The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-20
MY CLARISSA.
BIZ HUME NIsBEr,
Author of Bail Up" Thee swampers." Etc. Etc
copyrighted. 1897. by Hume Nisbet.

copy Tx nAHO. ~ Z
CHAPTER HOW I WON CLARISSA
IF you want ne. Paul you must marry
me at once. OF else you will lose me. II
you really love me. as you have said, you
Will take me without asking my father S
permission.
A beautiful bur paHdiy intense face it
was which now looked into mine. as We
stood together in the narrow hedge-lined
lane, with the faint rays OF young au-
turnn moon overhead, bringing out OBJ
jects with uncertainty. The grey eyes
looked deep and dark as they shone and
glittered under that silvery lustre with
more than their usual brightness, the
voice had an unwouted metallic ring, and
the lips were dry which poured out with
such swiftness these unexpected words,
delightful perhaps for passionate lover
10 listen toy and yet 10 me not quite sat
isfactory.
had known Clarissa Fosshrooke for
about TWO months, and been her accepted
lover for five out Of the eight weeks. On
nv.side. at least. II had been q case Of
loy-e at first sight; one Of those possessive.
all-absorbing passions which quiet, mat
ter-of-fact men sometimes fan under. and
which changes all their former habits IN
al hour.
Paul Vaudeleur is my name, and BY pro
fession am a naturalist; not very pay
ing profession for a man TO take up, how
ever pleasant it may be when one has the
taste for it, I had modest income,
however. to start with, which / increased
bv writing articles for scientific papers
and magazines, lecturing to classes and
athenaeums. and publishing. when could
find a publisher pamphlets and class
books or the subject. AT the time 1 met
Clarissa I was slowly getting on, but was
vet not in the safe position to warrant ne
taking a wife.
had come down 70 the manufacturing
town OF Turvydale 70 fulfil some lecturing
engagements which my London agent had
secured for me, and as it was a good cen
ter had fixed upon it as my headquarters
while was going about the country on
my Iecturing business and collecting.
Turvydale is nourishing place for trade
and the manufacturers are proud Of lis
tening to scientific lectures, so that had
been very successful during my eight
weeks tour; successful with my lectures
from pecuniary point Of view. fairly
successful in my specimen-collecdng and
more than lucky in winning the affection
OF the loveliest and most accomplished
girl in the country side.
Her father was one Of the magnates of
the place a Belgian merchant who had
almost retired, although he still kept Up
his interest in a large business which had
branches Ia Ostend, Antwerp and Tur-
vydale He had acted as chairman at one
Of my first lectures, and afterwards made
me al home in his house, letting his
daughter go out With me as she liked. /
suppose his idea was TO get her lessons
on the cheap. without troubling his head
about the consequences; probably he look
ed upon a bOtanist and lecturer as some
thing altogether too Insignificant 10 be
afraid about
A handsome portly, well-preserved man
was Mr.. Fossbrooke, with a jOvial manner
10 strangers. II did not take me many
days to find out that this "bonhomie"
covered a nature INSCRIPTIONS and hard
in business matters depraved in his ideas
of pleasure, with a will like iron when he
wished TO gain anything.
He was one who never considered man,
woman nor child, where his own eratih-
ion, he gave me glimpses Of depths which
made the youth and wholesOmeness Of my
nature recoil with disgust. He was a man
sceptical OF all morality or social obiEa-
lions, who laughed scornfully. and made
no pretence at being a whit better than
he was, either in the bosom OF his own
family, or outside. In fact ne was any
thing rather than the description Of pros
pective father-tn-law that / would like
70 have chosen, had I been able to have
chosen. Still, for the sake Of his daugh-
ter and only child. I was prepared to con-
done much which would otherwise have
revolted me.
Her mother was French, who had taken
her husband and his vices. as French
women generally take their men, with
careless philosophy. All men were more
or less bad IN her estimation. and he was
nor worse
He was able 20 keep her well and did
not interfere with her 50 long as she let
him go his own way, which she did: so
that the domestic arrangements went on
smoothly enough. There were no vulgar
scenes for the servants to talk about out
SIDE. Husband and wife lived free and
easy. keeping an open and hospitable
mouse, where visitors could come and 90
as they liked, while Clarisssa. their only
child, did with her time as she chose. so
mat our mutual chances for falling in love
personally, I am rather old-fashioned in
my IDEAS. and would have liked 10 have
asked permission to court Clarssa. but
aithough she returned my vows as affec-
tlonately as any lover could have desired.
she made me promise early In our intima-
cy not % speak on the subject either 10
her father and mother. She was positive
mat ne would never consent TO our en-
gagement as already he had fixed upon
husband for her, a wealthy but elderly
Js" ana as for her mother she would
only betray the secret to her father and
hasten on the abhorred marriage. "a hug-
band being IN her estimation only "a bust
ness Arrangement, where affection had no
right 10 interfere. Get that contract over
satisfactory first" she used 10 say. "and
then let destiny decide the rest"
50 Clarissa and ! had drifted along dur.
Ing the weeks we We're together. making
plans for our future. ana enjoying the
present with our mutual secret going Tor
tong-distance walks. and meeting in me
lanes on those nights that ! was not
Otherwise engaged. She had consented to
wait for me until / was ga "a position 40
come for her. when she could safely DEFY