The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-07-29

She is eager to place her deserted
daughter under the protection of the
law; to insist on restitution Of con-
iugal rights, or on judicial separation.
At another time she sinks into state of
abject depression declares that it il
impossible for her, in Stella's deplor-
able situation, to face society, and
recommends immediate retirement 60
some place on the continent in which
they can live cheaply. This latter sug
gestion Stella is not only ready but
eager to adopt. She proves it by asking
my advice in postscript; no doubt,
remembering the happy days when
courted her in Paris, and the many
foreign friends of mine who called at
our hotel.
The postscript gave me the excuse
that 1 wanted. I knew perfectly we'll
that it would be better for me not to see
her, and I went to London, for the sole
purpose of seeing her, by the first train.
12M Feb7uWy.-I found mother and
daughter together in the drawing room.
1t was one of Mrs. Eyrecourt's days of
depression. Her little twinkling eyes
tried to cast on me look of tragic re-
proach; she shook her dyed head and
said: "Oh, WinterGeld, 1 didn't think
you would have done this Stella, fetch
me my smelling bottle"
But Stella refused to take the hint.
She almost brought the tears to nv
eyes, she received me so kindly. If her
mother had not been in the room-but
her mother was in the room; 1 had no
other choice than to enter on my bust
ness, as if I had been the family lawyer.
Mrs. Eyrecourt began by reproving
Stella for asking my advice, and then
assured me that she had no intention OF
leaving London. GLOW am to get rid
of my house y she asked, irritably
enough. I knew that &" her hnnsn" las
she called it, was the furnished upper
part OF house belonging to another
person, and that she could leave it at
short notice. But 1 said nothing. j
addressed myself to Stella.
81 have been thinking of two OF
three places which you might like"
went on. "The nearest place belong.
to an old French gentleman and his wife.
They have no children and they don't
let lodgings; but believe they would
be glad to receive friends of mine. if
their spare rooms are not already occu
pied. They live at st. German, close
to Paris"
looked at Mrs. Eyrecourt as 1 said
those last words-I was as sly as Father
Benwell himself. Paris justified my
confidence; the temptation was too
much for her. She not only gave way
but actually mentioned the amount OF |
rent which she could afford to pav.
Stella whispered her thanks to mo as |
went out.
My name is not mentioned, but nv |
is alluded to in the news. |
she said. Well-meaninc |
friends are calling and condoling with |
me already. 1 shall die if you don't |
help me to get away from among strang-
ersp'
I start for Paris by the mail-train to.
night.
Paris, 1871 FeJrWny.-It is even
ing. I have just returned from st. Ger
main. Everything is settled " with
more slyness on my part.
My good friends, Monsieur and Madam
Raymond, will be only too glad to re
ceive English ladies, known to mo for
many years. The spacious and hand
some first floor of their house (nherit-
ed from once wealthy ancestors by Mad
am Raymond) can be got ready to re-
ceive Mrs. Eyrecourt and her daughter
in weeks time.
Our one difficulty related to the ques-
tion of money. Monsieur Raymond,
living on o government pension, was
unwilling to ask terms, and l
was too absolutely ignorant of the sub
iect to be of the slightest assistance to
him. 1t ended in our appealing to
house-agent at st. Germain. His esti-
mate appeared to me to he qnite rea-
but it exceeded the pecuniary
limit mentioned by Mrs. Eyre
court. 1 had known the Raymonds
long enough to be in no danger OF
offending them by proposing a secret
arrangement which permitted me to pay
the difference. SO that difficulty was
got over in due course of time.
We went into the large garden at the
hack of the house, and there I COM
mitted another act of duplicity.
In nice sheltered corner discovered |
one of those essentially French build
ings, called "pavilion;" a delightful
little toy house of three rooms. An
other private arrangement maze me the
tenant of this place. Madam Raymond
smiled.
81 bot you," she said to me, in her
very best English, "one OF these ladies
is in her fascinating first youth"
The good lady little knows what a
hopeless love affair mine is. l must SEE
Stella sometimes-I ask and hope for
no more. Never have felt how lonely
my life is as l feel it now.
London, 1si March Stella and her
mother have set forth on their journey
to st. German this morning without
allowing me, as had hoped and plan