The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-01-14

ligence and good sense, and in every way
fitted to preside over a household. When
she and Charlie first met at Pau, she was
the governess in an English family that
was staying there; the courtship lasted
but few days; and one fine morning
they met by appointment. and walking to-
gether to the church, were married be-
fore breakfast Violet Danvers had no
idea of the position, pecuniary or other
wise, that attached to Charlie, but her life
had been full of troubles, and all she
knew was that he had been very kind and
good to her.
Friends and relations, she had none, "
she said: and then, as she rested her head
against his breast and looked up into his
eyes, Charlie felt that Heaven had sent
her for him to love and cherish. He told
her of his past life, and his wanderings in
distant countries, and sought to engage her
confidence in return; but she always
seemed to avoid all reference to her own
past, and would hurriedly turn the CONVEX
| sation into quite another channel. Charlie
was not of a suspicious nature, and had
far too much love and confidence in his
wife to fancy that she was concealing any
thing from him.
And SO Violet came to her new home
to the old home in which generations of
Forresters had lived and died
1t was not so very long after they had
taken up their abode at The Lions" that
L, received the invitation before alluded
to and as the long vacation had already
commenced, and my pecuniary resources
were not in condition to stand a trip
even to the seaside, | thought the best
thing l could do was to accept the hospi-
tality that my old frienI offered to me.
A few days more saw me comfortably in
stalled at The Lions" thoroughly enjoy
ing the fresh air and strong exercise that
followed. in pleasing contrast to the heat
ed atmosphere of close courts and con-
tinuous sitting in dingy chambers. I
found Mrs. Forester most charming and
amusing companion, though | could not
help being struck by an air of constraint
and reserve that at times settled upon her.
A very brief acquaintance satisfied me
that there was some mystery attaching to
her which she dared not reveal
One morning at breakfast, Charlie, after
reading letter he had just received by
the post, informed us that it was from an
old Paris friend of his whom he had met
in his traveller days, and who, in pursu-
|=ance of a long-standing invitation, had
written to say that he proposed coming
on visit to 1.-THE Lions" and would,
without waiting for reply, put in an ap-
pearance that very evening. Charlie was
delighted at the prospect of seeing his old
acquaintance, and in the course of walk
over the farm he informed me that the
name of the coming guest was Murray,
and that he was blessed with great deal
more ready wit than ready cash.
Though he is bit of an adventurer
in his way" said Charlie, " he is capital
fellow. and the best company in the
world"
It was very late when the expected
guest arrived. Mrs. Forester had retired
to bed some time before. AS for Charlie
and myself, we kept the new-c conner COM
pany while he supped, and when he had
done ample justice to the good things be-
fore him, it being already in the small
hours, bed was voted and carried unani-
mously. I was very sleepy, and beyond
uttering a mere commonplace or two had
taken little or no notice of the stranger
but when he came across the room and
held out his hand, which oddly enough
was encased in a hght-colored glove of
some sort, to bid me goodnight, as Hook
ed him full in the face, he seemed to sta. t
for moment. Although his features
were hidden by heavy mustache and
huge beard, there was something about
them that appeared familiar to me. Where
on earth could / have seen him before
When I got up stairs into my bedroom l
puzzled my brain with inquiries, but all
in vain | co Id connect the face with
nothing, and nothing with the face, and
with that | got angry with myself ana
with that l went to sleep.
The next morning l awoke early, and
feeling a strong inclination for a walk be-
fore breakfast, tumbled headlong into my
cold tub, and in a very short time after
had completed my " toilette" and was out
in a glorious fresh air. An hours stroll
brought me back to the window of the
breakfast-room, which opened into the
garden, and with the appetite of tiger |
was on the point of entering, when my
step was arrested by the sound Of Mrs.
Forester voice, tremulous with emotion,
exclaiming, 'Say it is not true for pity s
sake, say it is not true!"
What could this mean? Being of a
curious turl-my conduct may have been
disgraceful, but hereafter l hope to stand
excused for it moved into a position
where | could see into the breakfast-room
without being seen, and hear all that was
said. In an armchair by the table, her
face buried in her hands, and her elbows
resting on her knees, Mrs. Forester was
rocking herself to and fro in a way that
showed her to be laboring under deep
emotion. Close to her, in a strangely
cool and insolent attitude, stood the new
conner of last night, stroking his mus
| tache with his gloved fingers.
upon my word, my dear Violet" he
replied to her entreaty, with a measured
| slowness of speech that made me long to
| kick him, " l regret to say that it is true
/ Arthur Bernard is Nc more dead than
am. Like NorvaPs father, he at the pres
ent moment feeds his flocks, not, however,
| upon the Grampian. Hills but in the
neighborhood of the good city of Otago.'
But they told me he was Dead" al
most shrieked Mrs. Forester; "the people
who were with him when he died wrote &c
me-"
Wrote to your interrupted Murray
with suspicious eagerness. Have you
| got the letter ?"
"No, dared not keep it" she replied
"lest it should fall into my husbands
hands. Listen" she continued, hurriedly
" he knows nothing of the past,-not ever
Of my first MARRIAGE have kept it all
everything from him for PHYS sake leave
this place, where, save for the thought o
that, | have been so happy, and Let hin
remain in ignorance still"
Gently, Violet, gently" responded thu
man, unmoved in the least degree by
her appeal; Firstly, let me observ'
tHdt, having pIOLuiStu my sell d Suoft sta,
in the country, I can hardly terminate i
so abruptly as you desire me; in the next
as in addition to the agreeable change 0
air, I have met, quite Unexpectedly, witt
an old companion for whom l have beer
searching ever so many years, and f
whom have good deal to say, it woul,
beouite impossible to do as you wish
She made no response, only kept he
face still buried in her hands as he wen
on: cat last, Violet Bernard, the gam
is in my hands. You laughed at my love
ieered at my protestations of devotion 70
you, curled up your proud lip at me an