The Meeker herald., 1915-01-23
-pERpEIuATING
A FAMILY NAME
The Rather Sad Case Of A.
aernon Cecil Leicester.

ter. claiming descent from the Leices-
ter family wbose best known repre-
sentative was the favorits Of Quees
Elisabeth. I was baptized AixernOa
Cecil. and my name Of Algsrnan Cecn
Leicester was when I was twenty-five
the only thing l possessed that y val.
ued. ! had no fortune then. NQy ]
have fortune. but ! haven't the GafnQ
Of Leicester. -
L was introduced to 4 girl wboas
name did not catch. II l had caught
It doubt that 1 should 20 readily
have fallen In love with her. When I
learned that It was the singular and to
her entirely inappropriate name Of
Crosspatch I left her for week. at
the end Of which time ! called on hef
again. for found 1t impossible 10
drive her out Of my mind.
"How did 1t happen asked her.
shat you. the perfection Of amiability,
were born under such name?"
ut ID q 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
CromweiIs army. who in face OF
calling Ore crossed field or patch OF
ground. carrying ammunition to force
beleaguered by the Cavaliers. Hts
comrades dubbed him crosspatch. and
he. proud of bis deed. retained It"
Despits the name. loved Miaa Cross-
patch 10 dearly that I could not give
her up. and. ~ my love was returned.
we became engnged. Besides my love.
there was another reason for my mar
riage-I lonRed to regain Some OF the
social prominence for myself and my
descendants Of ting ancient Leicesters,
and Miss Crosspafch 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 1t make? The wife as-
sumes the husbands name. and she
and our children would be Leice~ters.
had a fancy that the Oldest son
should have for his surname his moth
er'a family name. but In this rase I
resolved that no aon OF mine should bA
christened Crosspatch Leicester. He
should he named for me. Algernon
Cecil. would see that he inherited
the bulk OF his mothers fortune. and
in this way would re-sStabiish tho
Leicester family.
ThefS was 4 brilliant wedding. at
which boasted that. a. one of our
family had once been the favorite Of
queen. now 1t would become the favor
Ito 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 ! settled my
self down to enjoy my newly acquired
fortune. had been at home hut
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 WINS shown
into his private once.
81 have sent for you he said. 'that
q very important matter may he set
tIed-tbe ownership Of the CrosWpatch
property
Any dear sir I replied. 1.-The prop
erty beionEa to my wife"
There In condition attached to her
erandfather's wiii.'
"A condition: What Ii it3''
THAT her husband assume the name
1T Crosspatch and the children II any
resulting from the marriage only In
herit under that name. Simon Cr0Ss-
patch having no children except your
wife's father. and pc 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 tn perpetuate the family
under IT.
"And L." said I, lam DESTROYS Of per-
petuating the family under the name
Of Leicester"
1.-THE family can only inherit by as
Stunning the name Of Crosspatch. In
case you decline to do no the will
states that the property IN to go to the
endowment Of mn institution to be
known an the Crosspatch university"
"My wife never told me this"
"For the very good reason that her
grandfather stipulated In his will that
abe was not to he informed OF It ex-
cept through her husband. he desired
not to stand In the way Of her mary
nage. He preferred to leave 1t to her
husband to accept the terms or resign
the fortune. But In case you decline
there In an annuity settled on her Of
81 800 a year to keep her from want
asked for the time allowed me by
the will In which to make my decision
and was informed that 1t was q month.
! was too much disgruntied to return
to my wife for a week. but by that
time had decided to accept the name
and the fortune. Ny wife. who wax
and In amiability itself. bore with my
irritation and disa ppointmeut. finaisy
my grumblines died sway, and