The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-03-23
SIR HUBERT's WIFE.


face flushed with a glow of gratifica
ton as she signified her consent t
Sir Hubert Glyndon's prayer for he
daughters hand, believe me. ther
is no one | would more willingl,
trust with Lilian's happiness"
a deep breath of relief escape,
Sir Hubert, but his face darkenet
and clouded over little as he spek
again.
1T shall be the object of nv life t,
prove that your trust is not unde
served, he said, if Lillian accept
me-
If Mrs. Trevor broke in, with :
slight accent of surprise. Why dS
you doubt it?n
4 hardly dare hope, he answered
She is so young-I am so mucf
her senior and | have fancied
sometimes that it is selfish in me te
wish to bind our lives together, tha
-
'Ahl why viii you do yourself 81
much injustice p said Mrs. Trevor
interrupting him once more, little
petula tly, for she could not under
stand his seruples.
She is bat child, certainly, with
a child's heart-my- little Lillian
You need have no fear, Sir Hubert
She loves You now. When you are
her husband she will love you bet
ter
SO spoke Mrs. Trevor, Lilian's
mother, and she believed that she
spoke for her daughters good.
True, there had been a foolish ro-
nance connected with the summer
just past.
A strolling artist had been struck
by the sweet fiower-face, and had
asked permission to transfer it to
his canvas. The foolish mother
had consented. She deemed Lillian
only child.
Through long, sunshiny hours she
and the artist had strolled together,
or she had sat patient while he had
painted the young, lovely face, until
one day-or rather just in that won
derful time when day was not vet
ended, and evening had begun min-
Cling its shadows with the fleeting
sunbeams - little Lillian listened
with a fast beating heart, to a story
new and strange.
This artist loved her, and wished
her for his wife. She heard with
the timidity of the timid fawn his pas
sionate expressions of endearment.
They frightened even while they
filled her soul with tumultuous
JOY.
i will teach you to love me, little
one,' he said. Come, will YOU not
go with me to your mother, that |
may ask her TO give you to me? p
And shyly, with crimson blush,
she had placed her little tluttering
hand in his, and let him lead her
whittier he would.
She had hardly had time to real
ize her JOY before it had ended; for
her mother had listened in frowning
amaze.
The artist was poor. He had but
his art and his ambition. What
were both to balance Lilian's dow
er?
Take courage, darling, and be
true to me- he whispered, in his
short leave-taking. L go to make
the fortune have hitherto despised,
but which now ! covet for your
sweet sake. With it / return to
claim you. Let me find you little
Lillian
And the child, amid her sobs, had
promised all he asked.
Yet now-now, when the little
green blabes of grass were springing
up, to hide from sight the bare
brown earth, and the birds singing
to each other their love songs in the
trees, and the breath of spring her
aided the coming of another sum-
mer, her mother had come to her
and said:
Il have found a lover for you Lii
ian. He is good and rich, my child.
See to it that you do not mention to
him last years folly
a lover, mamma p the girl had
answered. 'Oh, have you forgot
ten ?'
Il have forgotten all, as must you.
You will obey me, and later you
will thank me-
The yoang girls face grew very
pale.
Is it not honorable that he should
know, mamma?' Lillian had said.
He shall hear all that is necessa-
ry from me.
He viii not want me, thought
the girl, when he knows that | have
no love to give him.
And the color crept back to her
cheek at the relief the thought had
brought relief short lived for
that very evening Sir Hubert Glyn'
don took in his own warm, strong
grasp her two little cold hands, and
drawing her to him, stopped and
kissed her brow.
She looked up into his face. Ii
was not handsome face. He was
not a young lover. A full score oi
wears divided him from his girl
sweetheart; but it was good face
"a true face-and in il one could
read the love he bore her.
At the mute, questioning, pitiful
look in her dark eyes, a pang had
shot into her honest heart, and il
was the memory of this look which
! led him to her mother, who thus
had answered him.
She has loved no one elseY he
said.
Mrs. Trevor smiled a little scorn-
fully at the question.
q moment since, told you she
was but a child. 1t is for you to wa
ken her sleepy heart.
Her words and his own great love
chased away the last doubt.
He was very tender during tho
short space of time that elapsed be
fore the wedding.
Sometimes he would appear a lit
tie grieved that Lillian would shrink