Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-08-24
WhY She Would
Not Marry
(OFiginal.l

Sea island cotton was famous for its
fine quality then, as now, and Chapman,
having bought a plantation on Hilton
Head island, settled himself with his
family, as he supposed, for the rest Of
his life. He raised ten crops, which
gave him a handsome profit on his in
vestment, and was considering the elev-
enth when the first cannon Of the civil
war doomed at Charleston, so zeal
that he could almost hear it.
Chapman, being a Union man, sold
his plantation and his slaves, making
many Of them free, and returned to the
north. His son Howard, whose senti-
ments had been known to be like his
fathers, for the Union, had suddenly
shown a disposition to remain in the
south and take up arm for the Con-
federacy. His father discovered that
this change of front was not due to
principle, but to an attachment for
Carey, the daughter of Colonel Ell
bridge, the wner Of a neighboring
probable failure of the secession move
ment and advised him to cast his lot
with the north. Colonel Eldridge had
forbidden the match, and the young
man therefore decided to take his ia
theirs advice.
Colonel Eldridge had always been
improvident and had laid up nothing.
His slaves, knowing that a war was in
progress which they believed would
liberate them, would not work. No cot
ton could be got to market, and the
c%olonel's affairs soon fell into very bad
shape. About this time blockade run
ners were busy along the coast, and
some rich prizes We're brought into
Port Royal. Two of these belonged to
Ralph Wellington, the younger son Of
an English nobleman. The success Of
both made him very wealthy.
Colonel Eldridge wished to save him
self from poverty by obtaining help
from Wellington, and to do this eff
fectively, seeing that the young man
had fallen violently in love with his
daughter, he made up his mind that
Carey should marry him. Carey had
not admitted that she loved Chapman,
and her father was sure she loved no
one else. Wellington was a man whom
any young lady might be glad to get.
Therefore the colonel did not antici-
pate any especial opposition.
Carey did not openly refuse. She
kneW that her father had been ac-
customed to having what he had set
his heart on, and she knew on this
match depended his saving himself
from ruin. Carey put Wellington off,
and the colonel, since there was not a
positive refusal, encouraged the young
mar to think that she would come
round in time. But it was the colonel
himself who needed patience. He had
borrowed large sums from Wellington
and was in need Of more at once. Irri-
tated by the delay, he finally demand
ed Of his daughter that she should mar
ry the young Englishman.
This much he gained-an engage
ment. But the colonel's necessities re-
CURED his daughters marriage, for
with the settlements, which were to be
large. he was to be lent $4,000. Ev-
ely el1OIL WIS lll}tOc W lllluCc SdIcS
to appoint a day. At last she consent
ed, but as the day approached put it
off. Her father brought all his will
power to bear, with only the result Of
throwing his daughter into Mysteries.
Again and again she gave her promise
to a wedding day, and every time the
day came les she broke her promise.
Finally a week before one of these
promised days her father, locking him
self in her room with her, overawed
her by telling her that this time he in
tended to compel her to keep her prom
Use.
Carey kept a knowledge of the du-
ress under which she lived from Mel
lington. He could see by her altered
appearance that something troubled
her. She did not tell him the cause,
relying on him to %relinquish his claim,
because she dared not thus offend her
father. She was listless about every
thing except her trouble and the prog
ress of the war. An item she saw in a
newspaper especially attracted her at
tention. 1t said that the Yankees were
about to occupy many important points
on the Atlantic coast as bases for their
navy and to prevent blockade running.
AS the last named wedding day APP
preached Colonel Eldridge kept his
daughter under a sort of magnetic in
fluence, from which there seemed to be
no escape. A few days before the day
set whatever preparations We're pos
sible in those day so distressing to the
south We're made. and the neighboring
planters were invited to the wedding,
which was to take place on the Sth Of
November.
At 8 o'clock in the morning Of the
wedding day Carey was as unprepared
for the ceremony, which was to take
place at II, as If she had no intention
Of being married. Suddenly a boom
was heard on the harbor. Carey few
up to the highest window in a cupola
on the house and saw a Yankee feet
sailing up to a fort on one side of the
bay. AS the ships passed they deiiv-
cred a broadside, then. turning, passed
a fort on the other side and delivered
another.