. and II did not