The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-02-02

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Young Bennett in time came to I'M
derstand the ambitions of the mother.
If he had been the son OF merchant.
things might have turned out different
ly, but being the son Of lawyer he
went at 1t to prepare his case for
jury. When 1t came time to 60 into
court, as one might say. there was no
weak joint to be tinkered up. What
does a girl Of eighteen In love with
a young man of twenty-one care for
ancestry? What does she care for
dukes she has never met? What does
she care for the specialized old maid
who runs the boarding school? The
elopement would only add to the ro-
nance.
And there was an elopement and
marriage. When the widowed mother
was telegraphed to she tainted away.
The duke of Hartford had left her
house that very afternoon. For the
first time since king Harry went slosh-
ing around, Nixon girl had eloped
to bring obloquy on the name! 1t was
just awful-terrible!
The widow Nixon first resolved that
she could never forgive her daughter,
and then that the law should be APP
p,aled to to annul the marriage. Be-
fore steps We're taken, however, Mr..
and Mrs. Bennett appeared before her.
In her righteous anger and mortifica-
ton she ordered them out of the
house. They didn't 90. The late Miss
Irene sat with a smile on her face, and
the nervy young Bennett arose and
said he had few remarks to make
before going.
I'VE will first take up the case OF
the family tree" he began. "The ge-
nealogist you employed is now In pris-
on as swindler. You are not his only
victim by hundreds. have looked
into the matter myself. There was no
Norseman named King Harry. Even
If there had been he would have been
bloody old pirate and marauder."
"But-but he assured me-" replied
the widow.
Certainly He also assured the
court, but he got three years just the
same. The name of Nixon can be
traced back about $50 years. the
same as the name of Bennett. For
the first fifty years our ancestors
were leather dealers.
Yours might have been. but the
Nixons, never!"
Il have 1t all written out here and
certified to as authentic. and you will
find that while the BENEFITS sold
leather the Nixons worked 1t up. That
is, Joab Nixon Of hundred years
ago was q cobbler."
"You insult me, sir!" almost moaned
the widow.
Your late husbands great-grand
father was green grocer. but as the
Bennett Of that date patronized him
We are about even on that score"
Irene. am your mother!"
"Yes. mamma, but Charlie wants ia
tell you about the duke"
I'VE now come to the Hartford,
continued the young man. There IL
no such duke In England. The fellow
who has been playing that line ovel
here Is a fraud and a swindler. Didn't
you see by the papers this morning
that he had at last been arrested?"
Mercy, no! Why, he-he!"
HE has borrowed money Of you
of course, and you may have to go into
court as witness against him. Mrs
Nixon, l loved your daughter and pre-
vailed upon her to elope and marry
me. Shall we say that the Nixons are
all right, the BENEFITS are all right
and that the happy couple are to re
ceive blessing?"
"Irene." replied the mother In teari
and sobs, "you-you shouldn't have
done it,"
mo. mother"
And Ch-Charlie, you shouldn'
have done it,"
mo. mother"
but being you have. IL guess
guess I'm glad!"