Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-10-29

The great tawny dog shifted at the
hem of her steel-gray dress, and then
looked up in her face, wagging his tall
His master motioned him away.
"No!" she cried, bending over the
handsome creature, Gle used to love
me-"
Baron Alverton looked at her with
his blue eyes and groancd.
Laurel he said, with fine appeal
ing gesture, 81 used to love you.
Yet to-day you would not touch me
with your beautiful hand as you touch
that brute! And l eserve it,"
She seemed to look at him then for
the first time though only for an in
stant If she saw how his face had
changed in five years, and was stirred
to pity, she gave no sign. She turned
her head aside and seemed to watch
the two dogs frolicking down the
beach.
"No excuse could be invented for
me-" he went on. "You were one Of
the sweetest, truest women that ever
breathed, and my promised wife. Not
a shadow stood between us when l
met Nellie Dimpleton. But / knew
less of women than | do now Icould
not measure you, appreciate you as /
have done since. | was \ fool to be
won from you by pretty face, though
that face had set the artists crazy.
All. well, you do not even care to lis
ten to me!'
She had gathered up her gloves and
parasol to descend, but paused.
Laurel" he continued, "in the old
days you were never revengeful or
vindictive. If you were both now,
you might gloat over the misery of my
married life. am utterly wretched.
Let this just decree repay you for my
base desertion.
"Baronl where are you?" called a
querulous voice.
A drmpy figure in blue had paused
! at the foot of the rocks, and pair of
lacklustre blue eyes now looked up at
them, the owner apparently not caring
to ascend. 1t was a blonde, faded,
sickly face, fretful and careworn,
though Mrs. Alverton had evidently
once been very pretty.
Lifting his hat to Laurel, Baron
Alverton turned, went down the rocks
and joined her. A few sharp words
| followed, which Laurel overheard.
x x
The following winter develops a
strange surprise at Nutwood, Miss
| v tiO iioiiC. iiOi ooho, 4Aho' 4 "a
don Ardley, the most well-meaning Of
| disagreeaDle persons, chose to engage
! herself in marriage to Mr. Abel Al
verton, the sourest of bachelors and
Baron Alverton's uncle. Laurel was
! speechless with surprise
"Why do you marry him, Aunt Par
don?" she asked at last. "Are you
not happy here?"
because he is rich," answered Mrs
Pardon, land | want a home of ny
own. I've no doubt you mean well,
Laurel, but l don't always approve of
your ways"
Her niece was silent, and the prepa-
ratiOns for the wedding commenced. If
Aunt Pardon did not approve of Lau-
rel, she had no hesitation in demand
ing her attention, her carriage, her
servants for this mOmentous occasion.
With great patience Miss Vale al
| lowed herself to be set on one side in
her own house while the arrangements
for her aunt's marriage went on.
$50 vexatious" cried Aunt Pardon.
"That disobliging Miss Trimmings alb
solutely refuses to come out here and
make my dresses, but says she will un-
dortake them if l will come to town
for few days. 1 Isuppose l must do
it; and Mr.. Crabtree proposed last
night that we come to his place, a
very nice private clearinghouse,
quite exclusive, in fact"
She stopped, beaming; but Laurel,
who felt really too tired for any new
eXcrtion, hesitated to respond.
"Wouldn't some one else do?" she
asked at last Some less important
person than Miss Trimmings might
be found to come here"
mo, indeed! There's nobody so
stylish and high-prced. We must 60
certainly we must, Laurell But, by
the way, Mr.. Crabtree says his nephew
your old beau, Baron Alverton-and
his wife are staying there now."
"Where?" asked Laurel, bewildered.
AT his clearinghouse. People
say that his marriage didn't turn out
WELL" Mrs. Pardon ratified on, unheed-
ing her niece's silence, "for his wife
acted like crazy woman when he lost
some of his money last year--rated
him so, it WAS really quite scandalous!
Did you see her on the beach last fall
Such a white-iaced thing! They say
she takes arsenic for her complexion
| don't call her pretty, though she was
all the rage five or six years ago. l
believe she lost her health too much
dissipation. I've heard that she's aw-
fully jealous of her husband, though
he don't give her the least cause and
! bears il like a lamb"