The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-02-05

taken him for her own! Doubtless this
was why she had neither seen nor heard
from him for so long he had OWNED
her heart, and conscience had made a
coward of him. But it never should
be said of her that she wore her heart
on her sleeve. And when Victor re-
turned with the sister whom she had
Just succeeded in snatching from the
valley of shadows, having written to
Nina, but in his anxiety mailed the
engaged 10 Mr.. Grandelaw for month
already, and had gone to visit his
mother in a neighboring town till the
wedding should take place, without
leaving any trace behind her. Grande-
law had, in fact, prosecuted her
into copsent,zA thousand things had
conspired in his favor. She had fallen
ill and into debt, and work had failed,
and Grandelaw had sent his own physi-
clan to her with fruits, and flowers and
wines, had taken her out in his carri-
age when air was prescribed, and had
ended by proposing to take care of her
lher life, by winning reluctant con-
sent to endow her with his worldly
goods. Victor had deceived her, or
rather she had taken, too much for
granted, aud deceived herself, and what
better could she do than reward the de-
votion of Grandelaw, who assured her
that he had love enough for them both
Everybody was very kind at Laurel
Lodge; everything was fine enough to
win q mercenary heart, if Nina had
owned one. Nobody y limited that Gran
delaw was making an nsunequal marriage.
One day when Nina returned from a
gallop across the hills with Grandelaw,
there was tall, gracious woman wait
ing for them on the veranda, who al
lowed Grandelaw to kiss her hand, and
made Nina assstately bow.
"Have the skies fallen, that we catch
larksp asked Nina's lover sEs
I -A"I see thatayou have already caught
one," laughed his cousin Stella.
"Stella has come to look at her rival, :"
said Mrs. Grandelaw, when Nina bade
her good night. 3" We feared that my
son would marry Stella s1nfe day. She
Thought so herself, batIzdisapproYe of
cousins marrying"
Did she love him ~ gasped Nina.
az dare say she loved him well
enough; but one survives these things u
ICi" Oh, how she must hate mep cried
Nina.
But if Cousin Stella. hatedor loved
she knew how to disguise her feelings; !;
nobody could be gayer or SUMMER than
she during those days. She sparkled
with repartee and anecdote, ana shook
her listeners with gales of laughter.
Perhaps she was showing Grandelaw
what mistake he made to choose this
sad, sha6owy woman instead of herself.
"I have been sitting for my portrait, :"
she said one evening. Nina's heart gave
a little stir; had she not sat for her pic
ture oncef The moon was shining in
through the long windows of the draw
ing room; there was no other light in
the room except the ftful glare behind
the fender. Grandelaw had been called
out of town on business for a night or
two.
g Indeed; p said Mrs. Grandelaw. Is
it not tedious affairs 2" - - ~ ~
at would be, perhaps, if any one but
Victor Blumental were painting it." 3
Nina started and dropped her fan.
Had she come to Laurel Lodge to hear
of Victori
"And who is Victor Blumenthalq q'
asked Stella's aunt" another flame of
yours?"
L"I have seen no symptoms of that
kind" laughed Stella. I wish I might.
He would make an ideal lover"
"But he is married." spoke Nina out
of the shadow, and there was the sound
of tears in her voice, if any one had ears
to hear "He is married, Stella"
Then Grandelaw has told you about
him? Yes, it was romantic-and sac" /"
Didn't the marriage turn out well ~
asked Mrs. SGrandelaw, to whom ro.
nance meant nonsense.
+" That depends" returned Stella.
He married his cousin Theodora-"
q have no patience with cousins
marrying"
enc? There was no great need OF
patience in this case. Blumenthal's
grandfather had left all the money to
Theodore and her mother. Victor was
so poor, as became an artist to be.
suppose Theodore had always loved
him, but she insisted on being married
to him on her death-bed, that he might
inherit portion of the fortune. She
died an hour afterward.I"
t.. Nina sat like one stunned by an earth.
| quake shock; all Grandelaw's perfidy
| stood out like the handwriting on the
wall. His kiss had not been .treachery
She would go to him. She would leave
this prison for ever and ever. How ha6
she ever dreamed, of loving Grandelaw
some day? ' 80
you have been very kind to me-
Nina said, when she kissed Mrs. Gran
delaw good night. "I shall Away
bless you for it; but-Stella woulG
make Grandelaw a better wife, and you
| a wiser daughter" {.-fIei g . % ID
&c Ny son and / think differently re
piled his mother; but she remembered
afterward that Nina had fingered anc
hesitated-" just as if she wished to ash
pardon for something" Mrs. Grande
law explained; and when Grandelaw
himself returned to Laurel Lodge, there
was q little three-cornered note on hi
library table, in Nina's hand, which
read:
I" If should marry you. Mr.. Ansou Grande
law, some day, in looking over your file Of oil
Ttibunes, I should happen upon one containing
the marriage of Victor Blumenthal to hi
cousin Theodore, and the notice of her death OF
the same day, and your deceit would kill what
ever love I had learned to bear you. y -.s
$50 good-by, and make Stella happy.
| "NINA."
Il e -. - -
--- A Reasoning Sheen.