Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-09-03
HER
JAMIE
A Historical Story Of Eng.
land and America.
By P. A. mitchell


1t was sorry day for me when my
father came to me and told me that I
must give up oil thought Of my Jamie
and marry Sir Ernest Merivale. The
one l loved, but knew that he was
unsteady; the other respected and
was sure that he would make me O
good husband. There were whisper.
ings concerning Jamie that did not
like. 1t was said that after the defeat
Of the cavaliers by the roundheads
he had followed in tho footsteps OF
SO many of the kings adherents and
taken to the road to make living.
AS for Sir Ernest, he was as steady az
a rock and as true us steel. But Jamie
had won me by that sweet smile OF
his. and did not love Sir Ernest.
The Merivales had lived near us fol-
many years. Ernest and Jamie were
cousins, though Ernest was q good ten
years older than jamie Ernest was
an only son, and when he came into
the title and estates by the death Of
his father his mother urged him to
marry that he might have an heir.
was then little girl, and he said he
would wait till had grown, and he
would marry none but me. But of
this ! knew nothing at that time
though | noticed he seemed fond OF
me and gave mo many a trinket.
Sir Ernest did not approve Of many
of the kings acts and sympathized
with the parliament Though he did
not take up arms against the king
the royalists were bitter against him
and vowed that when they had over.
come their enemies they would punish
him for not defending his sovereign.
When father told mo that must
give up Jamie and marry Sir Ernest
l shut myself up In ny room and
wept bitter tears But utter awhile
grew calm and began to think, not
like a foolish girl caught by n bauble,
but as one called upon to decide be-
tween that bauble and the promise Of
a life of comfort. And yet the former
was unattainable, for jamie had no
fortune. and knew that the report
concerning him was true. He had
made himself an outlaw.
There was nothing left mo but to
marry Sir Ernest, and that did. He
was very loving and tender with me.
treating me as q bit Of china that he
feared to break. When he said to me,
Joanna, would not have you do vio-
lence to your heart, and conjure you
not to marry me without your love-" I
was ashamed that was about to do
that very thing. But resolved that
would put jamie out Of my mind and
live only for my husband.
When King Charles ii. was restored
to the throne those who had sworn
vengeance upon Sir Ernest trumped
up charges against him. Knowing that
he was In great danger and wishing to
keep It secret from me or perhaps
fearing that his enemies would infiict
some direct punishment on me, he sent
me to an aunt In Scotland to abide till
the storm should have blown over and
he might again feel a measure Of
safety.
While was In Scotland my husband
sent me letters by the post. but there
came long interval between his writ
ings, and wondered. When q month
had passed and no word had come
from him | told my aunt that I would
go back to England. Then she told
me that Sir Ernest had been arrested
for high treason against the king, that
his estates had been sequestered and
that, having no home, I should remain
with her in Scotland
Despite her pleadings left her and
made the journey TO London, for my
husband Ind been sent to the tower,
and expected to ind him there. More
over, ] intended TO go to the king and
plead for him. But when I reached
the capital found that the king was
so engrossed with milady Castlemaine
that could not get hearing. Invent
TO the tower and asked to sec my hus-
band, but was told by the lieutenant
that he was not there. He had been
received there as a prisoner. but after
a time had been delivered to Lord Car
bondale by order OF the king.
Now, ! knew that Lord Carbondale
was the bltterest Of all Sir Ernest's
enemies. and II was no who had made
the threats TO be revcnged for my hus-
bands support Of the parliament,
though this was not the true cause OF
his lordshIp's enmity. The two had
been fellow students at Oxford, and
Ernest had accused Carbondale OF
cheating at cards. feared that this
enemy, with the kings permission, had
taken my husbands life or had kept
him n secret prisoner. spent months
trying to find trace OF him, but no
trace could find
One day there came news from
America that the English had taken
from the Dutch the town Of New Am
sterdnm and renamed II for the kings
brother the Duke of York. In the ac-
count OF these proceedings mention
was made OF one Merivale. Could this
be my husband2 II 80, what did It
mean that he had gone to this new
country. leaving me, his wife, In Eng
land ignorant Of his going7 I believed
thnt his enemies had contrived TO have
him sent ont Of the country or that he
had been given the choice between