Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-11

THE RIVAL SISTERS.
CHAPTER |.

BEAUTIFUL BUT DANGEROUS HEROINE.
Miss CranstOn, a very accomplished woman kept
q female school near Blauton. quiet town in New
Jersey. This place had been selected b0Mrs. Blake,
the mother of one of the Rival Sisters as her home,
on account OF the reputation OF the school. Mrs.
Blake made her advent in Blanton in the character
of a widow who had recently lost her husband, and
she brought with her daughter ten years of age,
named Hester, who was placed with Miss Cranston
as pupil.
Hester Blake was remarkable child.
Miss CranstOn found her curious study.
''lf she is not tempted, all may go well with her."
thought the old lady; 'but if she is" and
the Ominous shake of the head expressed more than
words.
AIRS. Blake had fifteen hundred dollars a year,
which she stated was derived from property in the
south; but where it was situated, and in what
place she had lived before she made her advent in
Bianton, was matter of conjecture No amount
of pumping had been successful in extracting
such information from either mother or daughter.
For few years the stranger lived almost alone,
for her friendless advert among them had not in
spired her neighbors with much confidence in her
antecedents; but time went on, she won the
good opinion of those around her, and at the time
my story opens Mrs. Blake was received as guest
by the best families in the village.
People did not trust her, but they admired and
pited her; for they said she Is go0dly to look at,
and she has evidently been sufferer in the battle
of life" All! if they had known how, and under
what circumstances that battle had been waged,
am inclined TO think that the reputed widow would
have found few friends or defenders in that strait
laced neighborhOod.
The cottage occupied by Mrs Blake stood about
mile from the town. 1t was a comfortable house,
with veranda in 'front.' over which towering vines
were trained and the large yard that surrounded it
was shaded by elm trees.
She was now dreamily regarding her daughter,
who stood IN front Of mirror eombing out mass
OF black glIStening hair.
The figure of the girl was modelled after that of
Der mother: there was the same perfection of out
line; the same simmons, elastic movement; but the
faces were not alike.
She suddenly turned, and facing her mother,
said
1.-THE dall monotony of this place is becoming I'M
endurabe to me. wish to see something OF the
world must see it, mother"
With sigh, Mrs. Blake said:
.'sit down on that low chair, and tryt be quiet
while speak of things which had almost deter
mined never to reveal to you"
Hester sat down, and prepared to listen TO what
she had so long desired TO know.
Mrs. Blake at length spoke:
you ask me how it happened that was cast off
by the man l adOred-why he was permitted to
wrong me so bitterly as to bring to his home an
other wife while yet lived and suffered?
81 must 60 back to my early lite, and tell you OF
myself before became the wife of Armand Landry
Ny father was dissipated, reckless man, who
owned small place near lie Boeage, as the Landry
plantation was called was his only child. ! was
educated in convent school in France, till was
nearly eighteen years old Then my aunt took me
home, having already arranged a marriage for me.
was not consulted, but did not rebel against it,,
for Claude Beltot was young and good looking, and
! preferred remaining in France as his wife TO re-
turning 10 the dizziness Of plantation life.
MY hther gave me twenty thousand francs as
my dover, and Betot expected to get much more
from him. ! think that prospect induced him to
marry me, for soon found that he was as indifer-
ent to me as / was to him.
indifference soon merged into contempt on nv
sl9e, ana something ike aversion on his. We had
evidently MADE wretched mistake and we were
glad TO separate by mutual consent | returned to
Louisiana. and Betot went TO Algeria
when came back to my early home found nv
father living as recklessly as ever
"Am0ng the young men who came TO his house
was Armand Landry He was two years younger
than J, for he had not peted his twentieth year
when first met him. He soon forsook the gaming
table TO linger near me, and I-Well-l was mad
enough to give HIN the heart my husband had never
tried 10 win. l loved him TO that degree that
thought life would be worthless unless It was shared
with him.
Armand seemed devoted to me, but he never
asked me 10 marry him. He knew that his proud
old father would look with seOrn on the daughter Of
such man as my father was.
my father swOre that Armand should yet be nv
husband, and for that purpose he obtained divorce
for me from BeltOt. / was so infatuated that
cared little by what means Armand was to be on.
SHARED provided became his wife. ] entered into
W. plans, shameful as they were, and allowed N.Y.
sell to be united to q man who had been lured again
our house. and when incapable OF acting for him.
s,'b WV pronounced my husband by missionary
WIN han been so short time in the country that he
knew m0ihiug OF the wrong he was helping TO carry
mo ehecs lie was brought 10 the house q few mo.
,na p,oIe ae ceremony was performed, and left
a uine had been chosen when the elder Landry
was absent IRON home. / believed that Armand
loved me as truly as did him
at was several weeks before no reeovorod al .ho
natural enerRy o. ms mind, and I began once h
fear that he would Ne permanently ihinrad hy ~
drug l had permitted 10 be adminisfsrd 4. ii i'i'
But the time came when he fully undarst ~ ~
position IN which he was placed and tban s, ,nS
scenes as passed between US / cannot Jsai, eu W.
nercey resented tle part had taken in entrappjne
him into 4 marriage that would be odious TX ~
proud father and declared that he could never co.
"vainly tried all my powers Of fascination Z,
entbrall MIN, and win forgiveness from him
"As soon as he was well enough TO leave the hons,
be went of in search Of his father, IN spite OF ali
could do 10 detan him. His father Instituted pr
cecdines for divorce after sending Armand to vi
rope 10 make tour, IN company with MIR. Russo
and bis two daughters.
when heard that was deyoured with jea
ousy; Tor kllinor Russell was the young lady wi
Ind been chosen by Mr. Landry for Lis sons wifi
and report said that she was boih rich and charm
Russell.
when this happened, you were but a few weel
lie enough 20 do Il with
Al how ! hated that fair beauty who ba
sese -. ine 50 much woe! Many night, after yo
VIZ Aeieep nave l stolen from my cottage an
haae my way 10 the stately home in winch IN,
nunMh HNelt surrounded by loving care that =,
ns pi i',E 70 me. Concealed IN the shrubber
cents o. deeper tenderness thas he ira yar ,,.ad
w, Wy ,VHeo Mlthtn my soul that wonld fu
aan, o.,a r NC happiness they seemed 10 ilp
"MN hate eliminated when daughtor 80. -,
eho whs ntsii hed 70 MI the place a. vour fsthe,
house of which you had been defrauded. ''''''
Your hafsister Is two years yoanger th., ~.
ana AZ your childhood you were 20 mfch alito ~
ngt tor tue difference m sJ2e You might have be
ea e .adness, for tho ilsalth Of bis wife began
IAN. sue mded slowly away with nysteriour
eA'e'Ahfe'y'hing was tried that promised rel