The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-08-31

Her mother was confirmed sinva
lid, her father a jovial squire, given
to good dinners and fox-hunting. =
Both thought this child of their old
age faultless angel, and all she did
was right in their eyes. II = -/,f /
A lady of some rank and fashion,
a distant relative Of the AyImcrs
struck with Maud's great beauty, had
carried her to London and presented
her at court. Having no daughters
herself, this lady was charmed to
! chaperons SO brilliant deb,dante, for
Maud was Instantly the most admired
young lady in Londan. = Lady Hyde
made the visit as long a one as posi-
bic, nor was Mahd unwilling to stay.
| The life of reigning belle charmed
md fascinated her, and developed to
its full extent the rtiliDg passion of
Iher life.' At balls theatres, conversa-
ziones, in the drives of the Park, in
| tie social circle, everywhere, she was
followed, hattered and adored. Many
offers of marriage were made her in
her first season, but none that satisfi
ed the ambition her Jealous chaperon
had inspired; aad Maud herself had
fixed upon coroIlet as the price of
her charms. ''i' "'i.' 90
Lady Hyde admired the noncha-
lance and selfpossession of her protege
and wondered that the adoration she
received did not turn her head. The
fact was that Dfaud's vanity, deep,
broad, calmly flowing, like some ma
ljestic river, felt no increase from the
drops of fattery with which she was
sprinkled. Incense was her due, adj
miration the feeling she was born to
inspire. She was good humored, be
cause entirely satisfied with herself
and her position she made no pre-
tensions, they were unnecessary, since
the first place was yielded her as her
right. She had no affectations, they
were uncalled-for, when she had Only
to come, to be seen, and conquer.
And SO the young Earl of Lilburne
unwilling to confess that he loved a
woman for her beauty alone, extolled
to himself the amiability, simplicity,
and good sense of this "wild rose, un-
conscious other own charms" But
he would not offer himself to her at
once; he wished to owe his success to
his merit, not to his coronet and, be-
sides, as he really loved her he actu-
ally doubted whether she would accept
him, in spite of his earldom and his
rent-roil I
When, at last, Maud's doting par
ents, unable to spare any longer their
darling. their youngest, and last re-
naming child, recalled her to her
lonely home, the earl begged leave to
visit, her there. Leaves granted readi-
ly: with the fine instinct of born
coquette, she acted the modest reserve
he expected of her, and allowed him
to think he was making only very
gradual advances in hor favor. She
meant to marry him, unless a marquis
or duke should step in before him;
she was sure her fish was caught-so
she let him play. There was no
hurry. .-'-.., -
And iu the meantime she amused
herself. Many others besides the
earl asked permission to. visit, her,
She held court in old iAylmer. Hall,
unehaperoued, unquestioned, enjoying
degree of liberty unusual to English
girls in that age too common among
American girls in this Mrs ylmer
never appeared. The squire absorb
ed iA7his farming, his field Sports and
his boon Compahi6Hs,skncw no more
of his daughters visitors than she
chose to tell in answer to his bolster.
Gus questions. "How many offers
had YOU to day Maudlm Has a
duke been trying to cut your earl p
Who was that fine young spark l met
in the. Lime Avenue ?" To which
Maud would give jesting answers
that told nothing, for she knew her
father was indiscreet over his bottle.-
So she was left to herself-given
over to her own devices. Trained IN
the usages of good society, she ac-
knowledged the existence of others
by the ordinary courtesies of life, but
she had no friend, she loved no one.
She regarded all young men as her
possible-victims, all young women as
her probable rivals, and all other
people as nonentities. She had no
accomplishments, except coquetry, of
which she was mistress-no intellect
ual or Industrial pursuits. She seem
ed to have no religion, no serious
thoughts. She only worshiped her
own beauty, only craved an aeInowl-
edgment of the power it gave her
over every man she met. She was
a flirt from her cradle. Her only
aim in life was to- attract passionate
admiration. This desire grew with
what it fed upon, and absorbed the cur
rent of her being. 1t was not enough
that the men she chose to facinate
should think her the loveliest of wo-
men, should worship her as queen,
and diffidently offer themselves to her
in marriage. AT first that triumph |
was enough, but she grew weary of its
sameness. She began to torment !
her lovers, to keep them in suspense,
and fill them alternately with hope !
and dispair. She became a consum-
mate actress, and could call at will a
soft blush to her shell-tinted check, or
suffuse her melting gray eyes in tears.
She went further; in tetc-o-teteS with |
an adorer, in the large lonely house
and bowery garden; she was not chary
of words of love, and even permitted /
carcsses that thrilled the heart oftheir
ibestower, to whom, perhaps, the next
day In public, she would scarcely speak,
for her caprice knew no bounds. 'ilst
Tn Londo2..at the house of lady
who decorasd her parties with lious,
and especially loved mysterious lions,
Maud had met Robert Greville. The
l, L = = 4 1