The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-05-10


entrance, and Bernard received them
with afiectionate smiles, and Mrs. Give
saw the complete renovation he had
effected within, she was more than glad
she had come TO Willoughby.
The elegant, carved ceilings had been
painted in fresh Pompeian colors.
Sombre drapery and antique furniture
had been banished to lumbeTooms, and
unique, lovely buhl tables and bamboo
chairs and lace-curtains had taken their
place.
1t was as gay, as fresh, as summary
and homelike as could be imagined.
upon my word, Bernard ~ said NJ. p
Give, catching her breath, Il shouldn't
wonder if Cousin Robert got up out of
his grave to rebuke your vandalism and
extravaganza | don't see how you
ever dared do il.
I'm not afraid of anybody who
comes back from the land OF shades"
laughed Bernard and then he forgot
what he had said in looking at Gertrude
There are times when the battle of
life seems too hard for US. We cannot
always row against the stream, and now
and again one lays down the oars, and
Such was the present moment TO Ger
trude Stanley. She had been so beset,
so sorely tried, and now she had fallen
upon pleasant rest.
With this beautiful nature all about
her, with this delightful home and at
mosphere and the tenderness of a strong
love, what could she do but be happy?
Her shoft eyes shone, crimson roses
lived in her cheeks. and Involuntary a
blithe melody overran her lips.
"You like it, Gertrude ?" he said,
wistfully
Yes, like it "
She could hardly trust herself to say
more and Bernard, being a man of
exquisite tact, was silent. Pretty soon
he said:
Let me show you your own rooms"
A suite of apartments in the wing
that overlooked the garden had been
metamorphosed at his command into
maiden to dwell in.
Mrs. Give chartered fast in her de.
light.
He means you 10 live sumptuously.
He will make you think you are prin-
cess ~ she cried. "And yet, mon Dieu !"
returning to the French phrases picked
up in her school-days, {" TO think that
little gliding, and few mirrors, and a
trife of pink silk and muslin, could do
it! All, Gertrude, but there was some
thing else to the FORE
While the happy sense Of his good.
ness filled her soul, there was yet an
undercurrent of pain.
Does he mean TO buy me with his
magnifcence ?'' said her thought.
And he, reading ii so easily with the
keen eyes of love, said, earnestly
/ know, my darling, you would love
me just as well if were a beggar."
Indeed ! would !" she whispered.
He went away, and left her standing
there with this thought in her heart-a
subtle stroke of policy, if he had con.
sidered it but it was only his fine tact.
Gertrude sank down into the luxuri-
Gus arm chair. 1t was just type of the
delicious repose that might fill her
whole life, if she only would.
And why not? She had endured the
hardness in her youth. 1t is no un.
heroic thing for a delicate fine-cultured
girl TO take up the role of governess
and the children, even of the best
families, are not young angels, gener.
ally. But Mrs. Give had been so kind
70 her, and let her see society when she
would. She might have had her Adonis,
but until Bernard Give came, with his
manifold destinations, all men had been
as shadows. To him she had half sur.
rendered, shy, reluctant captive.
Rrt laS NIGHT Mro CI;yo 1x;eso<l
her, and called her sister.
You ought to be happy. Nobody
could be more in love than he is, and
Bernard is good fellow. He has had
his little pecadilloes, sans dome-they all
have. But he is as good as the rest"
What could Gertrude's pure heart
know Of the sins of the great world ?
Kitty Give, with her four years in Paris,
was n thousandiold wiser. If she had
any misgivngs, she hushed them in her
heart.
Gertrude will be the making of him:
and, in spite of that unfortunate affair,
Bernard is not a bad fellow"
In his own room Bernard was very
much at ease as to his hopes. He was
sure Of her for a whole month, and he
had taken care to invite only ladies or
ineligible men to help them pass the
summer.
And now, with all the signs of afilu.
ence about him, Bernard was linking.
am lucky fellow" ran the solil
oquy. If Cousin Robert had lived a
day longer, the entire property would
have gone to the Morton Willoughbys
If | had gone to Egypt instead of com
ing home last fall, | might never have
seen Gertrude. 1t really seems as if all
had been providentally arranged
Pshaw ~
He interrupted himself, and knocke ed
the ashes from his pipe with vehemence
As if Providence would do anything
; for me-as if it had forgotten that ole
grudge against me. Curse it wish
could forget it myself"
) He wheeled around in his chair, anc
brought himself face to face with a por
trait which hung upon the wall
1t was a lovely pcture-a fair, girlisl
face, untouched as yet by sorrow, bu
with mournful foreshadowing fate il
; the dark, beautiful, tender eyes.
:. I yoodar po1v - ,,read parrovl {. l.,