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

About three miles west Of AllWorth
Abbey. upon a commanding hight near
the seacoast stood the Anchorage, the
seat of Admiral Sir Ira BruntOn. The
park extended to the sea, and its west
ern wall rose directly from the edge
of the cliff, which formed n natural
boundary { o this extensive domain.
Immediately under this cliff nestled
the little fishing village OF Abbeyport,
with its single street of cottages fac
ing the sea, it's small fleet of fishing
smacks drawn up to the shore, and its
one humble tavern, called the Flag
ship. kept by Mr.. Tom lows. a retired
boatswain, and ~patroniZCd~ literally by
the kitchen cabinet of Admiral Sir Ira
Brunton.
The Anchorage was n large. square,
gray edifee. three stories high. with
two great halls crossing each other at
right angles. and dividing each hoor
into four separate suites Of apartments.
The numerous windows OF the estab-
lishment commanded from all points
the most magnificent prospect, per-
haps. to be found in the three king
domS.
The front windows, facing the west.
looked over the grand slope OF Mills
toward the edge of the cliff, and down
upon the picturesque village at its foo
and out upon the boundless ocean.
The back. or east windows. looked
inland down into the deep valley n
thick woods in which was hidden the
old Abbey and the dark pool which lay
before It,.
The north windows looked out upon
n rolling country Of sterile heaths. dot
ted here and there with an oasis in
the form of Il farm or n hamlet
And, lastly, the south windows
looked down upon a smiling landscape
of wooded hills, surrounding n green
valley in the midst of which lay a
lovely lake. upon whose farthese bank
stood the elegant villa Of Edenlawn.
| the seat of the Honorable Mrs. Elyer-
ton.
Admiral Sir Ira Brunton. the propri-
etcr of the Anchorage. was originally
a man of the people. BY talent, cour
age and good fortune he had risen
! from the hnmhleSt post i'm the navy fo
| his present high position.
He shared. however. that too com
mon weakness Of sclf-made men-an
exaggerated respect for hereditary
rank.
At the nature age of forty, when he
hal attained the rank Of post-captain,
, and was flushed with his recent sue
cess, he attempted to marry into the
pecrage by proposing for the hand OF
the titled hut dowerless daughter of
an earl.
But. failing In this enterprise. he
welded the only child and heiress Of a
wealthy city banker. who brought him
as her portion n half million pounds
sterling. the beauty of a Venus and
the temper of a Nantippe.
With a part Of the money he bought
the magnificent estate of the Anchor
age. and with the lady he lived a tenn.
pestuous life for twelve years. M the
end OF which she stormed herself ia
death. leaving him as Il legacy one fair
daughter, ten years OF age. named
after her mother, Anna Eleanora.
Admiral Sir Ira--then Captain Brun.
ton-did not again venture on the dan,
gerous sea of matrimony. but brought
home his widowed mother to take
charge of the young lady. and engaged
Ii French governess to superintend hei
education. But q simple-minded. old
fashioned dame and an u~nprincipled
French adventures were not exactly
the best guides for a sels-wlilcd girl.
And so ID happened that when Miss
Anna Eleanora was aho.t sixTeer
years OF age, while her father, was a
sea and herself with her grandmother
AMI goyerbess ut Brighton, she acct
dentally Termed the acquaintance Of 2
young lieutenant of h~Gssars. whose