The Illegal Marriage — page 43: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. 30 seemed to have amended his life; but he continued to drink hard, and was always morose and petulant. He loved his child with passionate devotion. As Cecilia grew up Morgan provided for her liberally, and bade her governess spare no amount of money on her education. | At fifteen she was sent to Europe with the Stan- nards, his nearest neighbors across the creek, whose son William had been several years abroad, and had just returned to take charge of the estate. From this time until his daughter was nineteen, Morgan lived alone in his narrow world, his sole pleasures being in the long and charming letters which Cecilia wrote him from Paris, and in the society of his favorite, William Stannard. Four years passed when news came that Mr. Stannard had died abroad, and that Mrs. Stannard, with her daughter Louise and Cecy Morgan were to return at once. It was with a beating heart that Cecy, now an elegant and accomplished young lady, drove up to the dear old castle once more, and flew into the arms of her father. Morgan was now happier than he had ever been in his life. He gave Cecy the. utmost liberty in renovating the house and the long neglected gar- dens, and permitted her to lay out the grounds anew, and regardless of cost. In afew months the castle and grounds were greatly improved in ap- pearance. Busily engaged in this work Cecy made few calls, and gave small encouragement to the women around to visit her, though ever kind and courteous when they came. But she was much with the Stannards, riding over to their place nearly every afternoon to spend Comicboo <S (E(0)