Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-07-17

| ilNN Nbu NNlt llNNtl ltNfUEflIl vi
vindictivc. If you were both now,
you might gloat over the misery of my
married life. am utterly wrctchcd.
Let this just decree repay you for my
base dcScrtiOn.n -
"Baron! where are you?' called Il
qucrulous voice.
A dumpy figure in blue had paused
at the foot of the rocks, and Il pair of
lacklustrc blue eyes now looked up at
them, the owner apparently not caring
to ascend. 1t was Il blonde, faded,
sickly face, fretful and carcwOrn,
though Mrs Alvcrton had evidently
once been very pretty.
Lifting his hat to Laurel, Baron Al
verton turned, went down the rocks
and Joined her. A few sharp words
followed. which Laurel overheard.
The following winter develops Il
strange surprise ut Nutwood, Miss
Valc's home. Her aunt, Mrs. Pardon
Ardlcy, the most wcll-mcanng Of dis
agreeable persons, chose to engage
herself in marriage TO Mr.. Abel Crab
tree, the sOmcSt of bachelors and
Baron AlvcrtOn's uncle. Laurel was
spccchlcss with surprise.
"Why do you marry him, Aunt Par
don?" she asked at last "Arc you
not happy hcrc?'
because he is rich, answered Mrs.
Pardon, land | want home of my
own. I've no doubt you mean well,
Laurel, but don't always approve of
your ways
Her niece was silent, and the prep
arations for the wedding commenced.
If Aunt Pardon did not approve OF
Laurel, she had no hesitation in de-
handing her attention, her carriage,
her servants, for this mOmcntious oc-
caSiOn.
With great patience Miss Vale al
lowed herself to he set on one side in
her own house while the arrangements
for her aunt's marriage went on.
$50 vcXatious!" cried Aunt Pardon.
THAT diSoblging Miss Trimmings alb
soutcly refuses to come out here and
make my dresses, but says she will
undertake them if | will come to town
for a few days. | suppose | must do
it; and Mr. Crabtrcc proposed last
night that we must come to his place,
Il very nice private boarding house,
quite exclusive, in fact. "
She stopped, beaming; but Laurel,
who felt really too tired for any new
cXertion, hcSlatcd to respond.
"Wouldn't some one else do?' she
asked at last. "Somc less important
person than Miss Trimmings might be
found to come here"
"No, indeed! There's nobody so
stylish and high priced. We must go,
certainly we must, Laurel! But, by
the way, Mr.. Crabtrcc says his nephew
Your old beau. Baron Alvcrton, and
his wife are staying there now
"Whcrc?n asked Laurel, bcwildcrcd.
AT his boarding house. People
say his marriage didn't turn out well, "
Mrs. Pardon ratified on, not needing
her niccc's silcrcc, "for his wife acted
like Il crazy woman when he lost some
of his money last ycar-ratcd him so,
il was really quite scandalous! Did
you see her on the beach last fall?
Such white faced thing! They say
she takes arsenic for her complexion.
don call her pretty, though She was
all the rage five or six years ago. !
believe she's lost hcrhcalth-too much
dissipation. Eve heard that she's
awfully Jealous of her husband,
though he don't give her the least
cause, and bears it like II lamb
Laurel and her aunt were at Mr..
Crabtrcc's boarding house certainly
u quiet and luxurious retreat enough.
Laurel had been 10th enough to come;
but here she was. and Mrs. Pardon, at
least, was satisfied, for the mornings
were endless rounds OF shopping and
the afternoons mOmcntOuS periods of
trying on the new dresses,
As for her niece, her greatest apprc-
hcnsion was that she should encounter
Baron Alvcrton; but n little tiSsimilar-
ity in meal hours wardcd of this event
until the very last night of her stay in
town.
She had been restless and could not
sleep. At about IL o'clock she
thought she would 20 to her aunt's
, room, as that lady did not retire early,
, and get II certain book, which might
l divert her mind and quiet her nerves.
As she passed along the rich halls in
her vclvct-Shud feet, door was flung
! open and wild-cycd maid rushed out
"Oh," she cried, at sight of Laurel
'won't you come in a minutcP I'm
afraid she is dying!"
Amazed, Laurel stepped within tn,
door. A little figure in blue writhed
: upon the floor, yet evidently Mrs. Al
: vcrton was partially unconscious.
Call her husband-a doctor
l quickm exclaimed Laurel.
With incredible strength, she liftct
the helpless woman in her arms anc
y laid her upon the bed.
In the next moment of horror she
: saw that Mrs. Alvcrton had ceased tC
breathe.
As she turned to hasten coming fec
which she heard, she encountered
II Baron Alverton.
White and shocked, he gazed at tn,
Il pallid face upon the pillows.
: "lt has come us feared he cried
I clinching his hand upon his harrassct
o brow. "Shc is dead from an Overdose
i of arsenic"
And in few moments all the hous
= was startled by the sad truth
!,
@ The 1st of March Mrs. Pardon Ard
ley became Mrs. Abel Crabtrec.
l. l. was strange mockery of flower,
symbols and lovers VOWS to Lauro
Vale. Indeed, so strange II shadoy
seemed upon all the world that sh
e would clasp her hands over her eyes
u sometimes, and ponder rs if in night
l. mare that must b.cak soon, or sh
would lose consciousness forever.
C Ever since that autumn day by TIL
@ rocking sea peace seemed TO have dc
serted her Outwardly she had bee
II calm, but inward unrest now seare
her brain and burned away her strength
j. All summer she dropped alone n
l. Nutwood. In the autumn her phys
g clan declared that she must go dow
II by the sea.
go down 10 the Dolphin House 70
II afcw weeks with my family, " DR.. Ston
l. said. "Victor will be thcic and wi
d take care ofyou, referring significant
d ly to his son, who had long openly ad
d mired Miss Vale.
Al