Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-02-06

DOIltlS DdTTdChS. w 1lh tIY
of the French g~overness, who was
heavily feed for the purpose, the
young officer frequently met the little
heiress, with whom he finally eloped to
Greta Green, where they were mar
ried.
If, instead of that romantic love,
which had misled the young creature,
fortune had been the object of the lieu
tenant, he must have been wofully dis
appointed, for when the captain re-
turned from the coast Of Africa, and
heard OF the runaway marriage, he
discarded his daughter and ~son-in-law,
and forbade the names of either cyer
to be mentioned in his presence.
As the commands of Captain Brun-
ton were rs absolute as the laws Of
the Modes and PersiaaS, the name of
the only child and her young husband
dropped from conversation and from
memory, and thus their offense, and
even their very existence, became an
old ard forgotten story.
The captain rose from post to post in
the navy, until, finally, at the advanced
age or seyenty-five, he retired from
active service with the we'll earned
rank of an admiral and the well mer-
TIED title of a barOnet.
His household at this late period of
lie was n very remarkable Illustration
of family longevity.
1t consisted of his grandmother. a
hale old dame of one hundred and
eight years; his mother, a healthy old
woman of ninety-two years; himself. a
nearly veteran of seventy-tiye; and his
granddaughter and adopted heir, Mid
shipman Nalerius Brightwell, q young
gentleman of nineteen.
The antique grandmother Of this
strong family was COMMONLY called
old MISTRESS "the old madam" or
old Mis-. Stilton." The ancient moth
err was termed young mistress" 1.-THE
young madam" or young Mrs. Brun-
ton" The veteran admiral was de-
nominated by his venerable ancest-
resses that thoughtless boy" and by
his household. the young master"
And the midshripman was called by
the old ladies, "the dear baby" by the
admiral, the lad" and by the ser
wants, little Master Vally."
At the venerable age of Seventy-tive.
with an emaciated form. a withered
face and a grey head. the veteran did
not even suspect that he was growing
old, far less know that he vas really
an aged man, who had already exceed
ed the average duration of human life.
The truth was that the existence and
the vigorous health of the two ancient
ladies, his mother and his grandmOth-
cr, kept the admiral in his prime. How
could any man feel old. when his moth
er and his grandmother still lived in a
green old age-and while they still
thought of him and spoke of him as a
gay young man, who had not yet
sOwed all his wild oats, but who re-
quired the constant supervision and
guidance of his elders to keep him out
of temptation and danger?
And thus, while the whole family
honestly united in keeping up this de-
fusion, could the admiral be blamed
for sharing 1t?
Among the domestic servants of the
Anchorage two deserve mentiOn-Mr.
Jessup. late of Her Majesty's service,
now in hat Of Admiral Sir Ira Brun-
ton, to whom he filed the relation Of
confidential attendant. and Mistress
Barbara BrOadsides. the hO~usekecper.
Jessup was tall. thin, pa~le-faced and
grey-haired in person: and narrow,
prejudiced and authoritative I'm mind.
Mrs. BrOadSideS was short, fat, rosy
and ~fair-haired in person; and liberal,
III ItiulhS III uiSpOSlttOb.
AS might be expected. there was a
strong attraction Of antagonism be-
tween these two opposite natures that
led to a matrimonial engagement that
was to be consummated after the death
of the admiral and his mother and
grandmother; but as the sibyls and
their descendant had fallen into "a
confirmed maiady OF living forever"
Jessup and Mrs. Broadsides were
grow ing old as betrothed lovers.
Such, with the necessary number Of
men and maid servants. was the
household Of Admiral Sir Ira Brunton
at the time he invited the Italian
| princess to honor his mansion with her
presence.
The admiral had calamity given up
his coach for the accommodation OF
the princess and her attendant, while
he himself escorted them on horse
back.
1t was n lovely summer afternoon,
and when they emerged from the dark.
wooded vale and assembled the high
grounds lying between it and the sea-
coast. nothing could be more ami
mated than the sudden change of scene
from deep shadow and circumscribed
view to open sunshine and a boundless
landscape. The princess and her at
tendant enjoyed it exceedingly. and
despite all adverse circumstances, felt
their spirits rise accordingly.
The admiral frequently rode up to
the side Of the carriage to point out
some object of interest in the land
scape. such as the bright little lake,
Eden, lying like a clear mirror in the
bosom of its green valley, and reflect
ing i'm its deep waters it's lovely. EN-
bracing hills, and it's crowning villa OF
Edenlawn.
And upon these occasions the admi-
raj ever addressed his illustrious guest
with the p~rofoundest respect as your
highness," until at length the princess,
with a sweet and mournful look and
tone, said:
"Do not mock me with that title,
best friend. l am a widow and a fugi-
tive. dependent on your bounty for the
roof that shelters my head and the
bread that maintains my life. Do not
mock me, therefore, with any titles Of
honor. l am poor Gentflescha. Pezzil-
mi: no more than that. / do not even
permit my servants to address me by
any other title than the simple one Of
madame. that n matron of any rank
may bear"
Madame. I am the humbleSt of yOur