Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1910-03-31

n AC0up AOOAAOoSN hAoA JOdSAp
Arthur Wellesley by name, dared to
fall in love with Lady Catherine
Pakenham, court beauty and daughter
Of the earl of Langford. This was in
1895. The young man was as well.
born as she, for he was fourth son
Of the earl Of Mornington. Also. he
had already won military and parlia-
mentary honors. But he had almost
no money. Lady Catherine could read
lily hope to marry man of wealth and
title. So her family frowned on the
youthful soldiers s'Iit.
Yet he proposed to Lady Catherine
and received her assurance that her
heart was his. This mutual avowal
was gratifying enough for both the
lovers; but It had no effect whatever
on the earl Of Langford's determine
ton that his daughter should not wed
penniless soldier. In spite Of her
family's opposition, Catherine told
Wellesley that she should always con-
slider herself betrothed to him. With
this solitary crumb Of comfort the
man went with his regiment to
India to carve with his sword o fame
,n that should atone
s Sa for his lack Of
S~S'S" wealth. He was
successful beyond his widest hopes.
His military genius quickly became ap-
parent to all. He won victory after
victory. rose steadily in rank. and at
the end of nine years returned to
England as a popular hero. He was
now Gen. Sir Arthur Wellesley, and as
famous as he had once been OBJ
scure.
Nine years is q long time, espe-
cially when lovers are young and are
forced to live apart from one another.
Yet Wellesley and Catherine had re-
NAMED true to that early VOW OF
theirs. Soon after Wellesley had left
for India Catherine had been smitten
with smallpox. Her life was spared.
but her beauty was utterly gone. In
stead Of the exquisite young girl of
nine years before, Wellesley found
himself confronting a plain, mature
woman, whose once fair face was hid
eously pitted and SCARED.
Perhaps something Of the mans hor-
ror and amazement showed In his
eyes, for Catherine bravely admitted
that she was no longer beautiful, and
offered to release him from the en-.
gagement. But Wellesley had the
chivaIry Of a medieval knight. II the
lovely girl Of earlier days was now
an ugly woman, he was none the less
bound by his promise to marry her
And marry her he did. The ceremony
took place on April 10. 1906, few
months after the bridegroom's return
to England. The tale Of his knightly
sacrifice was everywhere told. When
his wife was presented to court the
queen OF England warmly praised her
devotion, and added:
"You are a bright example Of con
stancy. II anybody deserves to be
happy It is you. But is 1t true you
obeyed your father and never wrote
one letter to Sir Arthur during his
nine-year absence?"
''Not q single letter, your majesty"
answered Catherine, 'But-but |
thought Of him very. very often"
The marriage was not especially
happy. Wellesley was a dutiful. kind
husband, and Catherine q devoted
wife, who eagerly applauded her hus-
bands continued rise in the military
world. Nevertheless the two gradual
ly drew apart. To Judge by the hus-
bands letters to Miss jenkins "a
clever Englishwoman OF the time). he
did not allow his wife to mOnopclize
his affection to the exclusion of every
~~-per~~~-~~e~-~-~~~~~ ~-~~~~S.-~,~..-.-~~-~s~s.