Morris tribune., 1905-01-28

paced slowly up and down the lon
hall In. his early youth he had been
soldier sander Admiral Vernon wit
his old and long deceased friend, Law
renee Washington, at Cartagena. Late
on he haslx served under Wolfe at Que
bee. A visitor. and welcome one, toe
at half ;tharcourts of Europe, be loOket
the man of affairs he was. In spite o
his advanced age he held himself Il!
erect AMI carried himself as proud,
as he had done on the heights of Abra
ham or in the, court of St Germain.
Too old to incur the hardships Of thu
Held. Colonel Wilton had yet Offered
his services with the ardor of the
youngest patriot to his country ant
pledged his fortune. by no means in
considerable. in its support. The con
gress. glad to avail themselves of the
services Of so distinguished man, had
sent him in company with Silas Deane
and Benjamin Franklin as an embassy
TO the court of King Louis, bearing
proposals for an alliance and with q
request for assistance during the dead
IL struggle Of the c939nies with the
hereditary foe Of France. They had
been reasonably successful in por-
ton Of their attempt at least. as the
French government had agreed, though
secretly. TO furnish arms and other
munitions Of war through a pseudo
mercantile firm which was represented
by NJ. de Beaumarchais. the gifted au-
thor of the comedy "Le Marriage de FL
caro-" The French had also agreed to
furnish a limited amount of Money.
But. more important than all these.
there were hints and Indications that
az the American army could win any
decisive battle or maintain the unequal
conflict for any length OF time. an open
and closer alliance would be made.
The ENJOYS had dispatched, Colonel
Wilton from their number back to
America to make a report Of the prog
fess Of their negotiations to congress.
This had been done, and General
washington had been Informed of the
situation
The little ship one Of the gallant yes
sells of the nascent American navy, in
w
from France, had attacked and cap
tured a British brig of war during the
return passage, and young Seymour,
who was the first lieutenant Of the
ship. was severely wounded. The
wound had been received through his
efforts to protect Colonel Wilton, who
had incautously Joined the boarding
party which had captured the brig.
After the interview with congress
Colonel Wilton was requested to await
further instructions before returning
to France, and, pending the result OF
the deliberations of congress, after
brief visit to the headquarters of his
Old friend and neighbor, General
Washington. he had retired to his es-
tate AS Il special favor he was per-
mitted to bring with him the wounded
lieutenant, in order that he might re
cuperate and recover from his wound
In the Pheasant valleys Of Virginia.
That Seymour was willing to leave his
own friends in Philadelphia, with all
their care and attention, was due entire
ay to his desire to meet ISIS Katharine
Wilton, of whose beauty be had heard
and whose portrait indeed, in her IA
TIERS possession, which he had seen
before on the voyage, had borne out
her reputation. Seymour had been in
Horned since his stay at the WiltonS'
that he had been detached from the
brig Argus and notified that he was to
Receive orders shortly to report to the
ship Ranger. commanded by a certain
Captain John Paul Jones. and he knew
that be might expect his sailing orders
af any moment. He had improved, as
has been SEN, the days of his brief stay
10 recover from one wound and receive
another 4ad, as might have been ex-
Qected, he had fallen violently i'll love
with Katharine Wilton
There were also staying at the house,
besides the servants and slaves, young
Philip Wilton, Katharine's brother. a
Had of sixteen, who had just received
n midshipman's warrant and was to
accompany Seymour when he joined
the Ranger. then Quitting at Phila-
Aeiphia. and Bentley. an old and vet
ersir sailor, boatswain's mate. who
had accompanied Seymour from ship
10 ship ever since the lieutenant was
q midshipnan. man who had but one.
home. the sea: one hate. the English: [
ene love. his country and one attach
ment. Seymour
Colonel Wilton was widower. AS
katharine came down the stairway, +!
elad in all the tinery her father had
asreught back for her from Paris. her
hair rolled high and powdered, the old
Family diamonds. with their quaint
setting Of silver. sparkling upon her
snowy neck. her ian anguidiy waving !
In her hand. she looked strikingiY like !
n pictured woman smiling down at
them from over the mantel, but to the
sweetness and archness of her moth !
er's laughing face were added some Of
the cOionefs pride. determination and
courage. He stepped to meet her and !
then bent and kissed the hand she ex-
tended toward him with all the grace !