LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7705, 6 January 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A MATRIMONIAL PUZ(ZLE< " Hie fact of the business was, I could not bolp it, so 1 married her." " Not your grandmother ? " I exclaimed. "..Yes, my grandmother—l married her." i, By the way of a joke ? " said \ .with a wave of my hand. •• By the way of solemn earnest, I assure you. Droll, wasn't it ? Well, wjiat~is droller still, that I have never regretted if. Dear old- lady ! She has been >a great comfort to me! " I made no reply. I could not. Back my brain as I might, I could recall no form of congratulation suited to a man who mariied his grandmother, so I held my peace. Shall 1 tell you about it ? " asked my companion Boon. | " 1 am really devoured with curiosity," I earnestly and truthfully replied. ' Then you shall have the whole story," declared Major Halbrooke. This was a stormy November •right, and the Major and I, old friends whom chance had reunited after a separation of several years, were making! ourscjves comfortable in the cosy parlour of an English country intv And everyone knows now, thoroughly cosy such a place can bq, especially when Highfed by the cheery blaze of a roaring, crackling?. sparkling fire* fi - C years a S O '" ilalbrooke, putting nervously at his wig. tawny moustache. By-tho-by<?, he was a {all, stalwart fellow, ma military friend of mine ; .well-built and handsome, in a bold manly way. with fair wavy hair and . bright blue eyes. Undeniable brave, too, aa the record df many a hardfought field arid his speedy promotion could testify, I confess that I, Mark Lyndon, a simple country squire, plodding and peace-loving, content to breathe my 011 »>• own ground, had at first regarded this dashing son of - Uar3 , with a feeling somewhat akin t.o envy ; but at this startling announcement that feeling vanished utterly* I could not envy a man who had so cold-bloodedly complicated his own family relationships. However,. I gave my undivided attention, although I made a mental reservation of my approval l . 'lt was five years ago," began iiatWrooke * " the affair commenced then; but, before I say any more, let me recall to your mind tfe fact that I was always regarded in the family as my grandiather's heir. The title and entailed estate would go, of course, to his eldest son, my uncle, but the greater part of his vast wealth would come to me l . In fact, he had so declared. I had lost both parents when but a cttild, and I nan grown t<* manhood under his immediate care, for he had long been a widower. My lather had been his &T2L f"i What ,nore natural should . be the preferred , ' was this understanding;, however, between my grankifathA- and myselC; I must never marry withojU his approval. Marry ! I had no tlttiught of «t. My rollicking bachelor life pleased n, e too well to exchange it lor iny other. that sort of existence lasted until I was twenty-seven, and then it was brought to an abrupt close by—what do you .suppose ? Wall; a girl s face ! Nothing more. A girl's ' ® ace s®en for a brief moment only at a carriage window, as I was change *u|> cars at Bolton station. You smile ! I don't wonder ; but I declare to you that henceforth I knew no peace ot mind. That face was e "? r before me, looking out from under a dainty gipsy hat—pale, pure, perfect in ou,tane, with a luxuriant mass of soft, brown hair, full of stt.ny nipples ; dark eye 9 a little rod mouth, and shining, white teeth. "'Housewife,' I said to myself, again .and. .again. ' Some dreamy little chit with a pretty face and head full of romance ! I wish I had never seen her J At all events, it is. highly prob&Ma that we have met for the and last lime, so I'll forgot "~~licr ! ' - Brave words ! I could not forget her, and just then, to add to my perplexity, my regiment was ordered cfT to India. " A fe.w. dayp before embarking, I received a letter from my grandfather, Sir John Halbrooke, urging me to run down to The Towers, -in older that I might meet the lady who waa destined to be my future .wife/ My answer .was short and to the point: " Dear Grandfather,—l have no desire to marry.. Besides, I start for India in two weeks, so I have no time for courtship. But I shall run down to The Towers to see you.—Your affectionate, etc. l v The old gentleman's answer was egually concise and explicit: " My dear Grandson,—lf you come to The Towers w*ith the intention ot putting- yourself in my bands I shall fce delighted to sea you. If you attempt to enter my house with any other intention I'll have you shot! And if you go to India, I hope to Heaven that you'll be efcot anyway 1 ; Your affectiionatei etc.'- " What could be done in the face of such an awful epistle as this? Evidently nothing ! So I cheerfully made my preparations for departure, and before we sailed—l am glad to remember this !—before wo sailed I .wrote again to Sir John, but this tune it was a letter fuU of affection and gratitude and earnest regrets tI»M could not do as he desired. To tfcia I received no answer; hut a month after iny arrival in India, I read iho announcement of the baronet s dearth, and the same paper his marriage notice ! A tetter from his solicitors explained tho mystery, ~ 1v ,^i y ,S an^ ther been severely injured whilst over-looking some renovations which were being ma de at The Towers, and feeling that death was fast approaching, he had jOmost at the last moment, married Gertrude Vole, only child and heiress l to Hubert Mpnckton, Esquire ,; Moreover,' wrote the lawyer _ by your grandfather's wilft. you inherit something above £50,000, provroe*! you consent to marry the lady _ jpiUi whom ho .went through the ceremony of martiage on has deathbed. Otherwise, you receive not a penny of his fortune.'• •v. Gracious Heaven ! Had the man gone mad ? Marry my grandmother 1 For, word it as they might, tho ugly fact was still there—the .woman was my grandmother ! •" Just them Sotners came into my room, Tom Sotoer* of Ours, a big, burly, falr-haircji giant—a goo'd fellow], took Welf, I alwaysj liked Somcrsi then what did I d fl but show 2nm tho letter! "" Tom,* said I, 'y 0 u are going home on leave. Do try and see ner, and let me know something of her—won't you 1 •- * . ' ' r ? lefc K er l»ng fi rst the scheming jade "My was silent for a t»o----then sard slowly : Caß te " all about lior.t "'You • - Xy sifters are great friena.s Sb ® ls , a fat « good-natured motherly sort of a soul ! Not very - rh^T^ be 'L pretty ' and h«s four children by her first husband. Let me see !• Was it her first ? Yes of couree! Her second died a' lew • weeks after marriage.' K™ ! Why - how raan y /ourth! ZrZTr. Y ° U Wm 1)0 ihc 1? ,. X think n °t •' .Ye -goaß { Four !' ITo be c«ntinued.)