Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-11-19
The Great Romance!
THE ~
RED RO Q NJ /:
OR,
A MANS HONOR.
BY SEELEY REG ESTER,
..t AUTHOR OF
''The Dead Letter." ''Figure Eight etc.
CHAPTER 1.
MORE THAN A N1NE-DAYs' WONDER.

Brockelthorpe and Bryce Gordon were married. in
Grace Church, New York This was a little over
four years ago; but the wedding is still talked of
by those who were present on the occasion, on &C
count of its great splendor the youth, beauty, and
high social position of the parties, and also because
of an event which occurred afterwards, well
calculated to give this marriage more than pass
ing interest. 5...
All the friends called it love-match To see the
BRIDE as she appeared at the altar and afterwards
in her fathers elegant home, receiving the con-
gratuations of the fashionably attired guests, it
would be impossible to think it could be otherwise
for what man, free to do so, could help loving
girl so wonderfully endowed with personal beauty,
grace of manners and purity of expression? Her
face not only lovely in feature, but full of
character, noble and innocent with a child's
smile on the tender mouth, and woman's Sc
rious soul looking out Of the clear hazel eyes.
| Young enough aud gay enough she was, too to ap-
preciate the delights of magnificent toilette
her soft cheek blushed whenever she met the
bridegroom's gaze, yet her satisfaction in her own
| style and beauty was doubtless sufficiently keen
she knew that her vail was superb her pearls cost
1 y, and her satin robe simply unrivaled; and this
pleasant assurance made her eyes none the less
| bright, and her smile none the less sweet. For
these are matters of great importance to
lovers They are matters for which many women
sell themselves without asking love in the bargain.
But Evelyn Brockelthorpe had no need to marry
for the triumphs Of wealth. Her father was lead
4 ing merchant of New York, and she had been ac-
cumstomed, from her birth, to luxury.
The bridegroom indeed, was not of so wealthy
family as the bride, although he had brilliant ex-
pectations from two uncles who had educated and
made favorite of i'm. His father had left him
property which brought in a handsome income for
single man and he had, previous to his taking a
wife, gone into business which promised great
, returns. His reputation was unblemished-fa
above that of most young men of his class-his
prospects ine-himself singularly prepossessing.
Evelyns parents felt and said that, if they must
part from their child at all, they could not ask
husband to whom they would more willingly re-
sign her happiness.
i Well, the swedding-cak was eaten, the bridal
presents were viewed the young couple kissed,
cried over, and sent off on brief journey. Mean
time, that uncle of the bridegroom, who had al
ways done most for him, decided him handsome
house ON Murray HILL and busted himself during
their absence in fitting it up in fine style from base
ment to attic
The night after their return from a three weeks
tour the - house-warming' took place, in the
shape of ball and supper at the new home, when
their friends had another opportunity to admire OF
envy. The young wife appeared even lovelier in a
rose-colored silk than the bride had done in peary
satin. The husband was in danger of being laughed
at for the evident fondness with which he regarded
her, being nearly guilty of neglecting his duties as
host, so completely was he absorbed in this most
precious of all his new possessions. Afterwards.
there were dozens of their associates who re-
called their swn impressions of that night.
and all agreed that the most vivid was the beam
ing, exultant happiness of Bryce Gordon's manner.
In fact he came near inspiring the rdicue of those
yyhn Of
real feeling quite out of date. To other good souls
the sight of love MATCH with all Ct ceterdS to boot
| was delicious treat
l On October Both, one month from the wedding
day. and less than week after the house warming,
Il Bryce Gordon and his wife separated. She went
home to her fathers house, but not even to her
own parents would she reveal the reason of the
separation. He remained in the house on Murray
Hill, taking in an old lady for a housekeeper,
though he spoke, sometimes of renting the place
i'll the spring, and going abroad to spend the sum-
mer.
The lips of husband and wife were both sealed
The dearest friend of each could not obtain a
glimpse ofthe which had led to this unexpect-
ed result. Neither eliminated the other. The Gu
rOus could not even ascertain which one had left
the other-whether the wife had deserted the hus-
band, or Uice versa Only one thing Evelyn de-
clared to her parentsthat the parting was forever
| and that nothing could change this Understanding
between the two. Bryce made similar avowal to
his uncle.
OF course all manner of wild rumors flew about
Now, it was jealousy on her part-now, high tenn
per on his,-tor Gordon had always a degree OF de-
Termination, firm will, which, while it had aided
to make him the manly young fellow he was zaioht
some occasions, develop latent power of tyran-
. nizing But jealousy and hgh-temper were not
the worst things limited at There must be some
crime What else could fling apart two whom it
had appeared as if Heaven had unitedY What else
could be allowed to ruin two lives ?-send beauti-
full woman of nineteen into the shadow and retire
ment of such life as must be Evelyns henceforthi
: and blast the pride OF hopeful, ambitious nature
, | like GordOn's?
We know that there is always more morbid Gu
riosity than genuine sympathy in such cases
Society was on the qua 0t0e, all winter, looking
for one or the other to begin legal proceedings.
when the whole affair would be aired for their ed
lfcaton. But it became evident, in the course OF
time, that such step was not contemplated
Evelyn remained quietly in her fathers house,
, who was too powerful man in wealth and position
to allow of his daughter being ignored, no matter
, what mystery surrounded her circumstances. She
saw friends at home, attended church. went, some
times to an opera, lecture, or picture gallery, but
into society she went no more. She dressed
entirely in gray, or some sober COLOR and the
to come over her beauty. Its sparkling, youthful
playful charm vanished; in its place came color
less proud face, dreamy, unreliable eyes, calm re-
served manners. On her knees her own mother
had begged her to open her heart TO her, and all she
had gained in answer was Evelyn's shivering re-
: quest: a so .l
Mother, the greatest favor you can possibly do
me, is to avoid that subject altogether. The time
? has not come when can cOn1ide even you.''
The servants of the young couple had told, in an
swer to the question which the relatives of both
families felt compelled to put that the night before
sound of sharp, excited conversation in the libra.
ry; but whether the voices those of master
and mstre S. theirs only, not theirs at all, they
could not affirm. About midnight, two of them,
who CHANGED not to be asleep heard the report OF
pistol but whether that was in the library or in
the lady's room just it, they were not certain
they being in an attic bed-chamber at the time.
| When the paror maid came down to attend to the
front of the house, the next morning, Mrs Gordon
was walking back and forth in the parlor very pale
>, with her hat and cloak on and, in few inmates
Michael came round with the carriage, Mrs. Gordon
Invent forth, her husband coming down the stairs.
and going out to see her into the coachbut she did
not think they spoke to one another. This was all
that apQs kO0n to be knoac by any one, of the at
tending circumstances of the strange and melap-
choy affair." which bid fair to remain wrapped in as
| mpenetrable mystery as the separation of Lord
and Lady Byron, long years before.
, But, as there must always be bias to public
opinion in cases like this it came to te no one
could explain how that the wife had been the party
to blame. Yet, what she had done that was wrong,
no one thought of asserting.
Bryce Gordon did fine business on Wall street,
that winter; was friendly the street with his old
associates frank and pleasant in his DEALINGS but
people remarked growing haughtiness, or rather
decision, in his manner. and lines growing about
his mouth and eyes. not natural young face.
He abjured society completely for the first three
y months, spending all his evenings at home in his
empty house. aa 81
Il OF the costly presents which her husband had
given her during their betrotl1al and after their
marriage. Mrs. Gordon retained but one artice-a
= locket. This she wore always, suspended about
= den on her bosom, within the folds of her dress.
1t was handsome toy richly set with emeralds and
diamonds and it excited the surprise of her mother
that she should continue to wear it, containing as
n she supposed it did Bryce's miniature.
But, whatever il contained for whatever rea-
son she it. the locket never left Evelyns neck
night or day.
one night in the latter part of the winter Mr.
hyI