The Penn's Grove record., 1899-02-10


fist l answefed." ~ wish you would show
me how to 4et the wretched thing in so
that it doesn't seem to be standing on one
leg?'
with pleasure, " | took her place on the
campstool aIfd on another piece of paper
made n rough drawing of the building.
what a number of people by the name OF
Cam are buried here" | said by way OF
opening the iconvertion. "Oh yes, they
used to be al great family in days gone by"
She answered.. Henry VIII took them
away when he was reforming the Church.
The Cams hardly ever change their reli-
giOn. Sir Hugh Cam was one of them, he
deserved to Ne punished, She added, "He
did a very cIuel thing" '"What was that
I inquired. He was betrothed to his
cousin Miss Dora Crispenn and Tilted her
And what become of Dora Crispenn?''
''She went Into a convent, they say she
died OF a broken heart, and soon after Sir
Hugh Cam left for America. Since those
daysa Cam ,has never owned an acre OF
land in Devopshire. And they will never
get back to their position of land owners un-
less" She stopped. ''Unless what? l ask
ed. well There is an old legend, which
has been handed down; but l don't sup
pose it will ever come true. 1t runs
My lord shall come to his own again,
When a Cam squire wed a Crispenn
dame"
80 the theory is that when a Cam mar
ries a Crispehn and so repairs the wicked
ness of Sir Hugh, then prosperity will re-
turn" Yes; but l am afraid that will new
er happen now" she said with a little
sigh. Nobody knows what has become of
the Cann's in Devonshire, and the Crispenn's
have gone to the United States. When
last heard from they were in Philadelphia
and the former in New Jersey" 1t APP
pears to me | said that you are supersti-
tious about this country legend. l am
afraid | am, she said laughing, because, so
many have come true. But this one will
never come true. Why not? Because she
said, | happen to be one of the ~Crispenns,
l was named Dora, after the lady who died
ola broken heart. Are you a Miss Crls-
penn? l asked, struck at the coincidence.
But | am afraid l cannot help those I'M
fortunate Cams, she went on, because l do
not know one, besides, she continued, even
if l did | could not give them back their
property because / haven't any money. By
this time my rough drawing was finished
and she was kind enough to say il was very
! GIGNtIs May L Keep II, SlC dohChs i cliOOlh
like to paste it in my scrap book? By all
means, would You like me to sign my name
to it. Yes please, and put the date. l did
as she told me, signing myself Robert Girls
penn Cam. When she saw what l had
written she turned pale with establishment.
Are you really descended from those old
monuments she said. Not from the monu-
ments, l answered, but l / believe / am de
sceuded from that unfeeling man who broke
Miss Dora C~rispenn's heart. Then she
turned scarlet at some thought which
struck her, from what she had said and
looked uncomfortable, but l could not re-
sist the opportunity of teasing her.
There is no doubt that you will have to
marry me, l said, and so restore the Cams
to their former glory. l don't see that, she
said. II do not believe in those old legends.
l thought you said you did. Yes, ! believe
in some of them, but not this one. Besides
am not going to marry any one. l have
decided to be an old maid. l like old
maids. So do /, but | like young maids
better. am afraid Miss Crispenn, you
cannot escape, it's a question ofdestiny, you
and ! will have to fall in love with one an
other; so we must make the best of it.
By this time she had quite recovered her
e%quanimity and was prepared to treat the
matter as a joke. 1t seems rather hard
lines that | should be obliged to fall in love
with you, Sir, she said, with a mischiev-
e0us CLEAN in her eyes, | am afraid you are
not my ideal. Perhaps not, | admitted,
but then Dora, people never marry their
ideals. | beg your pardon, she said, raising
her eyebrows with dignified surprise, peo'
pie do not usually address lady strangers
by their Christian name, she replied severe
ly. Certainly not, but perhaps You forget
that we are not strangers; we are cousins,
you cannot seriously expect me to address
my own cousin as Miss Crispenn. Many
thanks for your help with the sketch, it is
time for me to go. She packed up heI
drawing materials; but | noticed she did
not offer to return my sketch in spite OF
her Indignation. but | wa not going to let
her escape 50 easily. You will let me see
you home at any rate, 1 said. think not
she answered, l live a long way off. Sc
much the better; we can discuss family le'
gends. Besides | am well known, n i
! am seen walking through Chester with q
stranger everyone will want TO know who
you are. You will of course explain that
my name is Cam, | remarked and they VII
grasp the situation at once She mt hel
lips with vexation. Come, l said, do not le
us worry about destiny or anything else
l will walk with you as far as your house
you must in mercy permit that for do no
know a soul in town. Then if you find al
additional cousin such a nuisance we vii
say goodbv forever and ever. Will tina
do? Yes, she said, rather doubtiully. Oh
our way through the town she pointed GU
the house where at one tim Sir Hugl
lived.
:, That evening Mr.. Crispenn, Dora's father
7 called at the hotel where | was staying an'
: begged to make the acquaintance OF amen
ber ofthe family. / submitted graceful,
t aud we discussed the family tree until
l O'Clock in the morning. | think few mel
=, had a more difficult courtshlp than Rober
, for Miss Crispenn fought against the guid
ance of destiny with all her might. But
t Robert succeeded at last and they wert
e married. Five years of happiness and the
two sweet little Cams comforted thei
hearts. One is called Agustus, the othe
Mary Ellen Cam. Curiously enough tn
e rest of the legendscame true for a distan
. relative left Dora a large fortune. IN
terms of her will ran, | leave the sum c
o $4,000 600 to my Kingswomen Dora Crlspen
. Cam, that she will employ it as far as pra(
E ticable in repurchasiug the family property
c And all this arose from a chance encounte
# in an old Church on a wet afternoon.
5 DAVID CRIsPENN CANN,
4 National Soldiers Home, Hampton, Va
a An Honest Medicine for La Grippe.