Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-03-04
THE CROSSE ATCH
FAMILY
TOriTnai.1

Ter, cldlU1lus, ueSCcul lioAA ShC A-~A~SS
ter family whose best known repre-
sentative was the favorite Of Queen
Elizabeth. / was baptized Algernon
Cecil.
Twas introduced to girl whose name
I did not catch. If had caught it
doubt that should so readily have fall
en- in love with her. When learned that
It was the singular and to her entirely
inappropriate name Of Crosspatch ! left
her for a week, at the end Of which
time called on her again, for found
II impossible to drive her out Of my
mind.
"How did it happen" l asked her.
shat you, the perfection Of amiability.
were born under such namer
1T is a corruption" she said, "of
Grossebach. The change came many
generations ago, and my grandfather,
who studied the family history, pro-
fessed to have discovered that 1t was
made on account of the bravery of one
of our ancestors, common soldier OF
CromwelPs army, who in face of gall
ing fire crossed a field or patch Of
ground, carrying ammunition to force
beleaguered by the Cavaliers. His COM
rades dubbed him Crosspatch, and he,
being proud Of his deed, retained it"
"H'mw muttered to myself. Doubt
less my ancestors were among the Cav
alters who opposed the low bred Puri-
tans."
Despite her name, loved Miss Cross
patch so dearly that / could not give
her up, and, as my love was returned,
| we becSme engaged Besides my love
there was another reason for my mar
riage-I longed to regain some Of the
social prominence for myself and my
descendants of the ancient Leicesters.
and Miss Crosspatch was possessed Of
an enormous fortune left her by this
same grandfather who had discovered
the origin of the name. After all, what
difference would it make? The wife as
| sumes the husbands name, and she
and our children would be Leicesters.
/ had a fancy that the oldest son
should have for his surname his moth
ers family name, but in this case |
resolved that no son of mine should be
christened Crosspatch Leicester. He
should be named for me. Algernon
Cecil. would see that he inherited
the bulk Of his mothers fortune and
in this way l would re-establish tn"
Leicester family.
There was q brilliant wedding al
which drank a trle too much wine
and boosted that as one Of our family
| had once been the favOrite Of Quec%
now it " nd become the favorite O.
the upper ten thousand Of the United
States. We departed on our wedding
trip amid the usual shower of rice. and
on our return settled myself down TO
enjoy my newly acquired fortune.
had been at home but n few days be-
fore the solicitor for the Crosspatch
millions wrote me saying that he would
like to see me in the city. | went to
him and was shown into his private
Office.
81 have sent for YOU" he said. that
q very important matter may be set
tled-the ownership Of the Crosspatcb
property"
"My dear sir" replied. the proper
ty belongs to my wife"
"There is Il condition attached to her
grandfather's will"
"A condition! What is it?'
"Tbat her husband assume the name
of Crosspatch and the children If any
resulting from the marriage only in
herit under that name. Simon Cross
patch, having no children except your
wife's father, and he dying during her
Infancy with no other issue. left the
property to her with the above named
condition. He was very proud Of the
manner in which the name originated
and desired to perpetuate the family
under it."
And l." said l, lam DESTROYS of per
petuating the family under the name
Of Leicester"
1.-THE family can only inherit by as
Stunning the name of Crosspatch. In
case you decline TO do SO. the Will
states that tho property is to go to thf
endowment of I'm institution TO y
known rs thr Cr0SSparrh university.
My wife never told NE this ! eN
claimed wrarhfuily.
'FOr the very GOOD reason that '"'r
grandfather Stiun.ated III his will t!'A
ahe Was not To De- infurESCd of it rXC,p'
through her husband. He desired u"'
10 stand in the way Os her marria."
Ee preferred to leave it 4" her husb"nt
10 accept the terms or resign the fOr.
tune But in cas- you decline there *
an annuity settled on her Of $l.5Oo Il
year to keep her from want"
/ asked for ths time allowed Inc by
the will in which, to make my decisions
a7d was informed that it was month.
was too much disGruntled to retllrn
to my wife for week. but by that
time had decided to accept the namt
and ha fort,,nn Nv wifp vThn