Litchfield enquirer., 1860-05-24
ROSE ELMER 1;
4 DIVIDED HEART AND A DIVIDED LIFE
BY MRS. souTHwORTH.

It WdS cdTty Ou tuc HOiAAuS VI n Ao'SAy ~.'9 - June, A. D. 1900, that rather large group o iliers gathered in front Of the Etheridge Arms' quaint old tavern, in the ancient little 1o"n VI Swinburne. in the west of England ,;,or.
 By their looks and conversation, lt WIS evloell' that some event of unusual lmpof'hee ""S eA They were in fact awaiting the arrival of the roaiI coach. which WAS to bring down Colonel Hastinps. and his son Albert, who was the bride room elect of Lady Etherdge, Baroness of Swim burpe. the last of her race. and sole heiress o the immense wealth and vast es. ates of her lord jy ancestors.
 The nuptials were to be celebrated on the fol lowing day and the retaincrs and ncighb, ITS o the noble bride, who almost worshipped her fol her goodness of heart, were anxious to see the man who was to be their beloved C. 'lady's" bus band.
 came laundering up to the door 1; and as soon as the steps were let down by the obsequious land. lord Colonel Hastings issued forth He was an elderly gentleman, tall spare, and stoopng was clothed in suit of clerical black: and his pale, thin, long face was surrounded by hair and whis- kers prematurely gray. He was closely attended by his secretary-Ferdinand CassnOve-an ltal- ian, If such graceful micn and dignifcd bearing. that he might have been taken for a prince oi the blood attended by an old gentleman Tn waItlng
 Next came forth young gentlcman whose handsome person and naughty manner at once at. :ractel general attentlUH HIS titil, dUu finely proportiuned, crowned by naughty head and face with high axniline features. fair and fresh complexion, light blue eyes, and very light. ilaxen hair His expression of cduntenancc, in keeping with his whole manner. was stern almost to repelant severity. Great beauty of person, with great dignity of manner forms combination very attractive to most young women, and per haps it was this that fascinated the young hciress of Swnburne Castle for this was Albert Hastings, the bridegroom elect He was followed into the house by his valet. bearing his dressing case.
 After a slight repast, Colonel Hastings, attend cd by Cassinovc. drove off to the castle to have preliminary interview with Lady Ethcridge, (who was his ward,) and arrange the marriage settle lnents. On arriving at the lordly castle Cassi- nove was shown into sitting room. while the colonel proceeded to the library, whither his ward was requested to come to meet him.
 As the young Italian paced up and down the room, occasionally pausing before full-length mirror, which reflected the spacious window (reaching from ceiling to foor) and the pictur- rsque landscape beyond, suddenly, among tho roses outside, g!ided a le.draped female fig ,lre, that immediately rivettcd his attention. It was woman in the earliest bloom of youth. A. young Cassinoye gazcd upon her reflected image he never gazcd upon Her. he felt as though a goddess had suddenly descended among the flow CTS. Her form was above the medium night, and we'll rounded. Her head was finely formed. and covered with a profllsion of jet black. glttcring hair, that WAS plainly parted over her broad, pansive forehead, and swept around the temples, and wound into rich and massive knot at the back of the head. Her eyes were large, luminous, dark gray orbs, that seemed, whenever the long veil of llshes lifted, to throw a light wherever they glanced. Her nose was straight and well formed. her lips rounded, and, like all the rest, full of character. In the carriage of her head and neck and in her stately footsteps, there was ccr- tain natural majesty that, even in peasant s dress, would have proved Her one of Natures qICcns
 The impression made upon the enthusiastic heart of Ferdinand Cassnove was at once vivid, deep, and stronS-quick as snn-painting, perma nent as sculpture. He saw tLis goddess of the in- tellectual brow and stately step open the window and advance into the room. and as she approach cd him he felt his whole frame thrill with strange emotion of blended pain and delight He dreaded to move. yet, as the needle turns to the magnet, he felt himself turning from the reflected image to face the original. He stood before that queen ly form, and met those large, luminous, dark eyes fixed upon him in royal graciousness, as she said
 |" You are Colonel Hastng' secretary, believe, sir. Pray sit down. You will find the London papers on that table," And, with graceful bow the lady passed him, and seated herself on a sofa, nt the extremity of the room. took mp portfolio and was soon deeply engaged with its contents.
 After the profound bow with which he had re- turned her courtesy Ferdinand Cassinove remain. ed motionless where she had left him. But ten minutes had elapsed since she had glided in among the flowers, and passed him like q vision seen in some beautiful dream. But ten minutes, and life nand Cassnove M fK, from hsa monant, that his
 e must take is character tor good or erH from the 'ri of that royaI- loohing 'roman.
 In the midst of the pleasing pain of his dream the door opened and gray-haired servant enter cd softly, and stepping across the room where the lady sat, and speaking in the low, subducd tone in royal personages are addressed said
 "My lady, Colonel Hastings respects, and he awaits your ladyship in the parlor.'
 Very well Williams go and say to Colonel Hastings that will attend him immediately answered the lady, rising.
 This queenly woman, then, was Laura, Bar0n- ess Etheridge of Swiuburne! For ever and for ever unattainable by him Oh, despair His castle in the air tumbed all about him. and bu- ried all his hopes and aspirations in it's fall
 After greeting Colonel Hastings, on her enter ing the library. Lady Etheridgc took a parch- 'nent from drawer in the centre-table and hand cd it to her guardian. On examining the docu ment, the colonel found it to be deed of gift ab- Solute, of her entire magnificent estate, to Albert Hastings, her intended husband. The colonel pretended much surprise, and refusing to accept the deed, alleging that such an act might give rise to unpleasant criticism.
 "Oh, Colonel Hastings! there can be no ques- ton of mine and thine between me and Albert | The deed of gift that transfers all my possessions to my future husband :; let it be executed He shall then be jealous of his wifes riches. for she will then come to him as poor as a cottage girl, exclaimed Lady Etheridge. with pure de- votion of love flushing her cheek and lighting her eyes.
 After protesting somewhat farther against such noble generosity, the colonel allowed himself to be persuaded to accept the deed. and called in Cassnove to witness its execution in due form The poor secretary could scarcely hold the pen which the colonel handed him, so great was his agitation. His employer could not help remark ing upon the unusually poor signature which the Italian affixed, as witness, to the deed but little
 d e colonel or the baroness kno,c the teriLe passions ha pere seeatng n the secrtarys soul or Me import "t M results that hey rere destined to bring about we Will now return to the bridegroom elect, whom we left at the Swin5urne Arms
 ,, o'nnei Hastings had scarcely left the room ere MT. Albert Hastings arose. stretched himself with ', @ weary yawn, and began to pace thoughtfully "p ",.u oown the hoor murmurng-
 men ,hihk me very fortunate and happy uan "uo, "oootiess, an unusual number of good
 tiIa ,nns 5 nsen snowcred upon me by the favor of lne p,i,io soouess-not the least among them
 wouu no es.eeheu m 'he hand of this wealthy young
 have everything we want in the world ,ls., sn,.ot
 Rose Elmer only should be the wife of .'rss.
 Hastings. Poor girl she little dreams thnt .h
 man who has wooed her. under the no,no S v,., .ne
 fam Lovel, is really Albert Hastings the e,'n III
 bridegroom of the hghbo Lady Etheridma' a,
 Swinburne. It cannot be helped I cannot napsa
 for ladys right, CT maiden's honor. Here, then
 for divided life my hand to the lady of Swim
 burne-my heart to the lovely cottage girl onr
 Lady Etheridge must never know of Rose Eme
 lso, Tpv Ely,ar G,o