The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-10-01
CHAPTER V.

Il
Lady Dashier.
% CHAPTER V.
Two weeks later, Thyra was sufficiently re-
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 it.
But Thyra, considering all the time and money
that had been spent in fitting herself for the
vocation, did not thinkjt best to give up at the
outset of a career which seemed so promising
Thus she continued to charm the musical con-
no1sseurs of London for many week, after
which she went to Paris, where the enthusiasm
over her was still greater than at the formerplace
Among her many admirers here was a Count
Jannis, 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, I'M
aware of the engagement existing between the
two lovers, soon challenged the English Lord
for duel, which Dashier, though no coward,
scorned to accept, but made the Count aware
that it would not be safe for him to make any
nearer approaches to his promised wife.
The Count, with tact worthy the skill of a
French diplomatist, apparently withdrew from
the contest, and Lord Dashier returned to En-
gland, hearing no further complaints from
Thyra during her stay in Paris, which was
through the season. Then there came an ap-
peal from America, urging Thyra to cross the
waters, where her voice would be fully appre-
ciated, and she would be duly compensated for 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 handkerchiefs 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 full of the most
glowing accounts of the little English girls
success as prma donna, and, as Lord Dash
Ter was well supplied with them, he was kept
well posted in regard to her doings. Lady
Dashier would not take one of them into her
hands, but her daughters read them regularly,
giving their mother full accounts of their con-
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 Dashier, as Thyra was to
to remain @ year, and he often became quite
disconsolate. and would then go and sit in the
glen, where he and Thyra first met, for hours
at a time But as the weeks passed on, and the
time was Approaching when he would leave for
America, there seemed brit one shadow cast
in his way, and that was his mothers disap-
proval 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
in the following paragraph:
SIT 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-loving 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 Dashier,
dropping the paper and turning CHASTITY pale p;
"my darling, my IDOL would never abandon me
for that miserable fellow !" then. recOllectng
she had said she would never consent to live
with his mother while such feeling existed
against her, he cried, "perhaps, 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 ThEra is
lost to me, there Is nothing further for which
care to live. But it shall not be; I will set sail
tomorrow for America" After thus cogitat-
ing, he rang for a servant whom he ordered to
pack his trunk, telling him he was to leave for
America the following morning. Lady Dashler,
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? It cannot be you are intending
to leave US for such journey on SO short a
notice as this 7" and she burst into tears He
handed her the paper containing the paragraph
that had SO upset him. After reading it she
replied "Now, supposng this to be true or
otherwise, would it not in either case be folly
for you to post off there? Would it not be
more sensible to write or send telegram to the
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
purpose. Meanwhile Lady Dashier was in
wardly exulting over the good news, which she
hoped from the bottom of her heart was true,
although she at the same time felt the deepest
sympathy for her sons distress of mind. But
once he is rid of her." thought she, he 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-
frTnation 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
rage, for never can consent to the marriage
of my noble son with a loW-bon girL-neyer,
neverf'
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
remain for few days, she never received it.
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
1 was already married, to whom you already
know. How he deceived me He came to me
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 l, OF
course, conclude it was a 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 postofice. This
made me still more sure of the truth Of the re-
port. And then, when he asked me to marry
him, thinking it made little difference who /
married, since you were lost to me, I accepted
his offer. And now I hate him, despicable
wretch that he is Oh idol of my soul, can
You forgive me for thus distrusting YOU? I
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
undone me, and my misery is too great to bear.
But why harass you with further laments?
s'Your miserable, but still-loying, THYRA"
After Lord Dashier read this letter, he went