In his wanderings he became acquainted with an old couple called Robinson, who kept a little hostelry on the shore of the Lake of Buttermere, and who had one daughter who was locally known as “The Beauty of Buttermere.”  The handsome colonel at once began to lay siege to this girl’s heart, and was the less loth to do so because it was rumoured that old Robinson had saved a considerable sum during a long lifetime.  But with his usual prudence, he thought it well to have two strings to his bow, and finding that there was an Irish officer in Keswick who had a ward of good family and fortune, and of great personal attractions, he procured an introduction as the Honourable Colonel Hope of the 14th regiment of foot.  He failed with the ward, but he was more successful with the Irishman’s daughter.  Her consent was given, the trousseau was ordered, and the wedding-day was fixed.  But the lady would not agree to a secret ceremony, and insisted that he should announce his intended nuptials both to her own and his friends.  This he agreed to do, and pretended to write letters apprising his brother, and even proposed a visit to Lord Hopetoun’s seat.  The bride’s suspicions were, however, roused by the strange air of concealment and mystery which surrounded her intended husband; the desired answers to his letters came not, and she refused to resign either herself or her fortune into his keeping.

Thus baffled, he devoted all his attention to pretty Mary Robinson, and found her less reluctant to unite her lot with that of such a distinguished individual as Colonel Hope.  The inquiries this time were all on the gallant officer’s side, and it was only when he found that the reports as to old Robinson’s wealth were well founded that he led her to the altar of Lorton church, on the 2d of October 1802.

On the day before the wedding the soi-disant Colonel Hope wrote to a gentleman of his acquaintance, informing him that he was under the necessity of being absent for ten days on a journey into Scotland, and enclosing a draft for thirty pounds, drawn on a Mr. Crumpt of Liverpool, which he desired him to cash and pay some small debts in Keswick with it, and send him over the balance, as he was afraid he might be short of money on the road.  This was done; and the gentleman sent him at the same time an additional ten pounds, lest unexpected demands should be made upon his purse in his absence.

The Keswick folks were naturally astonished when they learned two days later that the colonel, who had been paying his addresses to the daughter of the Irish officer, had married “The Beauty of Buttermere,” and the confiding friend who had sent him the money at once despatched the draft to Liverpool.  Mr. Crumpt immediately accepted it, believing that it came from the real Colonel Hope, whom he knew very well.  Meantime, instead of paying his proposed journey to Scotland Hatfield stopped at Longtown, where he received two letters, by which he seemed