The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1902-01-02
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uOW | MARRIED
I'll MY GRANDMOTHER
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1t was five years ago. The affair be-
gan then but before l say any more
let me recall to your mind the fact
that was always regarded in the fam
lily as my grandfather's heir. The title
and entailed estate would go, of course.
to his eldest son, my uncle, but the
greater part of his vast wealth would
come to ue. In fact. he had so de-
clared. / had lost both parents when
but a child md | had grown to man
hood under his immediate care, for he
had long Been a widower My father
had been his fayorite son. What more
natural than that / should be the pre-
ferred one? There was this under
standing, however, between my grand
father and myself: must never marry
without his approval. Marry, | had
no thought of it. Ny rollicking bach
elor life pleased me too well to ex-
change it for any other
And that sort of existence lasted qn
til | was twenty-seyen, and then 1t
was brought to an abrupt close by
what do you suppose? We'll, girls
face, nothing more-a girls face seen
for a brief moment only at window
as was changing carriages at Bolton
station. You smile. | don't wonder
but declare to you that from thence
forth l knew no peace Of mind. That
face was ever before me. looking out
from under a dainty gypsy hat, pale,
pure, perfect in outline, with luXuri-
ant mass of soft brown hair full of
shiny ripples dark eyes, 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. l
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! l could not forget her,
and just then, to add to my perpleXity,
my regiment was ordered off to India.
A few days before embarking | re-
ceived a letter from my grandfather,
Sir John Halbrooke, urging me to run
down to The Towers in order that
might meet the lady who was destined
to be my future wife. My answer was
short and to the point
Dear Grandfather have no desire to marry.
Besides, | start for India in two weeks so have
no time for courtship. But | shall run down to
The Towers to see you. Your afectionate, etc.
The old gentleman's answer was
equally concise and explicit
Ny Dear Grandson-If you come to The Tow
ers with the intention of putting yourself en-
tirely in my hands, | shall be oyerjoyed to see
you. II you attempt to enter my house with any
other intention, I'll have you kicked out, and If
you go to India, | hope to heaven that you'll be
shot Your affectionate, etc.
What could be done in the face Of
such an epistle as this? Evidently
nothing. so cheerfully made my
preparations for departure. and before
we sailed am glad to remember this
before we sailed | wrote again to Sir
John, but this time it was letter full
of gratitude and affection and earnest
regrets that | could not do as he de-
sired.
TO this | received no answer, but
month after my arrival in India | read
the announcement of the baronet's
death, and the same paper contained
his marriage notice. a letter from his
solicitors explained the mystery.
My grandfather had been severely
injured while overlooking some reno
vations which were being made at The
Towers. and, feeling that death was
fast approaching he had almost at the
last moment married the only child
and heiress of Hubert Monckton. Esq.
"Moreover," wrote the lawyer, "by
your grandfather's will you inherit
something above 100000. provided you
consent to marry the lady with whom
he went through the ceremony of mar
rage on his deathbed. Otherwise you
receive not penny of his fortune"
Had the man gone mad? Marry my
grandmother? For, word it ms they
might, the ugly fact was still there
the woman was my grandmother
Bristling with Indignation, | wrote to
Sir Johns lawyer-not very ciVilly, |
fear, but very energetically. | am sure.
In the first place, | said would not
accept penny Of Sir John Halbrooke's
fortune as IA free gift. In the next. |
would not accept the whole of it bur
dened with a single restricting clause,
and in conclusion, l not only refused
to marry the widow, but absolutely de-
! clined holding any communication
whatever with her.
And say to my grandmother | add
ed. that the world is wide enough and
there are men enough in 1t for her to
seek whom she may devour elsewhere
and not among those whom the law of
the land now declares to be her own
kith and kin. Let her cast her eyes
among the strangers at her gates and
not upon her grandson"
That ended the matter. and was
troubled with no more letters about it.
Two years afterward | returned to
England on leave, and then fate In
the person of General Ashland, led me
down to Surrey for fortnight's shoot
ing.
All my dear fellow. it is only the old
story over again. | went down to Sur
reg and met there-whom do you sup
poser Well. the girl whose face-seen
once and for moment only - had
haunted me for years
She was a distant relative of my