The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-11-03
A PASSING CLOUD.

/ "Val. will you take my advicew
! ut depends on whether it suits my fancy,
dear. Did you ever know anyone to take adj
| vice otherwise?"
! Lady Marchmont laughed. II am afraid
mine will hardly do so in this instance I
would suggest that you take book and try
/ to read, as the time would pass much quicker
if you did not study the clock every five
minutes. There is one on that table that
could not fail to Interest," you-it is the story
of fair maid who suffered ali the 'pangs,
the agonies, the doubts of a true love that
did not, like yours, run smooth"
Il should probably throw it to the other
/ end of the room after five minutes"
/ tAnd to think" said Lady Marchmont,
meditauively, ito think that six months ago
you did not know this hero who is now
making such havoc in your peace of mind"
Valerie rose impatientlY from her seat.
| and walked across to the window, a frown
ruff1ing the serenity of her white forehead,
and vexed look in her pretty gray eyes.
she was tall, slender girl, a.with more
claims to beauty than are accorded from the
mere possession of regular features and
| faultless complexion, which good points
| MANY girls Will own and yet be highly unin-
/ teresuug and unacttractive. Vaps chief
/ charm lay in her entire unconscioussess of
| self, in the animated play of her mobile.
| sensitive face, in which, as in her clear gray
/ eyes, was reflected every motion Of her SYM
/ pathetic nature She was a girl who from
/ impulse might probably act hastily or
/ thoughblessly. but who would be only too
| ready to own her error if once convinced of
/ it; rare virtue indeed, for surely the
| hardest of all concessions Is that which
| awows. Il was wrong"
Walls abrupt movement caused Lady
| Marchmont to look up inQuiringly, and she
| OWNED the cause OF her dlSpleasure. The
| young lady had certain peculiar notions of
| her own, and did NOT like being ioked ABOUT
i her love and her lover, especially before a
| third person. Ere Lady Marchmont, how
ever, could atone for her indiscretion, an
| other lady present looked up from her lace
work, and said quietly:
| rs it not wonderful how ready we women
| are to trust our happiness and our future in
| the hands of men, of whom for the most
| part we know little?"
| The speaker was q slight, fair woman,
| whose age it would be difficult to guess.
/ She was one of those persons whom one
| would at first declare to be quite unat-
i tractive and shortly discover that they pos
| sess a strange fascination. Whether it was
| her peculiarly clear. loW-toned voice, or a
| certain air of quiet self-possession which
| nothing seemed to ruffis, it was undenable
|
| admirers, and in this. her third year of wild
| owhood. was said to have received more
/ than one offer to change her apparently not
| inconsolabIe state.
Val glanced at ner with O slightly con-
/ temptuous look IN her eyes,
| Your remark has no significance Tor me,
| Mrs. Maitland, for know Captain Dalrymple
| thoroughly" she said with happy conf
| dence in her tone. slight smile played tor
| a moment around Mrs. Maitland's thin lips,
/ 6TOnnAQ
| work.
| ION, you think you do" she answered in
i her quiet tones, which somehow or other
| generally had the effect of irritating Val
| (which does as well-nay, better, for few of
| us would benefit by an intimate knowledge
/ of the lives of most men,
THE life of every honorable man is the
! same y returned Val Indignantly. Your ex-
perience of the other sex must have been I'M
/ fortunate, Mrs. Maitland"
| There was slight accession of color in the
| widows usually impressive cheek as she1re-
/ piled, in somewhat sarcastic tone: II
| admire If do not emulate, your charming
confidence, Miss Charters l hope you may
| never have cause to regret it, but L think
when you are few years older you will
| acknowledge that men are all alike, and
that self is the guiding star of their exist
/ ence."
/ Il refuse to believe it." said Val ''You are
| welcome to your opinion. Mrs. Maitland;
| leave me in the enjoyment of mine. There
/ are PAD aLkG In DOGn sexes, DuD WQaG does 1t
| matter II there are worthless men, when one
/ in whom one trusts and believes is all he
/ should be?' And with this Val turned her
| back on her antagonist, and dropping into an
! easy chair, gave herself up to a mental re-
/ vision of the virtues Of her ''cheYalier sans
| peur ct sans reproche.n
/ What sweet smiles circled her lips, what
| happy light shone III her eyes, as she lived
/ over again that brief period of wooing, when
| the old story, that is ever so new in the tell
| ing, was whispered into her willing ears. Oh,
/ bright time of youth and love- that comes
| but once to ALL that passes all too swiftly,
| but which. years after. has still the power to
| klndle a flame in our WORKOUT, weary hearts
'sYal," said Lady Marchmont. breaking in
on her reverie as she bent over her and
| spoke in low tone, where are your
| thoughts? hear the dog-cart going round
| to tine front door,
| Val brought herself back from a delightful
| past to still more delightful present, and
| sat up in an expectant attitude with
| sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks.
/ In few minutes the door was flung open
and Captain Dalrymple vas announced. He
| was a tall, soldierly looking man, with
| grave, serious face and dark, earnest eyes.
| which, when ne smiled, sottened and lit up
| in a wonderfully attractive manner.
In the presence OF the two ladies, Yalerle's
greeting with him was necessarily restrained;
| a silent but expressive pressure of the, hands
| and Captain Dairymple turned to Lady
| Marchmont. 4 have to thank you for your
i great kindness IN extending to me your in
/ vitation to VaLn
Il am only too delighted to see YOU an
/ swered Lady Marchmont heartily, land for
l the rest, you know Val would not have con-
| sented to come If you had not also favored
/ us with your company"
As shespoke, she half turned toward Mrs
| Maitland with the intention of introducing
her, when. to Vars establishment, that lady