Marrging a Grandmother.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 237, 15 August 1872, Page 9

Marrging a Grandmother.

(Continued from our tout)

It was, perhaps, a fortnight after thfc first meeting of the unconscious lover;, when Miles Fenton was greeted on his arrival at the trffice" by a letter, in a delicate, female hand, and,, in-, a, few minute's more, by the ■annbnncement that Colonel Stanton' wished* to Speak to him. The letter, had. apparently needed little attention, but still, its brief lines had brought a satisfied smile to Bertram's friend's lipi - ! "I jean guess what 1 it means," he muttered, " and I could not . desire better were I to search England. "

The billet was still lying on the desk, when the colonel entered. It was Bertram Scudamore'a djfeaded yet loved relative.

. "Penton, my lad, he exclaimed, m broken, accents, " what does ail this mean ; where is my nephew ; and ,what is all this mess he has got r into ?" , " My dear colonel, compose yourself! All- will be well- now you. are come on the scene. Thank heaven ? youarenot too late to save your. nephew's honour."

" Ob, as to that I cannot say," was the gruff rejoinder ;"" to say my ideas, a man who has contracted debts he cannot pay wholly forfeits his honour, and deserves to take every consequence that inav accrue." >

" But, my dear sir, he is truly penitent ; and I can engage for it he will never transgress 1 again. ' Indeed, the reason he was so tardy in his confession was his fear of injuring your health, knowing you to have gone to Baden for the gout. Se~ intends emigrating I believe." '

" Si uff and nonsense ! Where is he now?" thundered the old officer.

" He is at a place belonging to a relative of mine," replied Miles ; " indeed, I have this moment, received a letter from my respected grandmother concerning him." The colonel took the letter extended to him by the lawyer. It ran' thus — " Dearest Miles, — Please tell me the truth. How much does your friend, Mr. Scudamore, know about the position and prospects of Mrei Clairville's companion? Speak frankly, for much depends on your reply. — Yours affectionately, Dollib."

•'Humph! A most romantic old dame. Affects the juvenile— eh, Fenton ?" observed the old officer, as he laid down the note ; jealous, perhaps, of hercompanion ; but if she is a fascinating girl, it will be as well for me to put a spoke in the wheel. I don't intend Bertie to make a fool of himself or a woman either. G-et him away without delay ; that's my dodge — musn't stop another day."

"But, my dear. sir, listen. lam as anxious as yourself that nothing should become serious between your nepbew and the companion, for my earnest desire is for him to marry my grandmother."

" Bless my soul, sir, are yoa mad ? Marry an old woman like that for her money ! Bertie is not sunk so low as that, I can promise you."

"Nevertheless, I repeat it is my dearest* wish, sir, repeated Miles, camly ; "and I doubt not. when you have heard all, your regard for his true interests will induce you to waive every' objection that at first sight you might make to it. Permit in& to explain the circumstances in which my respected relative is left,. and I feel certain you will no longer throw any obstacle in the way of so desirable, an union." x

He bent forward towards the still reluctant- old officer, and spoke earnestly for some minutes v The colonel's features varied amusingly -as he went on ; and at last a roguish twinkle came into his keen, gray eyes.

«-Well--well; I'll not be one to deprive Bertie of £3000 per annum, since you assure me the respected Mrs Dorcas is likely hot to prove painful an encumbrance on the propertyj' r 'he said, chuckling,;, and, perhaps, it^may be as well for me not to turn up. just yet It might spoil sport, and frighten the'old lady— eh?" ' " 9l '.

" Precisely, colonel," returned Miles, with a responsive smile ; " you . can invalid a little longer, you know." " Yes — yes ; only get these horrid bills paid ; won't have my own kith and kin under a <;loud, even with these swindling rascals; you'll manage it, Fenton."

" Eely on me, colonel!'

And the pair separated, well pleased I with each other, albeit- : it one-w as young and the other seventy-two. Meanwhile, the object of this amiable" plotting bade fair to derange all his friend'&.hopes,- for, atthat moment he was wandering in the secluded glades of Mrs. Clairville's park, with his arm around the slender waist of I ►Mrs. -Clairvilie > 8 »" Companion, and" his' ?lips pouring forth eager assurances of disinterested love, and earnest intentidns of winning for her- a -nappy home in the distant land where they intended to fix their abode,, f (J - -j^^Y'l 1 'lMy { dari&gL_ray peti-.m>sairy iwhat happiness I should. hp.ve u missed, had I not beeir ruineffi" he exclaimecT, " my only regret is that I. cannot shield your little self from every care and exertion, and surround you with the refined luxuries that seem your natural sphere. Can you really manage to give up so much for me, my Kate 1 "

" It is scarcely a very terrible sacrifice," she said, "to secure love and happiqessf instead, of dependence and

ftoldtuto ; yota forget I an*but a * tonpaninniV , ,', ■ [ -\ ♦•What will Mrs. Clairville sayT' h^Wked, 'anxiously ; " I am afraid she ;wijl fi ,.be too indignant at losing her sweet friend to behave very graciously; will you mind her anger, darling 1 " '♦ I have been accustomed to be guided by her wishes and opinions iii all things," she said, demurely; " but I think I .can safely promise to yield c her ,up as an offering at your sbrine, , Bertram, and. take you for my guide instead." And a fond kiss rewarded the sweet convert, though even the ardent lover could not hide from himself that a hundred pounds or so from the wealthy patroness would not be an unwelcome or undersirable wedding present for his portionless bride. The courtship was a brief one ; for Kate frankly confessed she dared not risk any prolonged residence with the old lady after announcing the engagement. , And Beitram wrote off to Miles, with, a full and succint account of the affair, protesting that remonstrance was no use ; and that all the proofs of friendship which remained for his old chum to give would be first i raising him all possible money on his horses, jewels, and other remnants of more pompous days, and' next, of coming down to act as best man at the wedding, which was to come of forthwith. Miles gave a grave smile as he paused in a reply to this determined epistle, which, by-the-way, he showed first to the old colonel, who gave a loud blow of the nose, and wiped his spectacles, as he returned the epistle to his nephew's friend. I " He's an affectionate 'slhs ! " he exclaimed ; " but we'll be even with the love-sick simpleton yet." ****** The wedding-day was fixed, with very scant delay; for Miles Fenton was zealous and prompt, and paid more than one visit to his respected grandmother ' during the interval, in order, aa he suggested, to smooth matters with the old lady on the loss of her companion, and obtain a license for the ceremony, which was to cake place at the ' little village church, in the most modesb manner possible. Miles was the best man on the occasion ; while the bride contented herself with the attendance of a middleaged, respectable woman, who, it seemed, was once maid to Mrs. Clairville for some years, and had taken pity on the humble companion. The bridegroom was in the seventh heaven of felicity, in spite of these drawbacks; but even his blissful composure was somewhat startled when the clergyman asked him if he would take "Dorcas Kate" for his wedded wife. But the bride listened to it with placid content, and he had nothing for it but to respond in the affirmative, and to go through thejsucceeding formula with manly composure. | The ceremony was concluded. The i bridal party went into the vestry, and | to the utter bewilderment of her husband, the new wife signed her name as Dorcas Kate Clairville. " Clairville ! " murmered Bertram abstractedly. " Oh, never mind, dear ! lam Kate Scudmore now, the wife of a poor struggling emigrant. But still, Ido not think we will carry out ) our plans, dear. I have a farm and a house that I think will keep us from starving, and we can live there, instead of going off to Australia. But. l did not want to make a fuss, and have stupid settlements and lawyers, eh, Miles ? " she added, turning archly to the young solicitor. Bnt before either Miles or Bertram could reply, a tall, commanding figure advanced into the vestry, and in another moment the bridegroom was clasped in Colonel Stanton's arms. "Uncle!" c< Nephew ! my dear — dear nephew ! " was all that was spoken ; but those few words contained' a whole world of apology, and pardon, and peace, that fell like summer sunshine on the bridegroom's heart. " Come — come, it is my turn now," said Miles, advancing, " my respected grandfather, allow me to offer to you my siacere felicitations. Nay, don't ' look so sternly indignant, man. Allow me to introduce to you my excellent and venerated grandmother, Mrs. Dorcaß Kate Clairville who has just given herself and her wealth unreservedly to your keeping " The bride looked with timid deprecation in her astonished husband's face. " Will you forgive me, dearest Bertie ? It is the only .deception 1 Will ever practise on you to my dying I 'day ; but I was so glad to be loved for myself alone, and——" "And I must explain the whole mysterj," interrupted Miles. " The truth is,,, Bertie, that my old — no, I beg his pardon, my respected grandfather, took' a great fancy to a young orphan jajirl; anil to satisfy the world's p^opri^tieg, ,'ancj 'toj protect her from scjahdal, he, with some ; difficulty^' induced J( 'her, toi allow the ceremony of marriage to pass between them ; and his last days Were gilded and soothed by her tender., cares. lAnd when he bequeathed to her the whole of the personal property, and a small estate which he had purchased from the fruits of his self-denial, not one voice was raised in disapproval of the arrangement. But the y©tiu£j widow had very peculiar ideas, both of her

own duties and the mercenary character of mankind, and it was only by a well -managed plot that the colonel and I have succeeded in making two lovers happy." '"'And, in spite of the lady's dislike to settlements, I have had some drawn up," put in the uncle , "I could not answer to my conscience to give Fenton a job, and the trifle I have made over to him, will, I hope, secure the bridegroom from my imputation of mercenary motives. Nay, Dot a word," he added, seeing the young couple were well-nigh overcome with emotion ; "I am amply repaid in the possession of my new neice ; only, perhaps, if I bad seen her before I might have been half inclined to enter the field myself, and break a lance in honour of Miles Fenton's " venerable grandmother."