The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-03-20


were by this time convinced that it was
the best thing that could happen. No
one could see Dolly and doubt that this
was the only man she had loved. His
calm, intense character impressed her,
his great talents awed her, and her
pretty innocent pride in her
manly lover, her meekness and quiet
ness, were most promising symptoms Of
| happiness in her married life.
Dear mother was so serenely happy
| was very fond of my new brother; he
was such a power for good and peace
in our home that we never had been so
contented before. Frank wrote freely
to us. manly, patient letters, full of I'M
| selfish interest in all around him. His
sorrow had sweetened. not embittered,
his character He had set himself to
| alleviate his anguish by doing good,
and his first act on reaching his desti-
nation had been to use his keen COM
mercial gifts for the welfare of the
widow and children of an officer of the
| army, and, at the cost of time, talent
| and energy, to rescue her small fortune
/ from unsafe hands and invest it profit
/ ably, His letters were filled with SINH
lar incidents, naturally and simply told,
| and our affection increased for this
| truly brave man.
| Dolly's> godmother took il into her
| head that it was her godchild's duty to
pay her a farewell visit before her mar
| riage. Though, as she had never trOub-
4 led herself much about us, we were
rather startled at this demand; we all
thought it would be best to accept the
| invitation-foT my sister was not look
| ing well-and it was settled that she
| should go and spend a month with the
taNA NrsI 4.
] home Mr.. Dacre was pressed to 90 as
often as his professional engagements
/ would permits so Dolly left us in pretty
| good spirits. in charge of the elderly
| servant who was our substitute for a
regular ladies' aid.
She wrote to tell us how she was en-
! jOying the repOse and beauty of the
| country. Mr.. Dacre had managed to
run down from Saturday till Monday at
| the end of the first week, and had, of
| course, made a great impression, but
was afraid he could not come again-a
! long case was pending at Westminster.
/ The letter which followed this 1 give in
| its integrity:
HIGHWOOD, July 2O.-DEAREsT KITTY: I
hope you will get this in time to send my hat
/ here instead of graudmamma's | am on a
fortnights visit TO Lady Milliccnt North. Such
a charming woman-a widow about twenty
/ eight years old! She persuaded Mrs. Lloyd TO
| let her have me for week or two; and, as
her daugnter-in-law, a confirmed invalid,
was coming to spend just that time with her
my gOdmOther was glad to get me out of the
| way, know ! can't write much, for the post
/ leaves here at eight, and we drop our latest
[ letters into the hall box go into dinner
| is lovely, and the new Baronet-Slr Charles
| is the dearest. The gongl Your own.
DOLLY.
! 1 felt uneasy concerning this letter
/ was sorry Dolly should have left her
godmotter's quiet home to visit CAV
/ young widow just as she was SOLDERING
down and growing such a thoughtful
| little love. Ii might unsettle her again
to pass a fortnight in a country-house
with fascinating BarOnet; and / knew
| Jack Dacre would never permit, never
! pardon, the smallest suspicion of fiirt-
| ing. He had pardoned her detection in
/ Franks case, for Frank himself had
/ pleaded elOquently, saying that she was
very young, so naturally affectionate.
| But mamma and felt sure that not for
one hour would he permit the slightest
| approach to disloyalty to his deep
| tenderness for his girlish betrOthed.
/ Neither her youth, her love of fun, nor
her merry heart would plead one atom
/ in her favor; so / read this letter with q
| heavy heart. My answer was as fol-
| lows:
DEAREST DOLLY: Your letter reached me
/ iD time to have the box sent to HighwOOd.
/ You will receive it soon after this reaches
/ you. Write very fully. for your letter was
| every one for you have reused my curiosity
as to ''Sir Charles who is 1.-The dearest--'
The rest of my letter contained home
news, and l need not Uranscribe it.
But Dolly's answer l will transcribe -
You ask me for a description of
every body, darling. Lady Millicent is
| I,- ,rFSfr,1 oil nVI Il
votedly attached to this Sir Charles;
but feel sure her heart is buried in the
! grave of her noble husband. l send her
photo, so need waste no words in de-
scr.bing her.
! "Sir Charles is very fascinating, though /
! fear my descriptions may not prcdspose you
| He is short and stout, has a very fine head,
but rather thin light hair, fine eyes, good
mouth, but not much of a nose-in fact, it is
| all tip-vcry nice hands and feet. He is,
/ believe, very talented, but does not employ
his gifts, seldom talks, never reads, is a little
! fond of eating. in spite Of these drawbacks.
he is very charming, and all the girls far and
! near make Il great deal OF him. OF course,
/ he is rich. He likes Lady Mtilicent to live in
the house. She has complete influence over
/ him"
1 was much relieved after reading this
i letter. felt so easy in my mind that
L told Dolly how feared for her.
but, l wrote, "Of course you never
could really admire a fat little man,
who never reads or talks, and with a
nose all tip, and who cares for nothing
| but eating
IL turned out that the most unfortu-
nate that l could have done was to CON
fess my fears to my provoking sister.
She answered me by vehemently de-
claring that Sir Charles was the most
| lovable fellow she had met for long
time, and really was so excited that
posted letter at once.
You distress me, Dolly. you know ISr
Dacre would never forgive you If he saw
Oh, pray do think before YOU madly risk the
| loss OF his love for that will follow the very
hour he loses his high opinion of your
This is how Dolly answered my ten
der appeal:
what Il lecturing little thing you are get
ting, Kitty! am very much attached to Sin
Charles: and, If Jack is ever so angry, cam
| help it,"
Thus flippantly the letter ran on.
was really angry and distressed, but
resolved to try no more lectures; they
clearly made matters worse, So, the
next time wrote, / gave a full descrip-
ton of day we had spent in court,
hearing Mr.. Dacre plead. l described
his dignihed appearance. his easy,
graceful gestures-above all, dwelt on
the beauty of his nose.
Dolly answered:
II am quite shocked AZ you, Kitty, to make
| such an idol of poSeW
And then she continued, as usual,
about Sir CHARLES.
Meanwhile Mr.. Dacre seemed quite
happy, and said he had his daily letters
from Dolly as regularly as when she was
with Mrs. Lloyd. Was my beloved sis
ter growing deceitful?
L~naAf al this from my Y1aOf bnre lint
I grew more and more wretched over