The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-17


languor they also copied her virtues; the
three-volume novel had its points. The
good were properly rewarded and the bad
properly punished: there was no prob
lem" and they never talked obstetrics
when the little stranger came" There
was no morbid straining for effect by a
calamitous ending.
I'VE leave them all in couples a-l1issing
on the decks,
We leave the lovers loving and the old
folk signing checks"
What could be better? There is enough
of calamitous endings IN the real world.
E<LAIL. sweet asylum of my in
fancyi Content and innocence
\ reside beneath your humble
roof and charity unboastful of the good
It does. Hail, ye venerable treesi Ny hap
piest hours of childish gayety were passed
beneath your shelter. Here surely will I
be guarded from duplicity. Here, unmo-
Tested, may I wait until the rude storm
of sorrow is overblown and my fathers
arms are again expanded to receive me-"
Such were the words with which Amanda
greeted the first view of the cottage of
her former nurse to which she had flown
by order of her father from the persecu-
tions OF the dissolute Colonel Belgrave.
Amanda's father, Captain Fitzalan, had
married the daughter of the Earl of Dun
reath, wealthy old noble of Dunreath
Abbey Scotland. Malvina was that
daughters name, and she was the only
offspring of the Earl's first marriage. His
lordship had married secondly a young
woman of proud and ambitious temper, by
whom he had had another daughter, Au-
gusta. The second Lady Dunreath had
schemed and planned TO have the earl
leave all his property to Augusta, and
when Malvina clandestinely married Cap
tain Fitzalan-she having urged on the
match and pretending that she would Sc
cure the earl's forgiveness-the ambitious
lady made that marriage an occasion for
SO arousing her husbands resentment
against his eldest daughter that he re-
fused even to see the imprudent girl or
her husband
Fftzalan, though Of noble birth, was
poor and after a while, finding himself
with a wife and boy baby on his hands,
and the Earl as far from saying bless
you my children" as ever, sold out of the
army. He had been capital officer, but,
as is frequently the case with good Off
GERS. he was a mighty poor business man,
and just before Amanda came into the
world which was to be for her for so
many years a veritable vale of tears he
found himself practically penniless. In the
American war Fitzalan had saved the
life of soldier who was now farmer
IN Wales, and was, of course, filled with
gratitude and devotion to the captain. To
the cottage of this man, Edwin by name.
he went with his wife for an asylum, and
there his daughter was born. The child
was named Amanda, after her grand
mother Lady Dunreath, and after her
mother, Malvina.
Lady Malvina did not long survive the
birth of her daughter. She died and was
buried in the village churchyard. Through
the efforts OF his friend, Lord Cherbury,
Captain Fitzalan once more obtained a
commission in the army and continued
there for four years. Then, wishing to
have his children once more around him,
he again sold out, and calling the boy.
Oscar, from his school, and Amanda NAL
VIVA from the cottage of Edwin, he took
affarm In Devonshire and settled down
tosa life of agriculture.
But it is not enough to beat your spears
irto pruning hooks and your swords into
plowshares-you must know how to use
them after the Transformation. Things
would have gone hard with Clncinnatus
in his retirement had he not been farm
err before he was a soldier. AS an agrl-
culturist the Captain was not success.
He soon got Into debt to the owner of the
estate, Colonel Belgrave. The Colonel
said that Oscar. the captains son, was
a fine boy and got him a commission in
the army. Then he proceeded to pay at
tention to Amanda Malvina. AS the
colonel was a married man the captain
objected. Then the colonel said, Give up
Amanda Malvina to me or give up the
farm. Also, if you do not agree to my
wishes 1 will put you in prison for debt"
Fitzalan hurried his daughter off under
the assumed name of Miss Dunford to Ed
wins cottage, while he himself fled to
London to seek the aid Of Lord Cher
bury. Soon after her arrival at the cot
tage Amanda received a letter from her
father saying that Lord Cherbury was in
France but was soon expected home.
Meantime she should be Of good cheer.
She must not expect to hear from him
often, as he wished to avoid any clues by
which Colonel Belgrave might find him
out and arrest him before the return Of
sd II. I'D