The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-04-10


81 am certain You are wrong in all you
imagine, aunt Margaret. You were always
preiudiced against papa, and have not
shown the best taste, | think, in trying TO
make him appear in the worst light to me-"
"You may take in bad or good part what
have said TO you, Florence" Lady Raven
answered carclcSSly; "but | am only try
ing to treat you as a woman, and to pre-
vent an inevitable blow from falling on
you too suddenly. My Imagination, as you
term it, has nothing to do with IL, my pref
udicc less. | speak from facts and what
know; and you will do better, my dear"
she said more gently, "to make a friend of
me and avail yourself of my experience
than to quarrel with me. Your fathers
gambling propensities are incurablc.-
Where is he at this moment: What is he
doingy"
Florence bent her head and covered her
eyes with her hands. Pride was the curse
OF her birth, the poison Of her nature; and
she felt that ii was TO be bitterly hurt. IL
was struggling now with still stronger,
deeper feelings, which she was trying to
restrain with superhuman strength.
"Better take what ! say to you in good
part, Florence, my dear and let me aid
you as far as 1 cam" Lady Raven repeated.
"Aunt Margaret, | cannot think my IA
ther would blindly lead me into all this
additional extravaganza and expense if, as
you think, he is on the verge Of ruin. This
ball, as you know; which he persists in Civ
ing will cost him at least three or four hum
dred pounds"
alt will cost some one that, any way,
Florence; but it is ] fear your fathers last
and dearest stake, and just what wish to
consult you upon; and you must listen pa
tiently to me. First, appeal to your good
sense. Why has your father employed
Williams instead of Fuller Why has he
given orders to Morton instead of Bun.
terg'
81 really cannot tell YOU. He is sure to
have some good reason"
"Well, | can tell you, Florence-bccauSe
both Buntcr and Fuller are pressing him
for many hundreds when he has not many
shilling. He tells you they are inefficient;
but he would find it difficult to make me
believe that they are"
"Why should he persist in giving ball
at such timer
"That Is reasonable question, my dear,
and the answer is a most important one,
above all to yourself. have had some
painful conversation with your fathcr late
ly, hitherto kept from you by his especial
wish, not to distress you unnecessarily;
but the time is come now when YOU should
be told. He is very fond of himself, is my
brother--very," Lady Raven said, with
curious smle--"and he cannot deprive
himself of his own pursuits and amuse-
ments; but still he has soft spot in his
heart, Florence. He has strong love for
your"
TWAS rather an extraordinary statement
to make to an only child; but those who
knew Sir Arthur Worthington best would
have wondered least. He had only one soft
spot in his heart or nature
Something very like tears Shone in Flor.
ence Worthington's anxious eyes, but they
were driven, back and she looked calmly
enough into her aunt's face.
81 have never doubted papa's affection
for me, aunt Margaret but | cannot I'M
derstand what you are saying TO me, and |
wish you would be little more explicit, or
else keep silence altogether" Some in.
Stinciive feeling seemed to possess Flor
ence Worthington that the ground she now
shared with her aunt might soon be cut
from under her feet.
Dwell, will be more explicit with you,
Florence. You shall not complain. on
ly wish the day were little cooler one for
our argument. 1t is trightiully hot, is 1t
non However, rs we have no carriage,
we cannot take drive in the park, which
must say should have preferred doing"
Lady Raven said with provoking cooness.
"But now lei me he as clear with you AZ |
can. Florence. Acting under my advice,
your father intends this forthcoming ball
to be the great crisis in your life"
Miss WorthinGton looked amazed but
kept silence.
''Lord Harcourt has almost proposed TO
your father for your hand He probably
thinks you an heircSs; but that Is his own
fault, and-happily he has gone almost too
far TO rotract with honor. He is evidently
deeply struck with your beauty; and this
ball must bring affairs to crisis in all
ways, Your marriage, Florence, must be
hurried on, your fathers difficulties ward
ed of in some way-lIeavcn only knows
how. AS Lady Harcourt, my dear, your
position may be tolerably easy one your
father must retrench abroad as best he
can" Lady Raven declared.
"And Florence Worthington be sold to
the highest bidder" the girl herself
thought bitterly; but yet the thought
was sweetened when she remembered
that the bidder was a lord, and that he
could place ooronet on q brow well wor-
thyto wear II. "From all You teach me, IL
seems in our station, that ones own feel.
ings count for little" she said aloud.
lIEpplinuk ElnrnnonI Enp ua.,naJ.
sake, do not give way to sentiment, or ev-
erything will he lost! All depends upon
your courage and good sense, my dear. and
do moi think you are going 10 fail us in
either" Lady Raven said more soothingly:
aud then she added, can we must think
oil now Is TO avoid scandal Of any kind.
and Try to our utmost 10 keep the credit Of
our house untornished, Oh, Florence,
your tathcr has been the first of his name
VINO mas everyday, increasingly tried to
am us brightness! His first folly was his
nar''"go--i mean no slur Oh your mothers
little for her" ''' ou'
81 thought mammals marriage w,s
love-match~ Florence asked ouict,v
"a loyc-maich' Well, suppose il w,.
at least OH her side, poor thing, RI,
her love must have been sorely tried when
she found that her husband was ashamed
oil hcr--that all his friends looked coldly
on her. She was not Of u.s." the Countess
Of Raven said slowly and with emphasis.
"But surely SHE was lady? ! have al.