It was during the time when Charley used to
make repeated trips to Paris, where most of his
family were then living, that he became involved
in a love affair of a more serious nature, which
had a marked effect on his character and subse-
quent career, and very nearly resulted in his
bringing a wife home to Avondale.

Both he and I were staying with our uncle,
Charles Stewart (son of the Commodore), at his
flat in the Champs Élysées, when we were intro-
duced to a young American lady, Miss Woods,
who had the entrée to the very best society in
Paris. She was fair-haired, extremely beautiful
and vivacious, and Charley fell a complete slave
to her attractions.

I may mention that Charley was at that time
moving in the best society of Paris, and was
strongly urged by his uncle to marry one of the
many heiresses whom he was constantly meeting
Although he was too proud and high-spirited to
consent to a purely mercenary match, he was
genuinely attracted by the beauty and charm of
this lady, and the fact of her being heiress to a
large fortune doubtless suggested to him the
possibility of his restoring his, family to the
position it formerly held. But as time went on
there is no doubt that passion quite superseded
any thoughts of mere worldly advantage.

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