Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-02-24
A MIXED MARRIAGE.
Rv Harriet Monroe.

BY Harriet Mcnrce.
Copyright. 1904. by w. II. ltcarst)
My friend Barsted is IL typical Amer
lean business man. but that does not
Irevent his tracing his lineage back
to Il noble knight who crossed the Eng
fish channel with William the on
queror. Barsted's grandfather was lord
OF one of the most ancient manor
houses in England. and EarstedNs
father, being a younger son. came 10
America to seek his fortune. married
a charming American girl and present
cd a large family of children to his
adopted country. The Engllsh con-
nection WAS kept UP. however, by cor
respondence and occasional visits.
when Earsted crossed the ocean 4 rev
years ago to open Il London office ms
cousin. the widow OF the late Kenneth
Barsted. invited him down to Hoopston
Manor TO meet his relatives. And. be-
sides,'' said Barsted in telling the tale,
she knew l was a successful Amer
lean business and she wanted 10
ask me why the income of the estate
had dwindled under her management
To a quarter of what her huShahd used
10 get out of it.
Well, l went down for Il few days.
and since I knew she had ten or eleven
children. some of whom We're girls, 1
took with me a tall young American
assistant of mine. named Anderson. to
show him some genuine English coun-
try and genuine English girls. we
were met at the station and driven
Il few miles TO Hoopston, which proved
to be a splendid. big. green Old DO
! main. with an immense house on IT
| dating from Henry Wits time and
using some thick walls and arches OF
the ancient castle. built fom' hundred
years earlier mt destroyed. mostly. IN
| the civil wars.
My cousin. the widow. received us IN
state under the great Norman archway
of her hall. N presented her three
or foun, daughters. They Were q state
ly crowd. all six feet tail. more Or less,
and as dignitied as only blue biooded
English wonnen can be. That evening
We We're all frozen up stiff. Dinner.
under the high Gothic windows OF the
/! old dining room was as gay as a runner
al; Young Anderson hadn't u word 10
say and my slangy American talk WAS
about as comprehensive to that crowd
us Choctaw. And when he and ! We're
shown To grand and gloomy chambers.
with walls FIVE feet thick and the chill
of damp centuries in them. we made up
our minds 10 die of pneumonia on the
spot and b. cheerful about il.
But i'm the morning things began
to look more joyous, though Anderson
Was much alarmed when Il man stole
into his room before dawn and took
awaN his clothes. He brought them
back all brushed. though, and with
them a pitcher of water. which he ratified
out. ice and all-it WAS early February.
you know into q tin armchair ~ u
bnthtub. Anderson meade q show OF
splashing some of that water on The
floor. and got along without a bath that
morning.
Well the girls We're as stiff and
slarched as ever While their mother
was around. but when She took me of
To Tool over the estate Anderson tells
me there WIS Il sudden and iiabbergasl
change. Corneiia. the second of these
unmarried daughters. Tipped over
turned a fine series of hand-sprllss-
they were on y; sheltered bit OF lawl
under some old tre,s-;ind asked he
guest what he thought of that. An.
derson almost tainted WAS slrucl
dumb w%hereupon the other girl
laughed and Joined in the capering Xix
young colts. Then he ciiusht on
!, showed them some American stunts
and became immensely popular.
"You see. those girls We're simply
/ troop of wild Young animals. Thel
| brothers We're all off III school. on iii
university. or tho amy, or hat not
but the girls had been kept nj hom
and educated so they called IT'D
g~overnesses. L LEAVE You TO imagin
the depth and variety of their ignui
ancc. Not y magazine. scarcely
newspaper. even. reached them the
t hadn't a book in the house i.ater ,ha
, G. -. n. James. once mentione
Dickens. as Edith had ;: cold an
wanted something To read. oh. "
have never read Dickens, said the wild
! ON, loftily. Why. what's the matte
With Dickens I inquired, but sll. s.:
. down on me hard. Yoli know u
wasn't II gentleman. she said.
After that I gave up there was !.
undermining that falnily. Ihose. 2ir
: had spent their lives running and rio
+, ing and hunting oyer li,it place. IN
the great democratic procession OF 81
: time WAS as remote from them rs Kin
Solomon. Al eighteen each one
) them had a season in London Wit
= some rich lold IS ~ uncle and ~.
presented al court. " She went Oft
caught Il husband. that is
), we'll ana good; if not. bac
: home she came. tn stay II
J. rest of hnr days. probably. for husban,
$ wore scare" around %fIoopston. ~
duwers were sr:trccr- n 4son-in-la
wi,s stiil complaining because his wi
had brought him onls fNr ihous;n
' pounds instead of ten.
Well. YOU Know, by some hoc,lS-p,
d Gus of cupid, Anderson took a fancy
r that tail barbarian, CoiiicIia, Perliu
il vas her riding hist caught him fin
they We're jumping Fences an ovei d
place together. and ne showed her .
his coNNbON tricks. Before / knew
he WAS going down again from Lund.
z; and WHEN the third thne came j To
= him to look out. for thu widow wo,,
ask his intentions -surc. Then he s,i
u p,'ised me- he sstid he didn't mind
had intentions. 'cornelia2' | asked, n:
:. h said ,Coi.lnlia.'
| meditateI Il minute and then sal
X Wei. look here: I'm responsible. /,
this. What can You say for Your gran
fathers The widow VIII want to ina
tn you back q fey centuries. aud you'
got about as much ancestry as
o. mud fence. Anderson laughed IL
- turned III nc. I'D like To know
- said. Isn't my mother - n. A.. r. !
SHOW the widow II pedigree that "
make Son Barsteds look like THU
cents Good for yon. i exclaimed. =
in and WIN. After al, You won't
wanting II dover.
s'Mell. if you please. he had no trn
bile ut all. The widow never asked
question about his f~amily-;Mi Am
lean, III appears, doesn't have to hay.
family. And so the wedding bells "
CD ring at Hoopstun chapel in June, u
- Curnelia is going off without Il dow
Is and I'm Wondering what she will thi
- of Chicago"
me- How She Keeps Younu.