The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1914-12-10
The Successful
Bidder
sy ESTHER VANDEVER

By ESTHER VANDEVEER
The Earl Of Attesborough, a Scotch
peer Of the British realm, then about
fifty years of age, had three sons, all
fine. manly fellows, and be did not
worry about having a direct successor
to the title. The youngest of these
boys, Alan Redwood, was desperately
in love with Lady Gladys Fellowes.
second daughter Of the Duke Of Arran-
ton. The estates were contiguous, and
the young persons Of the two families
were thrown great deal together.
The love affair between Alan and
Gladys. aged respectively twenty and
seventeen, was as natural as the mat
ing of pair of birds.
Unfortunately both the earl's and the
dukes estates were in a bad financial
condition. The former wished his cid
est son and the latter wished nis
daughters to marry wealth. As TOR
the younger sons, they were supposed
to shift for themselves. The duke abb
solutely forbade any union between
Gladys and Alan. and. indeed. such
marriage was next to impossible. for
there was no income on either side.
Alan concluded to go to America. and
bis father gave him enough money TO-
get there and have left few hundred
pounds to keep him till be could begin
to earn a living 1t was Il sad part
ing between him and Gladys. both be-
ing sensible that they must drift
apart Alan took passage Oh a sail
ship and after Il month Oh the ocean
reached America He never wrote a
line to any one after his arrival. and in
due time he seemed lost to nis family
and former associates.
Five years after Re left England the
Crimean war came on. and bis next
older brother. who was an officer in
the British army. went there with his
regiment and died Of disease in the
trenches before SebaStopoi Durins,the
war the oldest brother broke his neck
in fall from his horse while fox hunt
ing. This left Alan heir to the title.
Inquiries were made in America for
him. but nothing could be learned from
him. But Il record was found OF the
death of an Alan or Allen Redwood in
New York who had come from some
where else and lived alone. and papers
were executed to show that the direct
heir to the title Of Earl of Attesbor-
ough was dead cousin who was
next of kin took possession of the title
and estates. but found the finances IN
such poor condition that he Inherited
an empty honor
The Crimean war took great many
ablebodied men from the British isles,
a number of whom left families be-
hind them. In the country in which
the Attesboroughs and Arrantons lived
were so many destitute families from
this and other causes that, in order to
relieve them a fair to end with a
masked ball was held on the dukes
estate under his patronage. Every
thing was done to get money. includ-
ing the offering Of the partnership for
the first dance of five prominent un-
married ladies. one Of whom was
Gladys. the dukes second daughter.
An auction was to be held before the
ball for this privilege. the money ac-
cruing 10 go into the general fund OF
the fair.
On the day of the fair the dukes
house and grounds were opened to all
The affair was a sort Of fete cham
petre during the day. and at evening
guests came in masks and fancy COS
tunes for the ball When all was
ready for the auction the lady Of high
est rank with whom the privilege to
dance. first was to be auctioned stood
on a dais and the bidding began. a
goodly sum was realized. and the 9TH
ers took their turns. Lastly Lady
Gladys stood up before the assembly.
a rich cotton spinner who had learn
ed Of the dukes necessities and had
loaned him money started the bidding
with s100. This man. MacCormack.
was trying to put the duke under such
obligations that be would consent to
give him Lady Gladys in marriage. A
man in the garb Of an American miner
-woolen shirt, sombrero and boots to
his knees-raised the cotton spinner's
bid f1O0. The cotton spinner went up
a hundred more. and it was not long
before these two were climbing over
each other a hundred pounds at time
till the miner raised the other el.O00.
At the price It would cost 5000. or
$25,OOO. ITO dance the first dance with
the lady Since the cotton spinner had
not much hope Of getting her in mar
riage he retired from the contest. and
the privilege was knocked down TO the
miner.
- Cries were now heard. "Unnlaskp'
and the successful bidder advanced to
the front Of the dais and removed bis
face covering. Lady Gladys started.
"a sranger!'
'sWho is he?"
Give your name!'
These were some of the cries that
came from all parts Of the room. The
stranger. turning. faced the crowd and
said:
81 am Alan Redwood. earl of Attes
borough"
Old friends gathered round the new.
conner to hear his story: He had reach
ed America shortly before gold was
discovered in California and had made
the journey there across the great
American desert and the Rocky noun
tains. He had taken some goods with
him and sold them at STeat profit
The proceeds he had invested in min
ing property and bad become very
rich.
The duke was now glad enough to
S%<-,