Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-07-21
COUNTESS BEAUREPAIRE.

CUUNIESS BEAU kEPAlkE.
Goodness only knows what took pos
session of Mr.. Vincent Maurice on the
first time that he ever saw Kate Rivers.
He was one of the stateliest young gen.
tlemen that ever stepped, welded to all
the proprieies and conventionalities,
with a precision of manner that would
have been priggish had he not been of
such stature and shape that it became
almost ma estic-had it not been for his
beauty of countenance, and for an intel
igence more than common. OF an old
family, of moderate wealth, with good
legal practice, and with fine political
outlook, what fate, asked the gossips of
the air, led him to the side of Kate Riv-
ers
For Kate Rivers was the very opposite
OF Mr.: Maurice in all respects; young,
child-like, everybody's friend, with no
gree, full of mischief and gayety and
light good humor-a nature utterly in
compatible with that of the naughty
young gentleman who stepped on the
earth as if he made it.
One would naturally have supposed
that it would needs be something quite
the antipodes of this that would have
attracted Mr.. Maurice, something cold.
chiseled, with manners having the calm
glitter of the iceberg; and one could
only premise trouble if such incongruous
elements as these came together. That
she should have admired him was not
at all remarkable; but what in the world
did he see in her?
He saw-on the bright May day that
he went into the country to call on his
step-mother, who was visiting there, and
sauntering over the grounds of his
hostess, found himself in those of
the next place-he saw a child asleep
upon bank of fviolets, rosy young
girl, exquisite as beautifully carved
piece of marble, with one arm tossed
above her head, rising round and lovely
from it's purple pillow, the nut-brown
hair blowing all about the ivory brow
and bosom. He seated himself on an
old uncovered tree trunk and sur
veyed her; and the more he gazed, the
more ineffaceably that sleeping face was
stamped on heart and brain; and he was
Just becoming aware that he was taking
an enormous liberty, when she opened a
large pair of half-affrayed blue eyes,
and he felt that the time in which he
had gazed was long enough to give him
something like familiar acquaintance.
"Can you tell me-" he said, in his
most reassuring manner, ''on whose
grounds l am trespassingp'
s'On mine, sir,' said the young thing,
half rising.
{" You are them
skate Rivers. And 1 suppose you
are my cousin Francis. l heard you
were coming. Mrs. Stanton said she
should bring you over"
"Fate did me that kindness frst,''
said Mr.. Maurice, gravely. "But-''
"Ah, WE'LL" she said, quickly, s'it
doesn't matter, so long as you are here.
Mrs. Stanton said you would be so in
terested in the old manor, it has so many
of your ancestors portraits on the walls,
as well as mine" And she rose, and
before he quite understood it they were
walking on together. ''Will you come
up?' she said. "How stupid of me not
they with you? Is your wife well?
Is"
ell haven't any wife," said Mr..
"No wife! What do you mean ?
Surely But here, probably lest he
might have lost his wife, and her words
be recalling painful memories, she stop
ped herself, and ran after flower she
espied. s.There!" she exclaimed. 81
knew there must be some left still"
coming back presently with her hands
full of straw-bells. ssDon't you love
them?n she said. s'They don't know
whether they are flowers or grass, and
they are so shy about it. They seem to
me to be full of all the happiness that
there ia to be in SUMNER
81 suppose you find a great deal of
happiness in summer, then?"
ssOh, always! The days are not half
LONG enough. Are they for your
III don't know. Sometimes, perhaps,
too long"
ssAh, now, you don't mean to say
YOU'RE like that Mr.. Vincent Maurice
who is coming to visit Mrs. Stanton"
s.May 1 ask what is the matter with
Mr.. Vincent MauriceP'
Ellis name, l guess. Vincent, con-
ouering-and he signs for more worlds. :"
Presently they were deep in discus
sion Of favorite ideas and theories, all of
which the pretty creature had evidently
thought for herself, whether wise or
foolish. IN her loneliness. for she was
too Young to have read or studied much !;
and all the time that they were talking
She was darling off in pursuit of leaf or
butterfly, or of the greyhound that had
Joined them, and returning to his side
IN confiding way that Mr.. Vincent
Maurice found indescribably agreeable,