The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-06-18
PARTKENOPE.

The dull yellow sunlight of the Eng.
llsh autumn struggled vaguely through
the sllken curtains. Shadows Irked
everywhere in the richly furnished
| apartment, but nowhere so heavily as
upon the faces Of the two men who stood
regarding each other with gloomy eyes.
The younger, strongly built, hand
some man of thirty, confronted his COM
panion with a look of open resentment.
The other, double his age, but erect and
stately as pine, returned his gaze with
assumed calmness. His lip quivered
perceptibly, however, and there was an
accent of rage in his voice as he said:
"You appear to forget that you are
my secretary, sir-my hired servant"
''And you would intimate that | also
forget that you are Sir Thomas Ulmer, .
was the bitter retort, " one of the worlds
leaven and something better, by Heaven s
will, than we poor common mOrtals.
Therefore, because. / was born plain
Luke Talbot, [ am no match for your
daughter"
Exactly, sir, !" replied Sir Thomas;
"yourlogic is excellent. My admiration
for your talent is only equaled by my
wonder at your impudence."
"YOu speak according to your code.
Sir Thomas, when you call my just as
sertion of the rights God has distributed
equally among all men by SO insulting a
name. But IN your supreme prejudice
you forgot one important fact. Your
daughter loves me.
g do not forget that you assert it, y
was the sharp retort. 81 do not believe
it, for L have better opinion of my
daughters good sense"
She has told me so" was the prompt
reply, "and | can trust her."
"Indeed = said Sir Thomas, ironical-
ly. cit has gone as far as that? It is
high time n grain of sense were cast into
the atmosphere of foolery which YOU
have brought into this house with you.
There are laws in England made to pro-
tect weaklings like my daughter from
scouudrels like you. Be assured I shall
lodge you IN the nearest Jail if you pre-
sumo to breathe n word of this subject
again during the brief remainder of your
stay. Now leave the room. !"
TdbOt's face flushed holly.
"4ou are fool to threaten me-" he
cried, "when it is III my heart to put
| You and your pompous pride out of the
world.
81 haven't a doubt yOu number assas-
! sinatiOn among your virtues" said Sin
Thomas cOidly. "At the same time We
will dispense with your heroics if you
| please. Come here at 9 o'clock this
! evening, present your accounts, receive
your salary, and get out of the house
within the hour, orwell, | will not
handy words with you"
Talbot glared at him tiercely for g
moment, and then, as if he really feared
that his temper would get the best OF
him, he rushed out of tie room. As he
! opened the door, a worlan's dress whisked
quickly into an alcove in the corridor
In his excitement Talbot passed on, I'm.
conscious that there had been a witness
| to his interview with Sir Thomas.
At the foot OF the stairs he was met by
young girl, who approached him with
a pale and agitated face. She looked ur
at him anxiously, and seeing the heavy
frown upon his forehead shrank back
from him murmuring TREMENDOUSLY:
"What did he say. Luke %
Say, answered Talbot, harshly, "ht
heaped insults upon me, and ordered
me out of his house like a mOngre
dog"
Poor Luke" said low sweet voice
| behind them, and a tail, slender CIR
came to his side, and took his hand witt
an air of compassion. "Iou are learn
ing the hard lesson which Is as old as the
world, that love has more sorrow thar
Joy in it. "
eyes, Parthenope, returned Talbot
! CrAntly ,al hor, +,,,-
comes the lesson may not be ms bitter al
mine.
The girl dropped his hand and avertet
her face IN silence. One rarely sees 81
wide contrast between children of tn,
same parents as there was between thu
two daughters of Sir Thomas Ulmer
Pearl, the younger, was small and fra
gile of figure, with large timid violet
eyes, and pale gold hair. A sweet thing
born to live all he- life a clnging child
and 10 bc the meek shadow of those sh
loved. Parthenope, the elder, on tn
other hand, was of grand proportions
graceful as a deer, with hair and eyes o
a Moorish blackness. Her very move
ments were expressive of mental strength
and decision. In the old time she Nigh
have been chosen by an emperor to b.
his royal mate. As she stood besid
Talbot now, however, there was
strange air of submission in her atti
tude.
"Help us, Parthenope, said tn
younger sister, clinging about her neck
"You can influence our father where
should anger him. Speak for lis, my sis
ter. We love each other so.
The elder sister looked down Mt her i
silence. There was pink spot in eacl
cheek, and a hard expression about he
, pale lips.
''What do you know of love?" sh
said, III a smothered voice.