Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-02-01


SIR WALrER scorr.
The October haze hung like gauzc
Of gold about the purple tops Of the
low-lving country hills. Perched
among them shone the pale stone walls
and ornate roof Of u uprrb country
seat. Behind il rolled and rumbled the
glistening river, and before it, almost
under the pretty bay-window, ran the
elm-hanked common highway.
A man, very young and very hand
some, with brown, dreamy eyes and u
proud Grecian head, rode by that
dav.
He looked up and saw lady stand
ing on a balcony above him. About
her regal figure fell folds of lustreless
amber silk and foam-pale laces. Her
Spanish eyes and delicate, naughty
features smiled down upon him from
behind an exquisite fan; she wore white
roses on her bosom, and an arrow of
gold and diamonds held back from her
dusky brows tho glossy plaitS Of her
ehon hair.
1t is Madeline" he thought, draw
ing rein. She is very beautiful. They
told me she is past thirty, but she looks
younger than |, and | an twenty-onc.
II won't be very hard for me to obey
my uncle. | fancy"
The wealthy and eccentric old uncle
who had reared and educated him had
sent Algernon Heath to this elegant
place with friendly letter of introduce
ton, ostensibly given that his beloved
nephew might have II week of change
and quiet, but really, privately and
oommandingly. that the said nephew
should meet, WOO, win and marry q
beautiful creature whose lands and lucrc
should be worthy of his great expecta-
tions.
A glance from those brilliant eyes
told the young man that he had reached
his destination.
He had never seen the lady before,
but it was fiatteringly evident that she
knew him, and was bit merry because,
through his ignorance of the locality, he
had missed the entrance.
He returned her smile, lifted his
hat gallantly, wheeled his horse and
rode back to the gloomy gate of
iron, guarded ny two bronze lions
rampant.
Il have crossed the Rubicon," he
thought again, rs the big, grim gates
changed behind the heels of his uncle'S
fuvorite black Methnks when | re-
cross shall carry to my good relative
tho message, came, saw, | con
quered 7
Algernon Heath was only twcnty-one.
IT. L.,J I,.,J c,,,,,,a .,,,J b;., & .ll,..
but he knew nothing Of the love that
can make lifetime Of misery or a
single day of rapturous, blissful peace.
He was doing the bidding Of one VINO
mad enerveted his fine, strong nature by
TOO much ease and delicious living
that was all.
lie was welcomed warmly, and his
stay was prolonged unreasonaby, and
he left only to return in few weeks to
claim the Spani,h.eyed Madeline as his
bride.
Algernon Heath was proud OF his
handsome stylish wife. She was pas
sionately fond Of him, and, alas quite
Is passionately jealous.
Why should she not bc-this world
worn coqnette ofthirty who Had shared
tic f,.ered faney III Ills youth, Well
knowing that lis untouched heart
might some dty thrill Ii ,hc claim III Il
fresh and true affection?
But they we're reasonably content
il their marital bonds for ten quiet
years.
Oat of Nadelines money her hus-
band hal nad pro li5.l share, and
she never relroaehed him for his lavish
extravaganza. He wit- always kind and
true aud devoted, and surely she could
ask no more.
Her father died the first year after
her marriage, but Agernon's uncle still
lived. boarding his millions for a munlf-
cent final bequest to 4 fayorlte astitu-
non, il vas said and believed,