The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-25
From Blachaoood's Magazine.
IN LIFE AND DEATH.
GONCLupED.


t,5a-,i ooNohupED. ia
Ten years since, Helen Fortescue,
poor and handsome, was changed into
Helen, Countess of Daintry, rich and
powerful. Ten years since, Philip Con.
way was. lifted dead ont of the brides
path. Nearly ten years since, Geysbo-
rough passed into the hands of strangers,
and the story of that ill.omened we'd
ding day began to fade among the other
traditions of the ''old family"
But in o distant county Lady 'Daintry
Bhone as o star, and reigned as queen.
No one had yet begun to say that the
star was paling, the queen losing her in
herent right Of power of ruling. The
earl was her first subject-no more
Over him, and over the rest Of the world,
she maintained her ascendancy by two
forces, distinct hut allied-her beauty
and her will AS for her beauty, it had
not waned by 30 much as o shade. It
had shone out, after her brilliant mar
fiage, in the most wonderful perfection
"a beauty not only above question, but
above criticism-imperial absolute. She
might have been beggar.maid, or q
kings daughter-people soon ceased to
trouble themselves with her antecedents;
she made her beauty serve for family,
fortune and training. Thus she gained
her throne; having gained it, her will
kept it. 81
And now, that she has been so long q
, successful woman, one class Of persons
alone spoke evil of her. To her maids
she was NO divinity. There were enough
Of them; for she seldom kept one about
her more than q few months, and they
all went away in the same mind. "She
4, Eel H. Al
seems as if she never could be Qniet for
"a minute. All the money in England
would not pay one to face her, as she
looks sometimes"
. One other strange thing was known
about her. She had consulted-no one
knew on what subject-a certain clair
voyant, or: dealer in supernatural mys-
teries, and had, moreover, been observed
to change color when the subject was
named, and to shudder involuntarily
when disbelief in it was asserted in her
presence. That she herself did believe
in things not dreamed of in philosophy,
was the consequent opinion of her
friends-but it was matter on which
she refused to speak.
1t was the tearl's pleasure as we'll as
hers that their house in Blankshire
should be hospitable one. They spent
most of theQyear there. and they were
never alone. No matter how unpromis-
ing the season, they had always a party,
and almost always it was both large and
gay. There were perpetual morning
and evening amusements, q continual
ebb and flow of dinner-guests and every
thing to make dinner invitation worth
accepting.
Perhaps this was tho aspect of the
Il,
to the masculine minds of the neighbor-
hood. A fine house, pleasant host, q
beautiful hostess, faultless dinner, and
wines not to be equaled in the county
every man could appreciate these every
man accordingly priced the countess in
One of these invitations was the sub
ject of little discussion one evening.
1t had been sent to Ralph Murchison, a
young squire of the neighborhood, and
he, going to his letter-case to 1nd some
thing else, had just pulled it out and
tossed it to his friend and guest, Captain
Conway. e@
''It includes you," he said. GAIL
right. I was over there playing croquet
yesterday, and took an opportunity of
telling the countess expected you Be
fore came away she begged me to bring
you with me tomorrow, which pro-
missed. = So you, are booked"
81 don't believe there's n soul I know
there" Conway answered. twisting the
note around his fingers. ~
"More shame for you, then. There's
the joliest people in England always
there, and it's the jolliest house to meet
them at"
'Lady Daintry can't be very young"
Conway said, irreverently, after little
pause, and through cloud of smoke.
Ralph went eff into fit of laughter
"By Jovel it is easy enough to see that
you have never seen her. The bare idea
of talking of u woman like that not being
very youngW
well, upon my word, I don't see the
joke"
"Why, man, she is scarcely woman
at all-sho is goddess. Do you sup
pose that because when we were small
boys in Lower Fourth at Eton she was
turning the heads of all London, there
foro she can't turn any now? IF you do,
you are considerably mistaken. By