Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-20
The Rival Sisters.
CHAPTER |.

BEAU llfDL bUI DANGEROUS HEhOINh.
Miss Cranston, very accomplished
woman, kept female school near
Blanton, quiet town in New Jersey.
This place had been selected by Mrs.
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 char
acter of u widow who had recently lost
her husband, and she brought with her
daughter of ten years of age, named
Hester, who was placed with Miss Gran
ston rs a pupil.
Hester Blake was remarkable child
Miss Cranston found her a curious
study.
IF she is not tempted, all may 90
well with her." thought the old lady;
shut il she is" and the omnibus shake
Of the head expressed more than words.
Mrs Blake had fifteen hundred dollars
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 had made her adj
vent in Blanton, was a matter of con-
lecture. No amount of pumping had
been successful in extracting such infor-
nation from either mother or daughter.
almost alone, for her friendless adj
vent among them had not inspired her
neighbors with much confidence in her
antccedents; but as time went on, she
won upon the good opinion of those
around her, and at the time my story
opens, Mrs. Blake was received as a
guest by the best families in the village.
People did not trust her, but they adj
mired and pitied her; for they said ''she
is goodlv to look at, and she has evil
IDENTIFY 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
straight-laced neighborhood
The cottage occupied by Mrs. Blake
stood about mile from the town. 1t
was 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 mir
ror combing out mass of black glisten-
ing hair.
The figure of the girl was modelled
after that of her mother there was the
same perfection of outline; the same
sinuous, elastic movement; but the faces
were not alike.
She suddenly turned, and facing her
mother, said:
''The dull monotony Of this place is
becoming uncomfortable to me. | wish
to see something of the world must
see ii, mother"
With ciuh NTru Rlalyn said
''Sit down on that low chair and, and
try to be quiet while think Of things l
had almost determined never to reveal
to you"
Hester sat down, and prepared to lis
ten 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 ! adored ?-why
he was permitted to wrong me so bitter
~ as to bring to his home another wife
while l yet lived and suffered?
81 must go back to my early life, and
tell you of myself before became the
wife of Armand Landry. My father
was dissipated, reckless man, who
owned a small place near lie Bocage, as
the Landry plantation was called. | was
his only child. | was educatedin a con-
vent school in France. till was nearly
eighteen years old. Then my aunt took
me home, having already arranged
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 returning to the dizziness of
plantation life.
'.AIy father gave me twenty thousand
francs as my dover, and Beltot expect
ed to get much more from him. | think
that prospect induced him to marry me,
for soon found that he was Indifferent
to me as was to him.
..Indifference soon merged into con
tempt on my side, and something like
aversion on his. We had evidentlymade
wretched mistake, and we were glad
to separate by mutual consent. l re-
turned to Louisiana, and BeltOt went to
Algeria.
sWhen | came back to my early home
found my father living as recklessly as
ever
'sAmong the young men who came to
his house was Armand Landry. He was
two years younger than /, for he had
not completed his twentieth year when |
first met him. He soon forsook the
gaming table to linger near me, and I
WE'LL was mad enough to give him the
heart my husband had never tried to win.
| loved him to such a degree that |
thought life would be worthless unless
it was shared with him.
ssArmand seemed devoted to me, but
he never asked me to marry him. He
knew that his proud old father would
look with scorn on the daughter of such
man as my father was
''My father swore that Armand should
yet be my husband, and for that pur-
pose he obtained divorce for me fIom
Bcltot. / was so infatuated that / cared
little by what means Armand was to be
elisnared, provided became his wife. |
e:slc,ed into his plans, shameful as they
VIE, and allowed myself to be united to
q ssan who had been lured again to our
hnase, and when incapable of acting for
himself, was pronounced my husband by
missionary who had been so short
time in the country that he knew moth
ing of the wrong he was helping to
carry into effect. He was brought to
the shouse few moments before the
ceremony was performed, and left I'M
mediately afterward.
"a time had been chosen when the
elder Landry was absent from home /
'aved that Armand loved me as truly
A. | did him.
1t was some weeks before he recov-