The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-03-23

X~rk Marry perfect beSSar
9 MI Q Why, Herbert de Lisle
Ava are you a fool, or crazy
Hc~ or what, that you dare to
talk to me about that girl?'
And old Ralph de Lisle brought his
clinched fist down on the narDle-top
table beside which he was sitting with
an energetic movement quite unusual
to him, while his low brow contracted
and his spare; bloodless face grew
purple with rage.
"Then you will not consent" said he,
calmly.
'Neverr' and the old, white-haired
father fairly roared the word. Have
I toiled and economized all these years
to see my money thrown away on a
pauper? We shall see about that, sir.
/ always said you had not particle
of the de Lisle pride. You are Randall
all over. There's your mother, now;
? I've no doubt she would rejoice to see
you tied for life to. that girl. con-
sidered my promise to her dying father
fulfilled when I brought her home to
feedand clothe her, and it was no plan
Or maRe that she should be educated
and taughesa. fill a daughters place in
,the family, where, by rights, she should
have been only a menial. Still. I did
not object as should, and now the un-
grateful mink wants to step in as the
future Mistress de Lisle, does she?
Away from me! and remember, Isabel
Deaver is the woman you are to
MARRY; and mind, too, that YOU have
nothing more to say to that bsby-faced
creature of my bounty"
Herbert moved toward the door in
scornfui silence, which but aggravated
the old man the more.
!, Springing to his feet, he exclaimed,
-vehemently:
Il shall watch you, sir. There must
be no more billing and cooling, l can
tell you that. If you but so much as
speak again to that girl, l will cut you
of with dollar1'
For a moment an angry tide swept
across the face of the younger de
Lisle.> When it passed, his face was
a trife paler than before, and his lips
were slightly compressed, but there
was mocking gleam of mischief in his
eyes as he answered:
"Father, I shall marry Ellen yet, and
with your full permission"
The old man was more than ever en-
ragged. and his voice sounded hollow
and sepulchral, and every word he ut
tered was cut OF with 4 pugilistic ges-
ture of his elenched fist.
when I give my consent to your
marriage with Ellen Hosmer shall
be either an idiot or lunatic, and she
shall be at once installed mistress OF
de Lisle Hail."
Ralph de Lisle was not to ne hood.
I winked by any pretty devices Of the
young man or his mother. He fol-
lowed Herbert about the house like
his shadow. Mrs. de Lisle was vexed;
her son was angry.
LAS old as I am" he muttered-
'nearly thirty-to be followed about
like baby that's in danger of tum-
bling into the fire."
Ellen grew morbidly sensitive under
this constant espionage. and would
run away whenever she, saw Herbert
approaching.
: If Mrs. de Lisle took Ellen under
her wing for walk, and glanced cas-
,ually on departing at her son, the old
man understood perfectly we'll that the
glance meant something" and Her.
bert was kept as closely under his eye
as cat ever kept the prey she had
doomed for her dinner.
But after time Mrs. de Lisle de-
sisted from her strange maneuvreS.
Herbert gave up all attempts to CON
verse privately with Ellen. and be-
gan absenting himself from TIE house
lor whole days at time.
Not long after this, Ralph de Lisle's
oft-repeated assertion that Ellen was
tickle and volatile seemed to meet
> with corroboration, for new wooer,
who came in the loose garb of sailor,
and who constantly wore broad
brimmed hat. seemed to have COM
pletely turned the young girls head.
How or whence he came Ralph did
not know. His wife assured him that
the sailor had been properly introduced
by, a mutual friend, and he was too
rejOiced 4 the turn affairs had taken
TO ask many questions. How glad
the old man felt that his son stayed
away from home so much. He was
uneasy every time he saw the sailors
broad hat oNershadowing Ellan's lit,
tie sundown in the garden, lest Her,
bert should return and impede the
progress Of this. to him at least, de-
sirabIe courtship.
The sailors devotion to Ellen became