The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-02

Cr1LlcS. The morals lnCulchleu dAt N@NSSi lent and the book never did anybody any harm Maria Edgeworth, in fact at tributes all the virtues of one Of her heroes to a perusal of sir Charles Grand ison" It is impossible 10 condense the story of ''Sir Charles Grandson ana nor become more or less facetious-that IS, for a person with any sense Of humor. what change in the world fin a com parativelv few years! Our ancestors of 1753 wept over the pathetic parts of sir Charles Grandson" and devoured the story with seriousness and aNidity. All the literary world raYed over It. One critie considered 1t superior to the 'Iliad' and plays and tragedies and poems were extracted from 1t. It must have meant so1nethius to the world of the time of it's publication. But to us 1t Is rather funny. ~I IR CHARLES GRANDSON of
 Grandson Hall and Miss Harriet o Byron Of Northamptonshire were tu their way two persons of perfection. Seldom if ever has this naughty world pro- fueed two such paragons in one genera tion. It was therefore quite natural that they. Miss Byron and Sir Charles, should meet, that they should fall in love with each other and should be married. Har- riet lost both her parents whes she was . years old, but numerous and talented relatives brought her up and turned her loose upon the world endowed with all the perfections of education and all the virtues as well as with a comeliness which. added to other superior qualities, eapitivated every heart.
 Even before Harriet had left the wilds Of Northamptonshire for the more civil rf best society she had had many suitors. Three of the most considerable country gentlemen of the shire paid assiduous ad- dress to her-Mr. Fenwick, MT. Greville and Mir. Orme. The two first were out Of tine question-their morals were not such as would recommend them to a young lady of the principles of Harriet Byron. For MT Orme she felt kindly pity-but nothing more.
 When Harriet had finally accepted the invitation of her cousins, MT. and Mrs. Reeves, and gone up to London, Greville and Fenwick, after pining while, decided to follow her. and, if she did not return of her own free will to bring her back by force. Yet Mir. Greville, who was of hot-headed and impetuous nature, warned renwick that the prize was his own and that any attempt to interfere with his plans would be dealt with sternly. It should be mentioned that Miss Byron had a very considerable fortune of her own, which added to the fervor with which he1 suitors pursued her
 In London Harriet at once made a sen sation. Her three country suitors were now multiplied into scores. The proudest titles in England were laid at her feet and gentlemen possessed of the largest es- tates sought her in marriage. It would pe absurd to say that all this attention this adulation-was wholly unpleasing tc the young beauty. But among all he1 suitors she found none who fulfilled her idea of what a husband should be.
 Among the young men who sought the hand of the incomparable Harriet was a youth named Fowler. Fowler was a young man of good principles and was not altogether antipathetic to Harriet She felt that Fowler might be her friend-but her husband never. Now this Fowler was a somewhat bash ful youth, and made not his proposi- tions himself. His uncle, Sir Rowland Meredith. took that business upon him. self Meeting Harriet one evening at g reception the hearty baronet, who had doubtless been dining well, said "Ah, ha, Miss Byron, my nephew is in love with you. He wants to marry you He has a good estate. Will you marry him?" The baronet said this before a whole roomful of company and so loudly that everybody in the room heard him.
 But Harriet was hardly abashed. She collected all her superior faculties and replied: sir Rowland, your nephew's person is not wholly disagreeable to me; his qualities of mind I admire. But has he the mind the intellect, which I would have in the man to whom I could make my marriage vows? Your nephew will, am sure, find some wom- an who will make him happy home and good wife: But I, Sir Rowland must see in the man whom I wed a man whom I can not only love but honor and obey" That settled Sir Rowland and the cause of his nephew.
 But another baronet appeared on the scene-a baronet who came a-wooinR. not for nephew, but for himself. This was bold, bad man named Sir Hargraye Pollexfen. He was only 2s years old, but already was well known in London for his disspations. There was no greater rake in the British metropolis. Yet he was A man of family, of large fortune, and so- ciety welcomed him to it's doors and closed its eyes to his defects Some of the great est ladies of the realm welcomed him to their intimate company, and it was the boast of Sir Hargrave that none of the fair sex could withstand his fascinations Of this country beauty-this little chit from Northamptonshire-h made m doubt he would make a speedy conouest
 But the first time he tried to make love to Miss Byron Harriet armed in the sim pie purity of her innocence as well as panoplied with the armor of her superior mind and education, told him frankly. vet kindly, that she could receive from him no address. Your morals, Sir liar grave, said she, ''are such as preclude you from speaking to me in the terms you have attempted" My morals. my morals" cried Sir Hargrave, "and is there nothing else about me to which you ob- ject?" Harriet smiled a sweet smile as she replied Need there be anything else?'
 Sir Hargrave protested that he had been slandered; that he could clear himself of the imputatons which had been cast hx sc1irrilous tongues unon his cha ,o,