Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-06-15
HMv dear T,iooo1 che ;o uo,x, bond

",My dear Lionel, she is very hand
some and nice; but she has never made
a sensation or come out, as you seem
to think. She is and has been a gov
erness all her life, I suppose. But she
is really beautiful woman"
Magnificent! I was in hopes she was
married, that might have seen more of
her. She used to be clever girl, re-
member"
Then there was fresh arrival. Love
ly Lady st. John, the leader of the Wild
est, gayest, most daring set in town,
entered, and in another minute &c friend
ly " smile flashed round the circle as
Bartie Friel lounged in.
Of all spectacles on the face of the
earth, Lady ST. Johns reckless disre-
gard OF appearances was the most OBJ
noxious to Lady st. Johns brother. He
was fond of her, proud of her, we'll in
cllned to believe that there was-as she
used to assure him-s'no harm in her
Intimacy with poor Bartie." But he
could not endure the looks that were cast
upon the affair. And in exact proportion
as he loved his sister, he detested Bartie
Friel.
So now, with sterner face than Lady
st. Johns friends and aspersers cared
to smile into, he proceeded to take leave
of his hostess and bow himself out OF the
room. AS he was doing this, he heard
the man who was carelessly compromis-
ing Ida-the man he most disliked in the
world-ask: "Who is that with the Jet
in her hair? She's the ]oveliest woman
out" AS these words fell on Lionel's
ears he remembered that he had not
said goodbye to the "loveliest woman
out, ;" who was no other than his old
friend and playfellow, May Baron.
He made his way back to her; and
some little delay being caused by the
increasing crowd, by the time he reach
ed her Bartie Friel had gained the intro
duction, and was engaging her in con-
versatiOn.
A sharp, angry spasm of annoyance
he could not define the cause of it
seized Lionel Hastings, and he turned
away and left the house without saying
another word to May.
Well, it was over! And it was over
without her having derogated from her
feminine dignity at all. There was a
certain amount Of satisfaction in this;
but the dubious satisfaction was not
balanced altogether by the keen anguish
she felt at that utter forgetfulness of his.
"After this can never wear his ring
again" she thought, and she tried to
take it off. That ring had been given
her as a pledge, and he had forgotten
that he had given it!
That night the ring and his one letter
were packed and carefully set aside.
She could not make up her mind to de-
stroy them, though something told her
that it would be wiser to do so. But
"just for a little longer. she pleaded
with this instinct of hers. And so "just
for little longer she kept them.
Mrs. Gaspard prided herself upon
"iving in a whirl." She went every
where, and received every one, and so
May, her beautiful companion. was very
much before the eyes of that portion of
the world who constituted Mrs Gaspard' S
"set s" at this juncture. Further, Mrs.
Gaspard had ono prejudices," she was
fond of averring, and so Bartie Friel,
who was rather black sheep by this
time, received warm welcome whenever
he came to the house. But though a
black sheep, he was a marvelously at
tractive one; and SO people talked about
him and about what he was doing, and
what he might be expected to do. His
admiration for Miss Baron did not re-
main secret very long. Every one
heard of it; among others, Lady st.
John, and Lionel Hastings.
It is greatly to be feared that every
one is afflicted with that baleful thing, a
too communicative friend. At any rate,
Lady st. John was so afflicted, and thus
it happened one day, when Lionel was
quietly having cup of afternoon tea
with his sister, that they learned from
the lips of this friend that Mr.. Bartie
Friel was positively going TO marry that
Miss Baron who lived with Mrs. Gas
pardl
Lady ST. John received the tidings
with the utmost s0aag.froid. "Is hep
she asked indiferently.
And the friend replied in friendly
manner: eyes. I wonder he has not
told you?'
What could Lady ST. John do but
acquiesce in that wonder family.
"Bartie Friel marry that grill!
Lionel exclaimed the, moment he was
alone with Ida. "She shall know what
he is before she is day older. Why,
she's good girl. The fellow would
shock her out Of her life or her reason. -
"Oh, Lionel, don't be harsh; don't
malign him. she muttered.
Lionel scowled.
"Then spare me-" she pleaded in a
lower voice. 81 know how you blame
him, but spare me. Let him marry her
if he loves her,, and then she began to
weep bitterly.
He would make no promise, but he
went away from her feeling sorely dis
tressed. Was she not his own sister {?
"Poor girl he thought bitterly; and
then he remembered the other one. At
least he would-for old friendships sake
go and hear from May Baron if there
we're any truth in this vile report. He
could not help calling it "vile report, :"
as he reflected on some portions of Bar
ties career, and contrasted them with all
| he knew of Nav