Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-02-23
luxury and ease of fashionable life to
excuse those brought up in ignorance

| HE 10 give themselves atrS any way
therefore, if were you | would not
give myself further trouble about
this triilIng affair." Here poor MIR.
Dupont venturcd word in Lima be-
half. Even 1t the peril OF rlsking his
own small life, he said to Mrs. Multi
gan, the lady who made the last un-
Kind remark about Lima. "that it
Miss Mayhards manner of dignity
WAS Indicative of ignorance. then he
oeiieVed III those words, Where iy-
horance is bliss tbs folly to be wise -"
since you are of that opinion" ex-
cisimed hisno ighly inceused wife.
- think its pity YOU did not marry
one Of her stripe" Here Mr.. Dupont
retrented from the scene. mentally
Wishing that he had married some
BODY else. He did not care whether
IL was Polly, Peggy, or Mariuda
Ann, SC she were only mute. for his
experience, with what is deuomi-
mated the fair sex for the past ten
Years had taught him to become al
ardent admirer of this spcechless
class
The next morning found Lima fully
recovered from her indisposition of
The nignt before; her excitement wss
all gone and she was able to take
charge of the children as usual
though her c1cee iingly pale face
aroused Mrs. Morion's sympathy,
and that good woman protested
against such an action, but Lima gent
iy yet firmly insisted that she was
quite well. No one knew of the lit
tie scene enacted in the garden aud
she WAS glad for it would DO no good
to speak OF it; on the other hand she
thought if this was noised about it
would bring reproach on her fair
name. while she was innocent in every
acceptation Of that Term.
In few days Mrs. and Mr.. Morton
LEFT for New York, leaving Clara, at
the earnest solicitations of Lima, to
spend few weeks with her, for in
tuitively this young girl knew what
her life must be when her friend left.
Clara was anxious to stay, for she
J we'll knew that her dear friends DO
sltion i'll her uncle's family was any,
thin. but pleasant. After her mother
left, Clara moved into Liua's room,
aud united their comforts and pleas
ures just as they had done at school,
aud Mrs. Dupont seeing how insepa-
rable they were, made up her mind to
be more civil to Liua during Clara's
stay. She did this because she wished
10 please her visitor, aud If possible
prejudice her in her favor. this wo-
man had still another policy in doing
this: she wanted to throw Clara as
much as possible in her brothers
company, and she knew if Lima was
not ivited down, Clara would spend
.he greater part OF her time up stairs
with her, and in that way Tracy
would lose too much time. time that
was precious to him now so Lima,
by an express desire of Madam Du-
pont, Joined them in the library
every evening, and she always mau-
aged to throw Clara and her brother !
together. Thus by her adroit ma
nHuvering Tracy was Clara's con-
st::nt companion.
The evidence of this Woman's lli-
tention Impressed itself but TOO forci-
hly upon Lina's mind, and panied her
exceedingly, for she thought of what
this might lead to. No, oh no she |
could not see the young life of her
dearest friend poisoned, her youthful |
hopes and joyful anticipations be-
trayed by man whom she believed
to be william, double-dyed and
stepped in sin. Furthermore, she
felt that if Clara's parents had
entertained for one moment, Mrs.
Duponts deeign for urging their
daughter to continue or rather pro-
long her visit, they would have taken
her home beyond a doubt; and be-
sides she was several years older than
hcr friend, and that it was purely q
for her comfort that
Clara consented to stay; and if
she did not watch over her
rs tenderly as she would her own
sister, then would she prove her
self faithless and unworthy the trust,
the explicit confidence that her
friend repOsed in her. Therefore she
decided 10 watch over her just as she
would Agnes, and when the time
came, warn her against any evil
which might threaten her. She knew
that good advice ought to be season.
ably given ; yet she would wait a
while aud have her reasons for doing
80. Then she was SO continuously by
Clara's side that Tracy had very
little opportunity to make love to her,
which she thought he intended to do
,y the soft glance he bestowed on the
nnoceut. unsuspicious Clara. Mrs.
Dupont made it necessary to call .
Ina from the room very often, of
ate, each time she had all excuse,
hough plausible as it seemed to the
thers, she saw through it in a mo-
neHt, but she did not dare to let Oh
or she did not wish the Madam tvl
hiuk that she had All eye to what
'ds going on. Whenever Lima and
lara went for their evening walk, if
'racy did not accompany them. he
sually made it convenient to fall in
7ith them somewhere as they were =
1ending their way home. and of :.
curse he always devoted himself o
ntirely to Clara, who was not SO :,
.lti-h as not to notice his neglect .
)ward her friend, and for fear that
he felt hurt at his Indifference, she >,
'ould invariably slip her arm a
Trough Lina's, and thus compel !,
er to walk on one side. while Tracy
ept close on the other.
Lima secretly rcjoiced at this, for t,
wO reasons. First, she knew that her ~