Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-08-07
ESM0NDE OF BELLE ISLE.

hno" VI, reDiieu Eva, Carelessly
you like him Eva, do you noi2
Not much, confessed E7a.
Not much ! Why EVa--'
he Is too old, and 100 ugly saic
Eva, laughing at my shocked face
| knew with whom she mentally
compared him, bnt to me she die
not suffer by the comparison, al
though | too made it whom shs
spoke.
Then do yeu not want 10 marry
him. Eva2' | asked, gravely.
Tie has no; asked me yet, but
do not mean to marry him, Ethel.
L was sllont-her careless ess
panied me. thought Lord Avon.
hoe 10 goaG - b. ,rlflsd with, and
wondered how Eva could willfuIly
throw 50 noble heart away. For
young as was. | knew even The
love of such Ii man was thing 70,
which life itself would not be toe
high price . pay
One evening he dined q! Belle
Isle as usual, and, AS usual, We
spent the evening in the great
drawing room l. was rather dull
there for me sometimes while grand.
mama talked to Lord Avenhoe OF
dozed in her velvet chair near the
wood fire, ard Eva played goadel,
heder and as0cturnes at her desire
Sometimes Lord Avenhoe would
turn over the music for her, some
times no would describe TO us the
Alpine viowe in the steroscope, OF
tell us aboat his travels in the East
or over the Rocky Mountains, some.
times he would stand with us in the
window dreamily watching the har
vest moon rising over the lake. -
Then / did not find the eveuir @
dull.
On this night Eva played hrilliun,
fantasies. with an absent look in
h3r blue eyes. Il was very plsin to
me that hr thoughts were else.
where, and W ndered vaguely
where I'll his was 10 end. | was
sitting At Il small tabl, near ore oil
the windows, looking at a book oil
apis, wher Lord Avenhoe
came slowly across the room to me.
| remember the dress | wore that
evening it was pale blue elk, oil
the color OF forget-me nots Eea's
was just the same the shade be-
came us both. Lord AVenhoe stood
beside me, looking down at me in
his own quiet fashi,n, and once OF
twice | thought there was strange
intent look 10 his grave gray eyes
as they met nine There waa 6
different expression in grandmamms
Esmonde's when | raised mine 10
meet their glance fixed upon us.
had never seen her look so before
and she frightened me.
Next day il was et,led that !
should return home immedia' ely.
Not till after my birthday ball,
said Eva, decisiveIy. i will no,
bear of her going till then, grand
mamma
Il think 1t will be best for her t.
go now. We have kept her longer
than the time specified month,
observed grandmamma Esmonde.
They will let her stay, fer one
week more said Eva. Il will mo-
let her go till after my birthday
BALL.
Grandmamma Esmondo looked
terribly vexed.
You will regret this, Eva,' she
remarked, but her warning was
thrown away.
AS if | could think of letting you
go now of all times,' said Eva to me
afterward.
[ did not suspect grandmamma',
reasons for wishing to get rid of me
so quickly then afterwards l knew
and it did not make me love hei
any better.
This birthday ball mad been the
talk OF the neighboIhood fol-
months. 1t was to be on a scale Of
magnihcence worthy of Belle Isle
and it's beautiful heiress. With q
childish delight very unusual to bel
Eva enjoyed the preparations for it
She had had so much spelling, sc
many beautiful things around bel
all her life, that it took something
like this to awaken her interest
There was to be marques on tht
lawn, Chinese lanterns illumioin
the gardens and the shores of the
lake, band of music in barge
moored at some distance from the
gardens, quadrille band in thu
ball room, splendid supper 10 the
old hall and, in fact, it was to BIZ
the great event of the season.
Ou: dresses occupied our thoughts
for many day. They were to b,
alike, as usual-Eva would hear Of
no difference, even on this day
when she was to be queen of all
and perfectly white-white Grape
over white satin, with white came
las and pearls. Time seemed liter
ally to fly while we were busted
with the preparations. The morn
ing Of the eventful day actually
dawned--it was luncheon .time--it
was dinner-time-it was time t.
dress When was ready | went Il
Eva's room.
How lovely she looked, standing
10 the midst of an admiring circl,
of maids, vieing with each other tC
do her the smallest service AnC
grandmamma, in pale satin and Iac'
and diamonds, stood by with smile
on her proud face
Esa, our beautiful Eva, how wei
| remember her appearance tina
evening? 1t has photographed it
self upon my memory perhaps th'
events which followed helped Il
deepen the impression.
| had never seen her look 30 well
There was strange happy lool
in her large bright eyes, whose darl
lashes made her look so like q pic
ture. Her feeey golden hair, draw,
up high on her head like my own
glittered like gold /; the white satiI
of her dress was scarcely whittier
than her pretty neck and arms
PINK rose-hush on her cheeks deep
ened and paled with curious ftful
ness. thought she seemed strange
~ excited put surely all this wa