Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-02-26
DODGEVLLE, WISCONSIN, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 26
accent of an educated man. aI am. here

s -
"What!' -
81 had two things to do. One was to
secure for Mrs. Bond happy day; and
and then--my voice is weak; will you
come closer to me ?" ,~..
We walked to his side, and Lady Marga-
ret stopped her head.
"Then, to try to see you, and ask
your charity for the few days have to
EveH - ~~T rive T.
4 Lady Margaret kept her hand on my
arm and looked at the sick man kindly.
His features were as perfect as a statues /;
his face might have served as model for
a young Apollo. The whole countenance
was of that godlike character which be-
longs to such ideas-so bold, sweet and
free, withouta touch of the coarse or rude:
it was like the. assertion of superior ma
ture that could neither be understood nor
restrained I felt surprised at the con-
temptation of such living beauty; and yet
there was a ghastlincss when the smile
died away, which separated this sick
man from the strong and healthy living
souls that were now standing about us.
."How can help you?" said Lady Mar
garet.
" By saying thai, when i am dying, if
you are sent for, you will come" A.s-
"Not till then p she said, softly. r-y
GAS you please" he answered and then
again there was that free smile on his face
which had SO greatly struck me at first
1t was grandly. beautiful, no doubt, but,
nevertheless, it was s1aile that had in it
more power than pleasantness.
When the day was spent, and the last
Of the crowd were gone, 1 found Lady
Margaret sitting alone in the library. The
door was open and the windows ALSO
She was sitting still and thoughtful, in the
cool freshness of the evening air.
"Where is your mother, dear Mary p"
she asked. 5stt U.S.
Il ssid, 'tshe walked home hours ago.
She has sent the pony carriage for me-"
"sOh," said Lady Margaret, "that will
suit me exactly. Send your servant back
on foot, and then you, Mary, can take me
a drive"
"tshouid like it very much" IT answer
ed. "But shall not know how to get
home. i am not allowed to drive by my
self by the road, and / am afraid to take
Robin by the deer-park they jump out
and startle him so." 81
"Never mind /; I will send you home, or
take you. Only stay with me now, and
take me a drive"
1t vas odd to hear Lady Margaret so
posiGveI thought. But l was glad to do
as sheNsaid, and, I did it. The pony car
riage came, and Lady Margaret and
drove away. When we got to the lodge
gates she said:- s.~r,,e.g Is
Drive to Mrs. Bonds, my dear"
Is Lady Margaret p.epClJ VI FEtE
"Yes; / must see that man again. I
can't get over what-what-wha I. felt
Mary; and this delicious air cooIs me-
Drive on, Mary" .,..,er
80 I felt vexed, surprised, sorry. To blame
Lady Margaret, even to doubt Lady Mar
garet, was a new sensation but drove
on silently in the direction of the " Grown
and Salmon ~ t;ts .I(J;~ Ssl
"There we arep she cried, with consid-
erable excitement in her voice. "Don't
be unnatural, Mary, You can't speak" %
Il don't like being here,"' said.
She touched my arm and made me look
at her., Her beauty was heightened so by
what she had in her mind that she quite
dazzled me. f'a'' ID. ..a
".You must neither think nor speak,"
she said. "I feel sure, that very won
derful thing is going to happen Toto
me-" And then she got out of the car
riage and went straight into the house.
/ stayed in the carriage waiting. The
river murmured away. Young men who
had come for few days fishing strolled
about. talking of the river, the weather
and the weight of the salmon. Half an
hour passed. and then Lady CMargaiet
came back with aface, the odd excitement
of which she could not conceal. ~
I-i"Go toyour own home, now, Mary; 1t
is too late for anything else" so drove
to our entrace gate, when Lady Margaret
got out, and walked straight across the
park toward the Court, only saying,
THANK you, dear good night" looked
after her. Il felt as If thereswas something
wrong, / did notTlik the unnaturally
strong interest my perfect Lady Margaret
had shown in this beautiful stranger. l
disliked her whole manner so much--I
felt it to be so unaccountable that I kept
Daysland weeks passed. Lady Marga-
times, to see the sick man, but NO. entreat-
les of Mrs. Bond, nor of her husband.
could make him see either of them. Mrs.
Bond said that he must die. Lady Mar.
garet sent all manner of dainties to the
inn from the Court, which the sick man
appeared to relish exceedingly.
This man then became the chief interest
Of our lives. He" would sit in his arm
chair by the riverside, refusing to speak to
any one except Lady Margaret. T]All eyes
and mouths were open to watch and re-
port proceeding gs.s Lady Margaret was with
him daily-once,. twice day and when
he. was worse for q few. days, she remained
and waited on him like q servant. S.s5 e
How things grew worse until they as
sumed unpleasant dimensions, l need not
say. But Lady Margaret's perfection first
grew dim, and then withered away. At
last my mother cautioned me that it was a
matter on which had better not speak ;
and then wept bitter tears 2. s9H-1-
Down, down, down,8in popular opinion,
went Lady Margaret. The whole country
heard, talked, wondered and, for the most
part, condemned. Al, last my mother
spoke to her. 44} ".A ~ }.ssD Y
90 yes" she said, standing up in our
morning room. Il know people dislike
my having taken to sick-nursing." And
she laughed a hard laugh, such as we-had
never heard from her before. Then She
stopped suddenly and wiped her ewes,
which were full of tears. 81 cannot helm
it," she said. ~ must go there. I cannot
keep away. Itwould kill the poor crea.
ture if did, .@l; ;ITa3
Indeed, indeed, you ought" pleaded
nay mother. taz ts laad Ho 7glf aT,I Jsdr
81 can't" she repeated, almost aoprilvv
"will you believe me if I say I 2Son'tn
Then she walked out of the room. But
in another moment she came back again
She kissed my mother looking with sad,
entreating eyes into her face. YoI1 will
Zo+o n ~.