The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-08-04

Il
my right and proper course was tc
obey my father, but was too deeply
in love with Constance Marsh to dare
to imperil my present amicable terms
with her by offending my uncle, ana
| the twofold result would necessarily
follow that course. When momentous
decisions have to be made by the NOR.
ally weak land such was my condition
at the period Of which / write), then
also comes suffering, for It Is the
quality Of weakness to shrink from
pain, even when conscious that In so
doing It not only postpones but accu-
mulates disaster. Pondering these
things slowly returned to my room to
prepare for the excursion to Tarry-
town-which luckily had not done be-
fore, for my uncle's practical illustra-
ton of the way was to deal with old
John Adams would have wrecked the
toilet of Suffolk farm laborer.
At hnlf-past ten aunt Gertrude and
Miss Marsh entered the drawing room,
where awaited them in some trepida'
ton, for knew that my uncle had not
seen either Of these ladies since he had
arranged for me to accompany them
to Tarrytown, and 1t was quite possi-
BILE that they might depart without
me, or that my company might be less
agreeable to them than my uncle had
represented. These fears were Ut
once dispelled by aunt Gertrude, VINO,
coming forward to greet me, assured
me of the pleasure with which she
had Just learned that was to be their
companion for the day.
l expressed my thanks, and at the
same time my surprise that she should
know Of this, for I was sure that she
could not have seen her husband since
l saw him leave the house.
"Oh. you don't quite understand
said aunt Gertrude, laughing, my hus-
band Is now at his Office, and he has
just been talking to me by telephone"
Both ladies were dressed ready to
depart. and looked very charming, par
ticularly Miss Marsh, who stood near
to the open doo-, giving sundry pats
and twitches to 4 refractory rose which
could not be easily induced to repose
in the bosom of a white muslin dress
to the satisfaction Of its mistress. AS
1 observed this beautiful but silent
girl waiting while her sister and
were talking. I did not think. and
could not then have believed that it
was she moved uncle Sam to furnish
me with an introduction to Mrs. Van
Rensselaer,. That knowledge did not
come to me till long after. A wife is
lavish Of confession from which a
maid would shrink.
The journey to the dock in my un-
cle's carriage did not occupy many
minutes. Arrived there we at once
went on board my uncle's yacht-a
small steamer, exquisitely designed
and superbly fitted, a floating palace
in miniature. The hour appointed for
our departure had not yet arrived, but
steam being uD, and the captain, I'M
derstanding that our party was COM
pletc the gangway was at once raised,
and the IroQuois slowly steamed out
from among the trading steamships by
which she was surrounded and bore
round into the North River.
September and October are the most
pleasant months in North America.
Then the fierce glare of summer has
subsidized, and the air is dry, clear and
exhilaratirg, and the foliage assumes
a beautiful golden tint. In such sea-
son a journey up the Hudson River is
very delightful experience. The
American Rhine, as the Hudson Is
sometimes called, is inferior to the
German Rhine in nothing but histori-
cal associations, though even In this
respect it is not destitute. Precipitous
banks, rising to a height Of from 500
to 500 feet. for the most part thickly
wooded, among which here and there
nestles picturesque village or elegant
mansion standing in its own highly
cultivated grounds. enchant the eyes
Of the stranger for many miles along
its course. Speaking for myself l
must say that I remember few If any
days in my life upon which I have ex-
perienced greater pleasure than was
mine on the particular thirteenth OF
September of which I now write.
That the companionship of my Con-
stance q had already once or twice so
addressed Miss Marsh and she had not
demurred to the style), had much to
10 with my satisfaction must be imme-
1iatey admitted. Aunt Gertrude,
with admirable tact, had begged Con-
stance and me to excuse her continu-
ing the perusal Of an interesting book
which she had brought with her. and
we (heaven bless our charity saw fit
to graciously grant the desired pardon,
upon which she took seat at the aft.
and vouchsafed us no further notice
until our arrival at Tarrytown.
The few hours remaining to me in
America were rapidly wasting away,
and l felt that I could not tell Con-
stance Of my resolve to return at once
to England without at the same time