The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1902-12-12


HT HEN Edwin Dumble, son Of old
Wy Richard Dumble, the million
aire brewer, fell in love with Henri
eta Schouler, he knew that his
father would oppose their marriage.
He was a sophomore at Harvard, and
Henrietta was studying music with
Madame Frisonne in Boston. Mrs.
Sears, the girls chaperone and aunt,
had warned the youth that the at
tachment must he broken. Not that
I or Mrs. Schouler object, for you
are a nice boy, Edwin; but your
father would rather see you dead
than allied TO the Schoulers by mar
riage. Why? can't tell you-go and
ask your father"
So Edwin, hurriedly packing a bag,
rushed to his parents big New York
Office, blurted out the story of his
love for the pretty music student, and
demanded the reason for the antic-
ipated opposition. There was a quar-
ter of an hour Of storming--an in
coherent damnation by the old mar
of everything connected with the
Schoulers, and sweeping character
ization of the family that brought
the young man to his feet almost
screaming with rage-before an ex-
planation was offered.
Then old Dumble said tersely:
"Old Schouler was my secretary
once. Your mother was his sister;
he trotted her around to me when
he found out that l wanted a wife,
and / married her. Before your
mothers death Schouler married his
second cousin, woman of no fam
lily, an adventures. who has been
trying TO get hold on me ever
since. This daughter has been shipped
from st. Louis TO Boston to study
this fol-de-rol French singing, and
mark my words, boy-and to take
you inl You've been taken in, too,
easily enough"
"But." the old mans voice was
raised in anger, 'you must not see
that creature again!"
"Creaturel" cried young Dumble,
starting up from his chair. "Sir, you
must not say that againl Henrietta
Schouler is the dearest, best girl on
earth, and" Edwin controlled him
self with an effort.
"There is no use wasting words be-
tween us" said the father, speaking
quietly now. Il can never consent to
your marriage with that girl can
not consent to have you see her
again. Mrs. Sears agrees with me.
Now, will you give me your word as
a gentlemen-as my son-not 10 try
to see her if you go back to Cam
bridge?"
NO" replied the son. 81 love Hen
rietta better than my own life. 1
shall marry her, whatever you say or
do" Then, for a time, the two
stood face to face. The father turned
from his gaze and began to pace the
thickly carpeted floor of his big Of
6ce, and presently the son was meas
uring the opposite limit of the room.
And so, for half an hour. At last the
old brewer stopped to face his son
and say:
Il am quite. determined that this
marriage shall not take place. You
would do well not to try to force il.
| am prepared TO go to any extent
to prevent it. Now. go back to Cam
bridge with this thought before you
always: / shall thwart every attempt
you make to see the girl and will
make it absolutely impossible for
you to marry her. l hope you will
recover from this madness"
The old mans tones were so even,
so controlled, that the boy suspected
a disposition to yield. He began to
plead, saying that the girl was wor-
thy, beautiful-everything desirable.
But the thunder-cloud began TO
gather, and the incoherent pleading
was stopped by fierce oath.
"Go now, my son, before we quarrel
further" said the old man quietly.
Young Edwin went back to Cam
bridge, leaving his father to an hour
of fierce anger, then a night of act
i've planning. When the rumble Of
the milk carts In the deserted streets
announced the morning, the old man
went home and to bed with a smile
of confidence.
"It will be unusual, and little hard
TO manage, but IL won't hurt theml"
he muttered before going to sleep.
Mrs. Sears, co-plotter with Mrs.
Schouler, was entirely satisfied with
the result of Edwin's visit to his IA
ther; the youth came back to her
stretched out his arms towards the
yirl, and cried out to his father for
pity. The old man finished his talk
to the girl. and went out, paying no
more heed to the boys cries than
10 the wind that ratified the window
frames.
Then the two young people began
the most curious imprisonment that
A prcsaic twentieth century chronicle
nas ever recorded. In an age that
fostered intrigue and inquisition, old
Dumble would have been a master
olotter. Now he was a shrewd, rich
DID autocrat with a purpose in view