The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1914-02-19
PERPETUAT|NG
A FAMILY NAME
The Rather Sad Case of Al
gernon Cecil Leicester.


have been proud of our name. Leices-
ter, claiming descent from the Leices-
ter family whose best known repre-
sentative was the favorite of Queen
Elizabeth. was baptized Algernon
Cecil, and my name of Algernon Cecil
Leicester was when was twenty-five
the only thing | possessed that val
ued had no fortune then. Now
have fortune. but haven't the name
Of Leicester
l was introduced to girl whose
name did not catch. If | had caught
1t / doubt that | should so readily
have fallen In love with her. When
learned that 1t was the singular and to
her entirely inappropriate name OF
Crosspatch l left her for week at
the end of which time called on her
again. for found it impossible to
drive her out of my mind
''How did it happen" asked her.
shat you. the perfection of amiability.
were born under such name?"
'It Is corruption" she said. "of
Grossebach. The change came many
generations ago. and my grandfather,
who studied the family history. pro-
fessed to have discovered that it was
made on account Of the bravery Of one
of our ancestors. common soldier of
Cromwell's army. who in face Of a
CALLING fire crossed a field or patch of
ground, carrying ammunition to a force
beleaguered by the Cavaliers. His
comrades dubbed him Crosspatch. and
he, proud of his deed retained it."
Despite the name, loved Miss Cross
patch so dearly that could not give
her up. and, as my love was returned.
we became engaged. Besides my love,
there was another resson for my mar
riage-I longed to regain some of the
social prominence for myself and my
descendants of the ancient Leicesters,
and Miss Crosspatch was possessed OF
an enormous fortune left her by this
same grandfather who had discovered
the origin of the name After all, what
difference would it make? The wife as
sumes the husbands name. and she
and our children would be Leicesters.
had a fancy that the Oldest son
should have for his surname his moth
er's family name. but In this case l
resolved that no son Of mine should be
christened Crosspatch Leicester. He
should be named for me. Algernon
Cecil. / would see that he inherited
the bulk of his mothers fortune. and
in this way | would re-establish the
Leicester family.
There was brilliant wedding, at
which l boosted that. as one OF our
family had once been the hvorite Of a
queen. now it would become the favor
tie of the upper ten thousand Of the
United States. We departed on our
wedding trip amid the usual shower
of rice, and on our return l settled my
self down to enjoy my newly acquired
fortune. had been at home but
few days before the solicitor for the
Crosspatch millions wrote me saying
that he would like to see me In the
city. / went to him and was shown
into his private Office.
81 have sent for you," he said. shat
a very important matter may be set
tled-the ownership of the Crosspatch
property"
"My dear sir" | replied. "the prop
erty belongs to my wife,"
''There is a condition attached to her
grandfather's will"
ga condition. What is it?"
''That her husband assume the name
Of Crosspatch and the children If any
resulting from the marriage only in
herit under that name. Simon Cross
patch. having no children except your
wife's father. and he dying during her
infancy with no other issue. left the
property to her with the above named
condition. He was very proud Of the
manner in which the name originated
and desired to perpetuate the family
under it."
"And l." said /, lam DESTROYS of per-
petuating the family under the name
Of Leicester"
"The family can only inherit by as
Stunning the name Of Crosspatch. In
case you decline to do so the will
states that the property Is to go to the
endowment of an institution to be
known as the Crosspatch university"
"My wife never told me this"
"For the very good reason that her
grandfather stipulated in his will that
she was not to be informed Of 1t ex-
cept through her husband. He desired
not to stand in the way of her mar
rage. He preferred to leave it to her
husband to accept the terms or resign
the fortune. But in case you decline
there is an annuity settled on her Of
$500 year to keep her from want"
I asked for the time allowed me by
the will in which to make my decision
and was informed that it was month.
I was too much disgruntled to return
TO my wife for week. but by that
time had decided to accept the name
and the fortune. My wife. who was
and is amiability itself. bore with my
Irritation and disappointment. Finally
my grumblings died away, and 1
peaceably took possession of my wife's
fortune.