Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1879-08-28
A W0MAN'S STORY.

had just entered my seventh wear
when my father, M. Veile. gave me a
rev mother in tho person of tho hand
some and lmpelious widow of one C.l
onel Lllor, and brother in Mrs Lqlof's
only child, a boy Of twelve.
Albert Laior, With his handsome face
strong will and pleasant ways, soon be,
c'tne my master, ruling my impettious
FPifu With success that no one
else could. Madame Viele locked ON
with q proud, self-satis6ed fniIo ana
more Than once beard her murIaur ia
hcr sweet, impeiio1Is tones:
They must marry, P8iHpne. Your
VI must be my Albort's wife
AND my father would laugh and nod
n,9 ngEd approvlnglY evidently we'll
pleased with the idon.
bnt these happy days slipped by all
too rapidly. "
~! My ca.s,l,.d t.s,har dol AIher1 vas aeishi
with my fathers viii, was sent TO Paris
to be fpished under the care OF his old
and valued friend, Madame Duponte
-Four years later / returned to my step
mother.
It was near the close of bleak winter
day that reached Gray Fell. But bleak
as it vas my handsome, stately step
mother met me on the steps Of the great
pilared portico.
'Ahl' she exclaimed. half under her
breath, as she held me off amoment and
keenly scrutinized me with her great,
lustrous black eyes. Then Z warm smile
parted her lips, and kissing me tenderly,
she added:
You are beautiful, my child-far more
beautiful than | imagined. Albert will
be charmed. All, blush, dearest? You
have not forgotten my old hope, thenl
But come, come, dear; the air is bitterly
keen.
And gathering up the shining length
of her black satin she swept queen like
before me, pausing only long enough in
tine hail to allow kindly word or two
to the assembled servants.
Then, with rare cOudescensiOn, she
led me up stairs TO my chamber.
AS We entered the dressing room she
glanced at the timepiece and turned to
my maid:
Take mademoiselles wraps, Manton,
she said quickly anl imperiously, and
then lay out some of Ler handsomest
dresses adding smihngly, as her eyes
your toilet thie evening, my dear. Din
ner will be served i'll less than an hour,
and l want you to appear at your best
when you descend to the drawing room.
Albert shall be dazzled at first sight.
When We entered the brilliantly light
ed drawing it was tenanted by two
persons--a handsome, kingly-looking
man, whom ] recognized at once as my
stepbrother, and tall, slender girl with
heavenly blue eyes. pearly skin and a
shlmmering crown of pale, golden hair
A faint damask tinted the girl S cheek
as we entered, and l noticed that the
gentleman rose with suspicious haste
from the chair very close to her own. ]
fanoied, too, that he had even more has
tily dropped one of the dainty white
hands toying with bunch of blue for
get me -nots that matched a tiny cluster
half hidden in the hossy gold of heI
lovely hair.
| had heard of this fair girl, and tina
her home would henceforth be at Gray
Fell, But for the first time it occurred
TO me that she might be destined t.
step between me and the man | ha'
slowly learned to think of only too ten
derly.
With a sharp, Jealous pang extenue'
nv hand to Albert LalOr, who had has
tened to me, his fine eyes glowing VIII
admiration and pleasure.
His greeting was cordial, and evident
" pleased his mother.
But why don't you kiss her, my soT
as in the old days? she smiled gayly.
And with an answering smile, Albel
bent his grand head and pressed hl
bearded lips lightly to mine.
'Ah, what charming blushP laughe
my stepmother, touching my CLOWN
cheek caressingly with her soft, whit
fingers.
smiled, but my heart throbbed pain
fully under the ruby velvet bodice th'
became me so well Beneath the pre-
sure of those bearded lips my waywai
woman's heart had leaped from tende
ness to a full, fierce, passionate love.
lifted my eyes, lustrous with ii
new born feeling, to the hsndsom
smiling face of my brother, and aga
nv heart swelled with jealous pain
sight Of its unIuffied calm.