Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-01-12
AHEROINE OF ROHIANCE.

round vlSage Was Iuuuy oIui, anu III
black. bead-like eyes glittered as will
the fire of youth.
"Captain Dulnare will never grow old,
said his friends, which saying, interpret
ed. meant that he would be hale ant
hearty to the last, when death would
take him suddenly, with no worrying
prelude OF frightening, helpless decline
as might reasonably be expected, as ht
had already passed his allotted term OF
three score years and ten.
The Beautiful girl at his side was
known as his daughter and prospective
heiress.
Virginie Dulnare was shapely in FIGURE
and not too tall. Her features were ex
Quisite, her lips scarlet, her eyes large
and brown, and her silky hair like O
fleece of gold.
Just now the young, flushed face was
hidden on the old mans knse.
do you really love the young fellow
whom they call Hugh Girard ?" asked
Captain Dulnare, in fond, disappointed
whisper. :.
VERY dearly, papa" was the smother
edreply.
With both his white, withered hands
he lifted the dainty, blushing face, and
looked steadfastly into the big, wistful
brown eyes.
"Vlrgie,n he said, in those firm, stern
tones that no man had ever dared to dis
obey, sit is my wish and will that you
marry Sextus Weldon. You think you
love another, but at your age love is but
lightning flash OF passion and of fancy.
/ know best what viii make you happy.
Therefore l have chosen your husband
for you."
Il distrust and despise Sextus We'll
don," returned the girl, passionately,
springing to her feet. 1T is your money,
not me, he cares for"
A strange look wavered over the round,
-uddy visage of the cd gentleman.
Another romantic hallucination, my
chick" be said. '.TEe young man idol
ICES you. Do you think your old father
does not know the signs of love And,
my pretty lamb, Sextus is very rich, and
would like to have you the wife of a
rich man when / die"
81 had rather be poor and contented,
papa"
Then the old mans eyes grew stormy
with anger.
You ungrateful girl! how ungrateful
you will never know till | am dead.
Have | not been kind to you? Fave ]
ever asked you to DO anything that was
not for the best? Have you not been
happiest when yon pleased me most
What is the experience OF twenty COM
pared with that Of seventy! Virgie,
promise me that you Will give up Hugh
Girard, and pledge yourself to Sextus
Weldon when he asks you
Il promise" said the aved and weep
ing girl, and then with tender eyes Cap
tain Dulnare sent her away, being well
pleased.
What varied ard momentous events are
Outlines crowded into a single hour Of
lifetime.
Before the sun of the day set, Virgie
Duinare wore on one lily white, rose
tipped finger magnificent diamond
ring-the symbol OF her betrOthal to Sex
tus Weldon. And scarcely had the cold: :,
yellow circlet grown warm on her finger
before Hugh Girard came for the decis-
i've answer he bad expected for many
weeks.
There were passionate words on the
bearded lips of the handsome blue eyed
man, but single gesture OF that sealed
hand stopped their utterance.
He looked into her face. That was
Jelly white, but the brown eyes were like
stars of fire.
IL understand, Virginie," he said, slow
", 'that they have sold you for gold.
You loved me, but you were weak. God
help you. my darling"
And so Hugh Girard went his way, and
Virginie Dulnare tell on her knees,
weeping piteous tears in the twilight.
A strange sound aroused aer.
They were calling her to her fathers
chamber.
Trembling, shivering and heartsick,
with strange portentious dread On her
heart, she obeyed the summons.
Capt. Dulnare sat as she had left him,
in his easy chair, but the frost white
locks that struggled over the crimson
velvet, framed in bloodless, rigid face.
Capt. Duinare was dead.
There was mournful time-the nee
essary inquest, the death watch and the
rather pompous funeral-bat it passed as
all things of delight and anguish must
pass in this world OF changes.
Then came the reading of the dead
mans will, and the settlement of his f.
nancial affairs.
And with these gross matters of BUSH
ness and lucre, there came to the pale,
stricken Virginie terrible disclosure.
Capt. Dulnares large liabilities, secured
by heavy mortgages, and bis floating
debts, swallowed up everything.
The heiress in prospective was utterly
penniless.
But that was the smallest sorrow.
For by the papers OF proof left, Vir-
ginie was declared to be child of adop-
ton. She had been left when baby on
the rich mans doorstep, and he had
reared her as his own.
And after three weeks of grievous en-
barrassment, Virginie was thrust out into
the world with no hope except what she
mad fixed on Sextusx Weldon.
lie only came once, and hls tones were
altered and supercili0us.
NO matter what he said. But Virginie's
face flushed, and she tore the betrOthal
ring from her shaking hand and gave 1t
Dack 10 one who was not 10th to receive
it.
Then she went out into the world to
win her Dread-not an easy task for one
so luxuriously reared.
She thought she could do dressmaking
nicely; but to every store and shop to
which she applied she was greeted with
the one answer:
work is rather slack just now, and, of
course, what we have to give is given to
the employees who. have been with US
longest"
1t was from the doors of one of these
palatial places that she tOttered one day,
weak from hunger, and on the marble
steps sank down in deadly swOon.
A lady in velvet and silk, with plumes
OF grey sweeping over her silver hair,
had just assembled from her coupe. She
saw the PROSTATE form, and looking into
the drawn white face. startled: