Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-07-08
CHAPTER VII.

We must now shift the scene of this
romance in real life to 4 lovely little
island that lies smiling within the
arms of one of those numerous pictur-
esque creeks that make up from the
mighty Chesapeake into the western
shore OF Maryland.
1t arose i'm the form Of n gently-swell-
ing hill, gradually ascending from its
thickly-wooded circumference to its
sunny center. where. amid blooming
pleasure grounds, gardens and shrub
berries, stood the elegant white free
stone mansion of the proprietor.
This happy proprietor was Captain
William Fuljoy, a fine. hale old n
who, having spent the best years of his
long life in the merchant service, had
now retired upon an ample fortune, TO
enjoy well earned repose in his delight
full home. amid his beloved books, his
fayorite pictures, his pet animals, his
cherished servants, his beautiful seem
cry, and within easy reach of his only
sweetheart. the sea-
Captain Fuljoy was at this time sew
enty years of age, tall and stout in
farm. full and red in face and white
in hair and m~oustache. This was what
ItlOIe tlldu lliiI Al ttlLiuIy VI AS
had done for him. But. notwithstand-
ing this, he. was really. for his age. a
very fine-looking and ven very hand
some old man; for his features We're
faultlessly regular, his mouth we'll
curved. his nose straight. and his full
orbed blue eyes were as clear, sweet
and honest as those of innocent child
hood.
He was brave, as the history OF
many 4 hard sea fight would show;
tender, as many a comforted sufferer
could prove; loving. as all who ap-
preached him felt; constant. as n
gone before him 10 heaven knew: sin
cere, for none ever heard him utter.
even a polite. conventional ~falsehood:
yet delicate, for non ever knew him
to wound the feelings of another. ever
by the plainest truth: he was generous,
as all the needy within his reach could
tell; and self-denying, as his w per-
sonal habits would testify. He was
just in thought. word and deed
He had a well cultivated mind and n
well stored memory; he had studied
the literature of Germany. France.
Spain and Italy. in the original. and
spoke the language of those countries
with the ease of a native.
But. of course. William Fuljoy was
not perfect; he had his weak point-at
least so his best friends said-and it
was this-he was romantic! for no.
only cid he love poetry, novels. music.
painting. stars. lowers, seas, noun
tains and all the sublime and beautiful
in nature and trt,-but he believed In
the excellence of human nature!
William Frljoy ought to have been n
happy husband and father, but he was
not. He adored womankind with a
pure though passionate worship. but
he he'd never been married. This was
the reason: In his early youth he was
betrothed to a lovely maiden. to whom
he was devotedly attached. Many
weary years did the faithful lovers
wait for the time when William should
be able to marry Mary. AT length that
day arrived. After a prosperous vOy-
age he reached home to claim his
bride. He was shown her grave. She
had been dead a week. "Gone out Of
sight" he said; for to him she could
not die-to him she still lived. This
happened when William Fuljoy was
thirty years Of age. But he never
sought another woman Whenever, In
after time, he was TESTED with upon
the subject Of matrimony. he declared
that he was already a married man;
that he had a wife living In the better
land, to whom he had resolved to be
faithful as long as he should sojourn
in this.
But though the captain never mar
ried, 1t was impossible that such a
good and loving nature should not
have formed close social ties. And so
it followed that very % after the
captain retired to his beautiful island
home, he gathered about him quite a
family circle.
And such n family circle. There was
not one of them that had the slightest
legal claim upon his protection. But
as the unsheltered seek a refuge, SO
had the forlorn ones sought him