The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-09-24
CHAPTER V.


covered to sing again in public and the excite
ment attending her appearance was tenfold
greater than on previous occasions. The con-
gratulations, also, over her recovery, were
numerous and heartfelt All this, OF course,
was very gratifying to Lord Dashier, who was
present STILL he declared, she never should
sing again in public if he had his way about 1t.
But Thyra, considering all the time and money
that had been spent IN fitting herself for the
vocation, did not think it best TO give up at the
outset of career which seemed so promising.
Thus she continued to charm the musical con-
noisseurs Of London for many week. after
! which she went to Paris wheye the enthusiasm
over her was still greater than at the formerpace.
Among her many admirers here was Count
janis, who fell violently in love with her, and
whose Prosecutions were such that she wrote
Lord Dashier about the matter. In spite of
his mothers objections, who was still bitter
against Thyra, he went immediately to Paris To
encounter his would-be rival. The latter, UNI
aware Of the engagement existing between the
two lovers, soon challenged the English Lord
for duel which Dashler, though no coward,
scorned 10 accept, but made the Count aware
that il would not be safe for him to make any
nearer approaches to his promised wife,
The Count, with tact worthy the skill of
French diplomatist, apparently withdrew from
the contest, and Lord DSshier returned to En-
gland hearing no further complaints from
Ihyra during her stay i'll Paris, Which was
| through the season. Then there came an APP
peal from Amepca, urging Thyra to cross the
| waters where her voice would be fully apDre-
| catcd and she would be duly compensated her
efforts. Contrary to Thyra's expectations, Lord
| Dashier consented to this proposal for he had
! long wished to visit America himself, and he
! promised to follow her near the close Of her
! stay and accompany her back to England, when
! he would insist upon their marriage. Ac-
/ cordingly, she and her sister Marcia, who was
now her constant companion, embarked for the
| New World one bright spring morning, leaving
| Lord Dashier and scores OF admiring friends
! waving handkcrchiefs and making other demon
! STATIONS of esteem and love, until the steamer
took them quite out of sight of the dock.
The New York papers were fIlll of the most
! glowing accounts of the little English girls
! success as prima donna, and. az Lord Dash
! Ter was well supplied with them, he was kept
well posted i'll regard TO her dongs. Lady
Dashier would not take one of them into her
hands, but her daughters read them regularly,
! giving their mother full accounts of their
! tents. The Dukes wife had become something
of an admirer OF Thyras, but Beatrice owed
her great grudge for enticing her brother
away from Edith, and would say nothing in her
! favor. At first the separation seemed a severe
and long one to Lord Dasher, as Thyra was TO
! to remain year, and he often became quite
| disconsolate. and would then go and sit i'll the
/ glen, where he and Thyra first met for hours
at time. But az the weeks passed on. and the
| time was approaching when nc would leave for
America, there seemed but one shadow east
! III his way. and that was his mothers disap-
/ proyal of the whole proceeding. While he was
thinking this the only impeachment to his hap
| piness, he one day opened his New York daily
| to read the startling announcement contained
! III the following paragraph:
at is reported in musical circles that the
lovely young English prima donna, Miss Little
! ton. who for the last six months has been
charming the music-oving people of our coun-
! try. is about TO be married to Count Jannis of
Paris, who has recently crossed the Atlantic to
| claim his BRIDE
at cannot be true ~ shrieked Lord Dasher,
dropping the paper and turning ghastly pale
"mv darling, my idol would never abandon me
! for that miserable fellow :" then. recollecting
she had said she would never consent to live
with his mother while such a feeling existed
against her. he cried, "pernaps after all. it
may be true; she may think it is an escape
from the lonely life she would live here at the
! Hall. Oh my mother how could YOU allow
your pride to forever undo me? If Thyra is
lost to me, there Is nothing further for which L
care 10 live. But it shall not be l will set sail
tomorrow for America" After thus cogtat-
lng he rang for servant whom he ordered TO
! pack his trunk, telling him be was to leave for
America the following morning. Lady Dashier,
who was then out riding, soon returned when
| she was made aware of her sons intentions.
Going at once to his room, where he was busy
arranging matters for his departure, she said
MY son, what am / to understand by this
sudden move? 1t cannot be you are intending
| TO leave us for such journey ON short a
notice az this ~ and she burst into tears. he
handed her the paper containing the paragraph
| that had so upset him. After reading it she
| replied "Now, supposing this to be true or
otherwise would it not il either case be folly
| for you to post off there? Would it not be
! more sensible to write or send a telegram TO tho
individual herself and thereby learn whether
there is any truth in the report or not?"
"Perhaps you are right, mother; will at
once send a dispatch" Dashier said, after a
moments thought, and he Immediately has
| tened to the nearest telegraph Office for that
purpose. Meanwhile Lady Dashier was in
wardfy exulting over the good news, which she
hoped from the bottom of her heart was true,
although she Mt the same time felt the deepest
sympathy for her sons distress of mind. ''But
once he is rid of her." thought she, che will
forget her. and again take to Edith. ] pro-
posed the telegram not that l want him to
hear contradiction of the report, but its con-
irmation for which it would be folly for him
to go all the way to America. l will do all in
my power to comfort my poor child in case he
hears he has lost her, but If she writes she is
still true to him must still oppose the mar
riage, for never can consent to the marriage
of my noble son with low-born girl-never
never!"
The dispatch safely reached its destination
having been sent TO New York. but, as Thyra
had left that place for Boston, where she was TO
IL.
Lord Dashier suffered untold agonies IN
awaiting the reply, which did not come. Then,
after few days, learning her address through
the New York papers, he Immediately wrote
her, receiving this reply:
"Your letter came too late, my dear Robert
was already married, to whom you already
know. How he deceived me ! He came TO mo
with the story that you were already married to
Edith Seyers, confirming the truth of the state
ment, as supposed, by showing me printed
paragraph, clipped, as he said. from London
journal. Since l received your letter /, OF
course, conclude II was forgery of his--some-
thing he had printed Just to deceive me. had
not heard from you in some time, not having
received your last two letters. which think he
intercepted at the New York posto1ice. This
made me still moro sure of the truth of the re-
port. And then, when he asked me 10 marry
him, thinking il made little difference who /
married, since you were lost to me, accepted
his offer. And now L hate him, despicable
wretch that he is Oh idol of my soul, can
YOU forgive me for thus distrusting your /
should not have thought the whole world could
have convinced me that you were unfaithful to
me, yet that monster did it. Oh, my folly has