Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-07-16
CHAPTER II.

I Grange. The BeauchampS were an
old family, perhaps one Of the oldest
in England; they had no title. for the
simple reason that. although they had
been frequently offered one, they in
variably refused it.
J NO title can ennoble US" the proud
old squire would say; ANY man in
these days may be lord, no one could
be Squire Beauchamp of Weston
Grange Not that | despise the title
my country chooses for the reward of
great men, but they could not ennoble
me-"
One after another the squires of
Weston had succeeded each other, I'M
til John Beauchamp came into pos
session. He had one brother, younger
than himself, William, who lived with
him.
John Beauchamp married early in
life a beautiful and talented lady, the
youngest daughter of Lord Colville.
He loved her with a strength and
depth rarely known, and when his
hopes were highest, when he was ex-
pecting an heir to his estates, he lost
her. Mother and child died together.
He was inconsolabie for many years;
he mourned as one who could not be
comforted. During that time he made
a will in his younger brothers favor,
leaving all that he possessed to his
brother and his children after him.
: For William" he used to say, you
must marry, or the old name will die
out. Dearly as / love it, / can not
marry to save it, because my heart
is buried in my wife's grave; but you
must marry. Never mind money, you
will have more than enough of that;
marry into a good old family, there is
nothing like it,"
| But William did not obey his brother
in all things; he fell in 1--we, but it was
to please himself; nor was it with the
member of a good old family either
but with the penniless daughter of a
poor school master, who had but a
beautiful face and a tender heart fol
her fortune.
You can not do it, SIR" said the
elder brother, when the other one
mentioned his love. "Ours is an old
family, an ancient family, second to
none; you can not bring a school
masters daughter into it. Remember,
l forbid all thoughts of such a mesal-
lance"
! And William seemed to yield to his
brother; but in few months after
ward the whole neighborhood was
astonished by hearing that the beauti-
full Rose Hampton had run away
from home. 1t might have been
thought suspicious that at the same
time William Beauchamp went for a
continental tour. If the old squire
had any suspicious, he never gave ut
terance to them. William returned
and though he made long absences
from the Grange it was still his home
One absence was longer than others,
and when he returned he wore Grape
round his hat but the squire never
asked the reason why He was at
home six months, then told his brother
he had business in Paris. He died
there quite suddenly, and his body was
brought to England for burial Some
few months after his funeral. French
nurse appeared, with a little child.
at Weston Grange; she asked for an
interview with the squire, and told him
1t was by his late brothers directions
she acted.
But my late brother, as you call
him, was never married." Numbered
the squire.
Il do not know said the nurse. II
knew no wife of his. | only know this
child; he placed it years ago under
my care, understood there was no
mother living. He told me after his
death to bring it to you with these
papers"
She gave him a packet of papers,
but the squire in his anger threw
them away. Whether he ever read
them or not is n secret only known to
God and himself The packet was
picked up the next morning by a ser
want, and thrown into an old lumber
room, while the squire vented his
anger in loud words.
His brother was dead. and of the
dead nothing but good must be said;
but poor William was the first Beau
champ who had been a profiigate. q
deceiver Of women, This unfortunate
child was the first of its kind ever
brought to Weston. He persisted in
saying that his brother had never
been married; but as it seemed clear
enough it was his child, it should re
ceive a decent education-more thar
, that he would not say. So the child
a lovely little girl of seven, was SEN
to boarding-school and John Beau
champ seemed to forget its existence
1t remained there for ten years. ant
would perhaps have remained for ter
years longer, but that the mistress o
, the school died, and when the othe
! pupils were sent home, the child
now grown into a beautiful girl. wa.
sent to Weston Grange. All tn,
! squire's anger was renewed at tn,
r sight of her.
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