The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-06-08

L
received II severe check, the occasion of
which was rs follows:
Suddenly entering my room ono eve.
ming, was surprised to see the COVER
ness standing before my dressing-table,
absorbed in reading letter. She start
ed. flushed, and hastily thrust it into hel
pocket; then said, with what appeared
| only natural embarrassment:
..Please excuse me, Miss Christine.
but in passing your room it looked sc
quiet that thought might venture to
slip i'm and read a letter from my moth
sr."
should not for moment have doubt
| ell her, but that in my hasty glance n
| tho letter thought it looked like on,
| which I had that evening received from
Robert, and had carelessly left lying
about could not be certain, however,
and said nothing at the time, and next
| morning the letter was discovered he.
hind the Observation-Disclosures it appear.
ed accidently to have slipped.
Christine" said my Uncle Forres-
ter, cheerfully, one day ut dinner, "yOu
must look your best tomorrow, Robert
will be here then, you know"
The words struck cOldly upon my
heart. So long as Robert was ut dis
lance. my fate had not appeared to me
SO obvious; but now, To think that l was
so soon TO be in his presence, so soon the
wife of the man whom knew did not
and could not lOve-sent a chill to my
heart. And Philip-why was it, ask
ell myself, that Philips image would
constantly intrude whenever l thought
of my future husband.
The following day. however, brought
| a letter, which caused among us quite
a commotion.
Robert and his mother were at Paris,
he being in too feeble state of health
to risk the passage across the Channel;
and his mother proposed that l should
| proceed TO Paris, in care Of some friend,
and there let the marriage take place.
| They would make all preparations for
| my reception, and we could then pro-
coed to Italy for the winter.
| OF course, in considering this propos-
al, the first thing to be done was to dis
cuss the matter with my family.
| Accordingly, my aunt and myself, ac-
companied by the children. whom she
/ was now unwilling to leave in charge Of
Miss Dane, at once proceeded to my
home in the country.
The governess had permission to visit
her family during our absence, but this
she declined, preferring, she said, to
wait for the regular holidays.
| confess that before leaving / took
care to secure my apartments and per-
sonal effects from any further possible
meddling of her.
Our absence lasted not quite week.
At a solemn family cOnclave it was de-
cided that should go to Paris, under
care of Uncle Marcus himself, accom-
panied by Aunt Forester; and there
upon we fastened back to London, to
carry out this plan.
1t was late in the evening when we ar
rived. and the children's first inquiry
was for their governess.
"Miss Dane went away the same day
You left" was the servants answer.
.'She took her trunks with her, ana said
she would be back rs soon as over she
was informed of your return nam y
~ suppose" said my aunt, THAT she
found it lonely, or fancied that we would
stay longer than we did"
.Oh, no, ma'ma, she didn't seem to
be very lonesome! She was coming and
going all the time, and quite livcly-like. "
Preparations for our journey immedi,
ately commenced. My first care was to
get my travelling paraphernalia in order;
but, upon opening the closet wherein il
had been left, discovered it to be miss.
ing.
Further search disclosed the fact that
several of my handsomest dresses, with
most of my choice lingerie, had also dis
appeared. l instantly gave utterance Il
my convictions.
"Sophie Dane has done thist'
, NV aunt would not at first believe it.
She was inclined to suspect the servants
but consented to despatch message t.
Sophie's home to inquire after her. The
man returned, reporting that Miss Dane
, had not been home, nor had her family
the least idea of where she was.
1--WE won't allow this mishap TO de
/ lay u.s." Uncle Marcus said. "Orde
, another travelling dress, Christine; an,
for. the rest. viii see that you are prop
erly provided in Paris. Whom our af
:. fairs are settled, | will inquire after thi
, clever govcrness of my sister-inlaw,"
The next day we were i'm Paris.
, We had no sooner arrived at our hotel
: than Uncle Marcus proceeded to inquir
for his sister Mrs. Bradshaw, and herson
The polite waiter answered, vOlubly-
Q monsieur Bradshaw, and madame
( his mother, had honored their house
Bnt it was now week or more sine
, they had left-when monsieur had MAJ
. ried."
. "Married?" we cried, simultaneously
Certainly. Monsieur had married
: young lady-Mademoiselle Fenwick-
, and has gone to Nice
4 "Fenwickr' l exclaimed, i'm surprise
b for it was my own name.
: The waiter was quite sure the lady
I name was Fenwick, and when Uncl
Marcus Indignantly denied that Mr. Brad
. shaw had married Mt all, he called IN
!, other waiter, who had accompanic
= Monsieur Bradshaw servant to the Eng
g lish Protestant church, and there ha
:, seen the ceremony performed.
= ''There is some extraordinary mistak
p here" Uncle Marcus declared tnrnin
= very red, and q sudden conviction 8
once flashed upon me.
]; WAS the lady like me?" inquired
k stepping forward.
VI 1.-The lady was, indeed very like made
;, mOiselle-as like portrait, the waite
r said.
}. "Then it was Sophie Dane!' l e.
claimed, to the horror of the whole part!
t.Iy Aunt Forester actually turned fail
y with the shock of the conviction. and ;
"a to Uncle Marcus, his rage was speecl
-, less.
,r.E In violent state of excitement he lie
us unprotected at the hotel, and set O
Al without delay for Nice, where it NJ
ID peared the Bradshaws had propose
spending some time before proceedin
" to Rome.
BrE He wrote to us in few days-a hal
fe1 dezen lines-saying that it was indee
ID S0phie Dane who had presented herse
&; TO Mrs. Bradshaw and her son as Chri
ID tine Fenwick, and under that name ha
s. married Robert
10 She had accounted for her appearance
unaccompanied, by saying that her fam
10 ly had opposed her coming. and ha
I'd wished to break off the match, wher
upon she had ventured alone.
g. OF course it had been easy TO impO
ID upon them by her singular personal r
semblance to myself, her knowledge
ry my family, and her familiarity with Il
n contents of our mutual letters, and Il
er whole affair of our engagement.
OF Uncle Marcus returned to us high
n incensed against his nephew. He hs
insisted, as had Mrs. Bradshaw, who WI
Is; almost insane with rage and mOrtific
sh ton, upon the marriage being instant
N ,As,In mt