Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-05-27
LADY BuRToN's MARRIAGE.
How the Great Travellers wife First Met
Her Daredevil Idol

LADY BuRTON'S MARRIAGE.
How the Great Travellers wife First Met
Her Daredevil Idol.
Lady Burton's marriage was more ro-
mantle than anything in fiction It was
"foretold, = Of course. To woman Of
her mystical temperament and view Of
life that was almost part Of the cere-
mony. A gypsy woman wrote out her
destiny in Romany. "You will bear
the name Of our tribe and be right
proud Of it. You will be as we are, but
far greater than we. Your life is all
wandering, change and adventures One
soul in two bodies in life or death, new
er long apart. = The proof seemed to be
in the impossibility. The name then
borne by the woman who was to be
Fright proud Of her union with one Of
gypsy race was Arundel, and the Arun-
dels are of the oldest and proudest
stock in England. But destiny kept the
appointment. OEe day, when she and
her family were at Boulogne, ''the vi
sion Of her brain awakening came to-
ward them. He was feet II inches
in height, very broad, thin and muscu-
lar. He had very dark hair; black,
clearly defined, sagacious eyebrows; a
brown, weather beaten complexion
straight Arab features; determined
looking mouth and chin nearly covered
by an enormous mustache. I have since
heard very clever friend say that he
had the brow of God, the jaw Of dew
il. But the most remarkable part Of his
appearance was two large black, flash
ing eyes, with long lashes, that pierced
you through and through. He looked at
me as though he read,me through and
through in moment and started lit
tie. I was completely magnetized, and
when we had got a little distance away
I turned to my sister and whispered to
her, THAT man will marry me. -
All that followed was worthy of this
opening. He made the first advances by
chalking upon tho wall, 'May I speak
to you?'' considerably leaving the chalk
hard by for the answer. It was unpro-
pitious at first. "No, mother will be an
gry," but this was only another way Of
saying, IT shall be pleased" for
mother" herself had afterward to lis
ten to this confession, "The moment /
saw his brigand, daredevil lcok I set
him up as an idol and determined he
was the only man would ever marry. -
Her cousins gave dance to help mat
ters, and s;there was Richard, like a
star among rushlights." 'sThat was a
night Of nights. He waltzed with me
once and spoke to me several times,
and I kept my cash where he put his
arm round my waist to waltz, and my
gloves. never wore them again. - He
went away to Africa for six years, no
doubt to help make a name that might
overcome the resistance Of her family.
When he came back, he proposed. He
was not kept waiting for an answer. 81
would rather have crust and tent
with you,' she said, ethan be queen of
all the world" !" "Your people will not
give you to me,'' he said. "I know
that" she answered, "but belong to
myself give myself away
She was devout Catholic, oy right
Of birth as an arundel. and she won
over Cardinal Wiseman for her inter-
mediary. He sent for Burton and ex-
acted three promises from him in writ
ing-marriage in the Catholic church,
the wife's free practice Of her religion
and the right to bring up her children
in it. They were readily made, the
more SO, perhaps, as Burton had no def
mite faith Of his own. But even now
she had to wait The passion for travel
seized him once more and i'll the stran-
gest way. He went off without a word
Of warning, sending only his arparition
to take leave of her as she lay in bed.
"Goodby, my poor child" said the as
tral double. my time is up, and I
have gone But do not grieve. shall
be back in less than three years, and I
am your destiny" While he was away
she wrote a diary Of the doings of the
whole world Of civilization in so far as
she thought they might interest him
and sent it off to him in installments by
every fortnight's post. He came back to
claim her in due time, much as Alonzo
came back from the dead 'sHe had had
81 attacks of fever, had been partially
paralyzed and partially blind. He was
a mere skeleton, with brown yellow
skin hanging in bags, his eyes protrud-
ing and his lips drawn away from his
teeth. Never did I feel the strength Of
nv love as then" The marriage came
at last.-Londen News.