The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-12-18
!; HOW | MARRIED
ILL MY GRANDMOTHER

1t was five years ago. Tho affair be
gan then, but before | say any more
let me recall TO your mind the fact
TINT l was always regarded In the fun
fly as my grandfather's heir, The title
and entailed estate would SO, of course.
to his eldest SON, my uncle, but the
greater part of his vast wealth would
come to me. In fact, lie had so de
elared. | had lost both parents when
but child, and | had grown 10 mnn-
hood under his immediate care. for he
had long been widowcr. My father
had been his fayorlte son What moro
natural than that | should be the pre-.
ferrcd one There was this under
standing, however, between my grar,l-
father ana myself: must never marry
without his approval. Marry! | had
no thought of ii. My rollielling bach
elor life pleased me too well to cx-
change II for any other
And that sort OF existence lasted I'M
til | WAS twenty seven, and then II
was brought to an abrupt close by
what do You suppose? Well, n girls
face, nothing morc=a girls face seen
for Il brief moment only ut window
~ | was changing carriages ut Bolton
station. You smile, | don't wonder,
but | declare TO you that from thence
forth | knew no peace of mind. That
face was ever before me, looking out
from under dainty gypsy hat. pale,
pure, perfect In outline, with luxurl.
ant mass of soft brown hair full of
shiny ripples, dark eyes. a little red
mouth and shining white teeth.
Some dreamy little chit" | said to
myself again and again. with pref
| ty face and head full of romance. |
wish | had never seen her At all
events. 1t Is highly probable that we
have met for the first and last time; so
I'll forget her"
Brave words! | could not forget her
and Just then. to add TO my perplexlty.
my regiment WINS ordered off to India
A few days before embarllng ! re
ceived letter from my grandfather
Sir John iialbrookc, urging me to run
down to The Towers in order TINT
might meet the lady who WINS destined
To be my future wife. My answer WINS
short and TO the point,
Dear Grandfather-I have no tesIrc TO marry.
BESIDES, start for India IN two weeks so hive
no time for eourtship. hut / shnll run down 10
The Towers to see You. Your ancetionate. etc.
The old gentleman's answer was
equally concise and explicit;
MY Dear Grandson-H you come to Tie Tow.
ers with the intention Of putting yourself Ell.
tirely In my hands. | shall be oytrjoycd 10 see
YOU II You attempt to enter my house with any
other intention, I'll have you kicked out. and II
You go 10 lndia. hope to heaven that you'll lie
shot Your ahceionate. etc.
What could be done ia the face Of
such an epIslc. nv thls2 Evidently
nothing 10 | chcerfully made my
preparations for departure, aud before
Dvtore n,tIscuf4 r'fs''S str'''s' =" rffs-
John, but thla time II was a letter full
of gratitude and affection aud earnest
regrets that could not do as he de
sired
TO this | received no answer, but n
month after my arrival In India | read
the announcement of the haroncts
death. and the same paper contained
his marriage notice. 4 letter from his
solicitors explained the mystery.
My grandfather had been severely
injured while overlooking some reno.
vatlons which were being made nj The
Towers, and, feeling Tint death WINS
fast approaching, be had almost nj the
last moment married the only child
and heIrcss Of Hubert Moneliton. Esq.
Moreover" wrote the lawyer, "by
your grandfathcr's viii you inherit
something above 10000, provided you
consent to marry the lady with whom
he went through the ceremony Of mar
riagc on his deathbed. Otherwise you
receive not n penny of his fortune"
Had The man gone madt Marry my
grandmother For. word 1t AS they
might, the ugly fact was still there
the woman WAS my grandmother.
Brlstllng with Indignation. wrote TO
Sir Johns lawyer very cNllly, |
fear, but very cncrgctlcnlly, | am sure,
In the first place, ! said | would not
accept penny Of Sir John iialbroOkes
fortune as Il free gift In the next |
would not accept the whole of It bur.
dened with single restricting clause,
and, In conclusions | not only refused
to marry the widow, but absolutely de.
cllncd holding nny communication
whatever with her.
"And sny to my grandmothcr, add
| ed. that the world Is wide enough and
there nrc men enough In II for her 10
seek whom she may deyour elsewhere
and not among those whom the law Of
the land now declares to be her own
! litli aud kin. Let her cast her eyes
among the strangers at her gates and
nc; upon her grandso1"
That ended the matter, ana was
troubled with no more letters about II.
Two years nfterWHrd ! returned to
England on leave a"1 then fnte In
the person Of Gene Ashland, led ne
down TO Surrey for II fOrtnl2lt's shoot
Ing
All, my dear follow, 1t Is only the cid
story over again | went down to sur
rey and met there whom do yon sup
pose? Well the girl whose face seen
once and for II moment only had
haunted me for years.
She was II distant relative Of my
host Yes, and | loved her de- 3rrately
| lbl Ibl p'I utdhAS HlpHfs Htl lol VIZ
pure goodness EindllnesB aud unsclf-
ishncss Of her heart which were con
stantly aud unthinklnSiy revealing
themselves IN thousand Grilpss liillr
ways.
So, MS you may guess. nay TWO weeks
Mt Ashland iArL wore on 10 four, aud
still fingered, even untll the dying
leaves Yete rustling feebly In the mel
low air OF q belated autumn.
And one clenr. starlit evening, when
Helen ana | were sauntering among
the trim flower beds that were cut In
the soft green turf Of the terrace, |
told her the secret Of my heart It's
hope, its fear, it's sweet unrest
When | ceased, my companion looked
I'D at me wonderlnpiy. and, upon my
honor, tears were Glistcnns In hel
pretty eyes.
..i.. emil won sire