The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-02-06
Only a Faded Flower.

1t was lovely August night, and the
cloudless sky was studded with myriads
OF brilliant stars. The sweet night wind
made rustling, seughing sound as it
played among the trees, and the odor
of many scented flowers was waited from
the extensive and beautifully arranged
flower garden of the wealthy Mr.. East
lake.
On the terrace before the house stood
lady anu gentleman, and to Judge from
their appearance, the calmness of the
summer night was having anything but
soothing effect upon them; for the girls
proud handsome face was flushed with
passion, and the words which fell from
her lips were hard and cruel, as she
hurled defiance at the man beside her.
She was Mr.. Eastlake's only child; and
her companion was Colonel lowering of
the - Dragons. Her father had
amassed his wealth in India, where for
years he had held a lucrative civil ap-
pointment. Soon after the birth of his
little girl, his wife, to whom he was de-
voutly attached, died, and fearing the
effects of the Indian climate on his one
remaining treasure, he sent her with her
nurse to a maiden sister of his in Eng
land, who unfortunately was weak, silly
woman, and totally unfit for the charge
she had undertaken; for from her baby
hood Ina had shown signs of wilful,
passionate temper, while being quite un-
curbed by her aunt, she only became
more unmanageable as she grew older.
As the years passed on, the girl, seeing
her aunt's weakness, grew to have con-
tempt for the woman who could never
say her s'nay," and domineered not only
over her, but over all those around her.
Nature had bestowed one great gift on
Ina,. namely, beauty; and beauty of q
most uncommon style, for she was far
more like Spanish than an English
girl. Her hair was as black as the
ravens wing, and her eyes large, dark,
and voluptuous. She knew the power of
her beauty well, and never lost an op-
portunity of testing it. When her father
returned to England, and claimed her,
he could hardly believe that the glowing
young beauty, who welcomed him so
eagerly, and the little puny baby he had
parted from years before could be one
and the same; and it was with glad,
proud feeling that he acknowledged that
she was worthy of being the mistress OF
the almost princely estate he had bought.
Not to her father did she often show her
temper, for she had all her own way, and
over their large household reigned So
preme. At the time Mr.. Eastlake and
his daughter took up their abode at the
Oaklands, the regiment of the Dra-
goons was then stationed at the garrison
town of Westford; and Ida, having per-
shaded her father to call upon the Off
GERS, INDUCED her love of flirting to the
utmost. It was said to be the incest and
,o4 ko4;
in the neighborhood for years; and many
honor, and returned by them with equal
wild, beld beauty fascinated all.
There were, however, two men in the
regiment to whom ere long the winning
of Ina Eastlake became an absolute
necessity; the one from love, and the
other from motives best known to him
self. Never were two men SO completely
dissimilar in every respect than Colonel
lowering and Captain Fox-the former
one of Natures noblemen; while the lat
ter was heartless, selfish and crafty.
There had never been any love lost be-
tween them; but from the hour Captain
Fox discovered that the little heart Ina
possessed was in his Colonels keeping,
he hated him with an undying hatred,
and vowed to have his revenge, and to
gain the end he had in view-not caring
one title by what means he attained it.
With MIN the girls fortune had been the
bait, for he was not capable of disinter-
ested affection. Colonel lowering and
Ina Eastlake had been engaged for
months, and her .f0,ace had long ago dis
covered that the girl he had placed on a
pedestal, and worshipped, was by no
means the faultless creature he had
thought her, and warm words often
passed between them, for, in spite of her
engagement, she was carrying on des-
perate Irritation with Captain Fox, who,
with all his bad qualities, could be very
fascinating when he pleased, was, with
the subtlety of a serpent, fast drawing
Ina into the trap he had laid for her. In
vain did Colonel lowering tell her the
character the man bore, in vain did he
reproach her for want of consideration
for himself; alas! her old self-win and
obstinacy were asserting themselves once
more, and she declared chat, until she
married, she would amuse herself in any
way she liked. One of the annual county
balls had just taken place, at which Ina s
behavior with Captain Fox was SO glar-
ing, SO reckless, that it called forth many
q sneer, many shrug of the shoulders,
while her f0,ace was watching her with a
stern, set face, and with dull, gnawing
pain at his heart, for the conviction was
fast forcing itself upon him that, after
her present behavior, she must either
succumb to his wishes, or they must
part. The scene on the terrace was the
result of his determination to assert his
authority, if possible. Long and
earnestly he pleaded, on that fair .anm-