The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-05-14


his fathers son would not aggravate
the wrong his father had done her,
and asked only for her Kindness her
worldly old heart was touched. Hence
forth he was "Son EsmOnd" to her, !
and when her influence at court had /
procured him an ensign's commission. !
she was proud Of him in his laced /
scarlet coat.
Esrnond served with some distinc.
ton under Marlborough abroad ana
was wounded at Blenheim, but the
best thing his campaigning brought
him was a chance encounter in st.
Gudule's church at Brussels with
Father Holt, the tutor of his boyhood,
who told him his mothers story. She
had been Of that very town, and
most tender, faithful creature. HIS
father had deserted her, married her
secretly, and again deserted her, anu
she had taken her broken heart to that
convent. Esmond knelt by her grave,
| took a flower from the little hillock.
and as he listened to the choir chant
ing from the chapel, realized afresh
that love and humility were all that
counted in life.
One great happiness had come to
Esmond before this-he had seen his
dear lady, her face sweet and sad in
her widows hood, in Winchester ca
thedral and when their eyes had met,
the time of estrangement was passed.
Knowing now how her heart had fol-
lowed him. he dreamed that they
might be happy together, but she saw
more clearly. WhfA, in their house
at Walcotte, Beatrix, the 1G-year-old
maid of honor, with a scarlet ribbon
upon the whitest neck in the world,
came to meet him, he forgot her
mother. No other woman of her day
was like her for beauty and wit, and
for ten years he was her slave, kneel-
ing with his heart in his hand for the
Young lady to take, while she looked
far higher than the nameless and
fortuneless colonel. "Yes," she said,
81 solemnly VOW l want good hus-
band. My face is my fortune. Who'll
come? Buy! Buy" While marquises
and lords were coming, eager for her,
Esmond bore the torments of a hope
less passion, and his dear mistress
suffered with him.
At last a sutton worthy Of the prize
appeared-the Duke of Hamilton
much Beatrix's senior, wealthy, ana
second to none in the kingdom. Es-
mond had to accept his fate. the
; wedding gift he made her was the
splendid string of diamonds his faith
. er's widow had given him. AS she ac-
cepted it with a cry Of delight, her
bridegroom with a darkenlng
face, told her he did not choose the
Duchess Of Hamilton should accept
presents from gentlemen who had no
: right to the names they bore. Her
mother, to whom the old dowager on
her death-bed had nlaliciously told
Harry's story, answered for her:
Harry Esmond is his fathers lawful
son and true heir. We are the re
cipieuts of his bounty, and he Is the
] head of house as old as your grace's
S own" And Beatrix, from whom 1t hat
all been kept secret, whispered Il
Y him "Why did not I know you be
l fore!"
On the eve of marriage the duk'
j. died in q duel. Beatrix mOurned MIN
S honestly, but Esmond dared hope 10
himself, and planned bold move Il
6 win her love. All the Esmonds wer'
6 heart and soul for the Stuart cause
5 Frank, the young viscount, who wa
q fighting abroad, closely resembled IN
q exiled chevalier. The two came To
= gether to Lady Castlewood's Londo
e house. the prince impersonating Tn
s. viscount, and Frank, his valet, an
s. were received with great JOY. Stuar
partisans came to the house by stealth
I'd and the plot spread like leaven. In
he maid of honor contrived an interview
" between the prince and Queen Anne
Y, his sister, whose health was failing
n and all hoped that she would prociali
r, him her successor. Then Beatrlx
Id friends began to fear for her, as Tn
n, prince. who had no respect for womel
ed was infatuated with her and 81
to listened to him. Against her will the
IL sent her to Castlewood. Suddenly tt
le- Queen was reported dying. and IL
Is prince could not be found. Beatrl
TT had found means to tell him her wher
i'll abouts. Henry Esmond and Frank roo
is, all night to CastlewOod. Entering
ID, the secret window, they found Il
ut, prince and told him they came
To- ayenge their dishonor. Taking fro
en- their old hlding-place the papers pro
vn ing his birth and title, Esmond bur
IS, them before the prince. with t
on words: 81 draw my sword and bre'
he It. and renounce you. Had you col
he pleted the wrong. you designed u.s.
would have driven it through 20
OF heart" Frank, breaking his ov
nd sword, echoed him: II go with 4
ad cousin. I'm for the Elector OF Ha
JUS over. It's your Majesty's fault. =
ev- might have been king If you had
lat come dangling after Trix!
le- The talk was scarce over when 81
trix entered the room. She turn
ith pale at the sight Of her kinsmen, a
led ~,.oa - Escv,,opd a 9 If she cOuld ha