Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-05-27


golden radiance.
Because 1 am so happy" she said.
"Oh, Robert dear, so happy and thank
full
POSTSCRIPT
The latest news of Col. and Mrs.
Anstruther is contained in a letter
written by an elderly maiden lady, res
ident in the North Riding of York
shire, to a friend in London. 1t is
dated some four years after the events
already recorded.
Although it's information is garbled
and to a certain extent, inaccurate,
those who have followed the adven-
lures of the young couple under dis
cussion will be able to appreciate its
opinions at their true value. When the
writer states facts, of course, her YER
acity is unquestionable, but occasion
ally she founders badly when she de-
ponds upon her own judgment.
Here is the letter:
"My dear Helen:
81 have not seen or heard of you
during so long time that l am simply
dying to tell you all that is happening
here. You will remember that some
people named Anstruther bought the
Fairlawn estate near our village some
three years ago. They are, as you
know enormously rich. The doctor
tells me that when they are not
squeezing money out of the wretched
Chinese, they dig it in barrowloads
out of some magic island in the At
lantic or the Pacific really forget
which.
anyhow, they could afford to en-
terrain more than they do. Mrs. An
struther is very nice looking, and
could be leader of society if she
chose, but she seems to care for no
one but her husband and her babies.
She has boy and a girl, very charm
ing children, I admit, and you seldom
see her without them. They have a
French bonnie apiece, and most MUIR
derous-looking persona Mahomme-
dan native, believe, stalks alongside
and behaves as if he would instantly
decapitate any person who as much
as looked at them. Such a procession
you never sawi Mrs. Anstruther's de-
votion to her husband is too absurd.
He is a tall, handsome man, of dis
tinguished appearance, but on the few
occasions / have spoken to him he
impressed me as somewhat taciturn.
Yet to see the way in which his wife
even looks at him you would imagine
that he had not his equal in the world!
Il believe there is some secret in
their lives. Colonel Anstruther used
to be in the army-he is now in COM
mand of our local yeomanry-and al
though his name is Robert tout court,
l have often heard Mrs. Anstruther
call him jerks Their boy, too, is
christened Robert jerks Anstruther.
Now, my dear Helen, do make inquiries
about them in town circles. | partic-
ularly wish you to find out who is this
person JenkS'-a most vulgar name.
am sure you will unearth something
curious, because Mrs. AnStruther was
Miss Deane, daughter of the baronet,
and Anstruther's people are well
known Yorkshire. There are absolute
ly no Jenkses connected with them
on either side.
"I think I can help you by another
clue, as very odd incident occurred
at our hunt ball last week. The An
struthers, 1 must tell you, usually go
away for the winter, to China, or to
their fabulous island. This year they
remained at home, and Colonel An
struther became NJ F. H., as he is
certainly a most liberal man so far
as sport and charity are concerned.
"Well, dear, the Dodgsons-you re-
member the Leeds clothier people
having contrived to enter county So
ciety, invited the Earl of Ventnor down
for the ball He, it seems, knew moth
ing about Ansthruther being M. F. H.
and of course Mrs. Anstruther re-
ceived The moment Lord Ventnor
heard her name he was very angry.
He said he did not care to meet her,
and left for London by the next train.
The Dodgsons were awfully annoyed
with him, and Mrs. Dodgson had the
bad taste to tell Mrs. Anstruther all
about it. And what do you think she
said-Lord Ventnor need not have
been so frightened. My husband has
not brought his hunting-crop with
him!'
81 was not there, but young Barker
told me that Mrs. Anstruther looked
very impressive as she said this. Stun
ning!' was the word he used, but
young Barker is a fool, and thinks Mrs.
A. is the most beautiful woman in
Yorkshire. Her dress, they say, was
magnificent, which / can hardly cred
it, as she usually goes about in the
plainest tailor-made clothes. By the
way, forgot to mention that the An
struthers have restored our parish
church The vicar, of course, is enrap-
tured with them. / dislike people who
are so free with their money and yet
reserved in their friendship. 1t is
sure sign, when they court popularity,
that they dread something leaking out
about the past.
EDO write soon. Don't forget jerks
and Lord Ventnor'; those are the lines
of inquiry.
yours,
Matilda.
"P. S.-Perhaps I am misjudging
them Mrs. Anstruther has just sent
me an invitation to an AT Home next