The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-07-31
THE w EICH Z
OF a
FEA I II Err

lIiEi iiEi1iTS a mighty fortunate
~ G thing" said Mrs. Schuyler
Ledyard, TO her friend,
tzAes Mrs George Ganzevoort
tsl lgII that Philip has money, or
will have It when he's a
year older and comes into his fathers
estate He certainly never would earn
anything at the profession which he
has adopted. Think OF it. Mrs. CAME
WORT, he's nothing but a naturalist ana
he says he's proud of it. He goes
incoming through the fields every day
ogling birds with an opera glass and
catching tadpoles in a tin cup.
II cried my eyes out because he
wouldn't be n lawyer or something
useful, But 1t was no use. He kissed
me- laughed at me and said that the
only possible interest he could take in
lawyers was in their capacity rs
leeches, and then they might make in
tcresting study. Mercy, the boy will
come into 100000 in a year. and
while he knows n lot about everything,
he likes to talk about nothing but tree
toads and titmice.
"0h yes, I know, Irs. Ganzevoort
he is awfully good and sweet to me
and all that, but you haven't heard
the worst. He's been digging ferns
and scraping off lichens for a month
with Mary Martin. Mary is a perfectly
proper and very pretty girl I know,
Int Go ,,4.fes
carpenter, and suppose Philip should
fall in love with her? Why the Led
yards for ten generations back would
get up out of their graves and forbid
the union. And do you know, Mrs.
Ganzeyoort, I fear the mischief is
done already, for when I spoke to
Philip about it end said something
about this going botanizing with q
carpenters daughter, he got angry
with me for the first time in his life
and said that Mary Martin was a fit
mate for a king and was better bred
and knew a lot more than some people
who were always talking about money
and family.
well, he must obey me for another
year at any rate, and I'm going to send
him away tomorrow to cure him of his
infatuation. You know I had set my
heart on his marrying Josephine Bat
tells. She has blood and money. PHILIP
has only seen her once or twice. but
think he was taken nightly with hel
appearance, for she is 4 striking-look
inn ,,;,.l ,vo,, I-Doz,v. b1ncIy boiY rod
lips and superb eyes. l think PhiliI
got little angry with her once wher
he gave her a leafet that some birC
society published and she read it an(
said it was sentimental nonsense. i
had something about feather wearing
and cruelty in it. Well, as l sale
before, he will go away tomorrow fol
a year, and when he comes back l car
assure you that Josephine Battels vii
be here to welcome him I think
know her feelings in the matter prctt!
we'll"
So it was that Philip Ledyard founC
hSnsef sentenced by his mother to {
years banishment. He was a Gne-loOk
ing fellow just out OF college, athletic
given to tramping the fields and t
looking at every form Of nature Wit
sympathetic eyes. As q child he hat
played with Mary Martin because il
childhood, especially in village life
ranks are leveled.
Philip Ledyard, back from collog
with a mans heart and to some ?Xten
with a mans head did admire prett
Mary Martin. He thought his hear
was still well within his own keeping
but whom he heard his mothers ediC
of exile and his thoughts turned to
little cottage in the lane leading I
BoboIink Meadow he was not quit
so certain.
Philip Ledyard told Mary that h
was going away for year. Mary sal
goodby to him with her eyes clear an
with untrembling voice, but tears fe
that night in an upper room in the ca
penter's cot.
Philip Ledyard went to Souther
fields. He studied botany and orn
thology in out Of the way Mexica
places, and finally joined a party {
observers sent out by the Governmer
Biological Survey with instructions /
get data about the flora and fauna {
Florida Philip had n personal frien
in the party a man of kindred taste
to his own. and it was to him that
owned the privilege Of joining I'll
party of Government observers.
one day the little company threade