Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-09

ouo WueIl the Carthage SbOppou at the
entrance, and Bernard received them
with affectionate smiles, and Mrs. Give
saw the complete renovation he had
effec' ed within, she was more than glad
she had come to Willoughby.
The elegant, carved ceilings had been
| painted in fresh Pompeiian colors.
Sombre drapery and antique furniture
had been banished to lumberrooms, and
unique, lovely buhl tables and bamboo
chairs and lace-curtains had taken their
place.
1t was as gay, as fresh, as summary
| and homel:ke as could be imagined.
upon my word, Bernard p said Ms.
Give, catching her breath, ~ shouldn't
wonder if Cousin Robert got up out of
his grave to rebuke your vandalism and
extravaganza l don't see low YOU
ever dared do it."
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 low against the stream, and now
and again one lays down the oars, and
drifts happily with the current.
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 involur tarily
blithe melody overran her lips.
"You like it, Gertrude 81 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 al his command into a
bower almost too lovely for a mortal
maiden to dwell in.
Mrs. Give chartered fast in her de.
light.
He means you to live sumptuously.
He will make you think you are prin-
cess p she cried. "And yet, mon Dieu r'
returning to the French phrases picked
up in her school-days, /" to think that a
little gliding, and few mirrors, and a
trifie 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 filed her soul, there was vet an
undercurrent of pain.
"Does he mean to buy me with his
magnifcence ?" said her thought.
And he, reading it so easily with the
keen eyes of love, said, earnestly:
know, my darling, you would love
me just as well if l 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-
sldered it; but it was only his fine tact.
Gertrude sank down into the luxuri-
GUS armchair. Itwas just type of the
delicious repose that might fill her
whole life, if she only would.
And why not? She hail endured the
hardness in her youth. 1t is no un.
heroic thing for delicate, fiue-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
to her, and let her see society wien she
would. She might have had her Adonis
bnt until Bernard Give came, with his
manifold destinations, all men had bet Z
as shadows. To him she had half sur
rendered, shy, reluctant captive.
But last night Mrs. Give had kissed
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 doate-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 thousandfold wiser. If she had
any mlsgivings, she hushed them in her
| heart.
Gertrude will be the baking of him:
and, in spite of that unfortunate affair,
Bernard is not bad fellow
In his own room Bernard was very
much at ease as 20 his hopes. He was
sure of her for 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 aff1u-
ence about him, Bernard was thinking.
" 1 am lucky fellow" ran the solil-
oquy. eff 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 providentially arranged.
Pshawl''
He interrupted himself, and knocked
the ashes from his pipe with vehemence.
As if Providence would do ANYTHING
for meas if it had forgotten that old
grudge against me. Curse it'll | wish /
could forget it myself
He wheeled around in his chair. and
brought himself face to face with a por.
trait which hung upon the wall
1t was lovely picture-a fair, girlish
face, untouched as yet by sorrow, but
with mournful, foreshadowing fate in
the dark, beautiful, tender eyes.
Il wonder now, unused Bernard. sby
what perversity of self tor1nenting l keer