The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1884-01-10
Mrs. Frere's Dia-
mOnds.

His one extravaganza was love for
young women. He was an excellent
example of the elderly lover; he was
not satisfied unless he had pretty
young wife, and then he made love to
the sex at large, bargaining only for
youth and beauty.
The frs Mrs. Frere was a lovely girl,
with blue blood in her veins. She was
poor, and Mr.. Frere's wealth tempted
her. She brought with her as her
sole dowrv splendid diamond neck
lace, which had been preserved as
an heirloom in her family. Mr. Frere
was almost as proud of this as he was
of his wife, and he, from time to time,
added diamond ornaments, until finally
she possessed one of the finest sets to
be seen in any London drawing-room.
She altered strangely after her mar
riage; became devoted to dress, an USE
ment and excitement. But she was
quiet and amiable with her husband,
except that at first she frequently COM
planned because he would not give her
all she wished. But after while she
left off reproaching him. He would
not give her an allowance; he liked to
play the generous and uxorious hus-
band, and give her dress when it took
his fancy to do 80. There was dan
gerous light in her eyes sometimes when
she submitted to him. But she did sub
NIT.
Eventually, however, she lost patience,
and dealt him the hardest blow that
lies within woman's power. She ran
away with wild young cousin OF her
OWE, whom she had loved before her
marriage. He was a spenthrift, and
had made away with his slender fortune;
so Mr. Frere had one comfort in his un-
easy situation-he felt sure his foolish
wife would discover now what poverty
meant. She had gone to Paris, and
those who met her thought her looking
wretchedly i'll: but she always appeared
very gay and dressed magnifcently. In
six months she died, and left Mr.. Frere
free of all but her memory. The cousin
went to America, and did not reappear
in England for many years. 1t seemed
he was doing we'll abroad.
Mr.. Frere had disliked the idea of
getting divorce, perhaps fearing that
| his bald crown and scant fringe of
white hairs might raise a laugh in court.
But now that he was so agreeably set
at liberty, he Immediately began to pay
assiduous attention to one pretty young
lady after another. The number of
young ladies with whom his name was
associated did not arise from his change
ableness, but from their unanimous re-
lection of his addresses. For poor Mrs.
Freres career was not forgotten. She
had been favorite in her time, and
most of her acquaintance regarded
him in the light of an old ogre who had
driven her to ruin and death. This was
very trying for Mr.. Frere, for he really
dotted upon youthful beauty, and he
much wished to appear in the society
which he feared had been sneering at
him. with another young and lovely
bride upon his arm.
But his case really seemed desperate
Most ladies gave him the cold shoulder
as soon as they guessed at his inten-
tions; if they allowed him to propose,
it was only for the pleasure Of refusing
him. The poor old gentleman got quite
depressed, and knew not what to do. He
began to think of travelling, and entic-
ing some innocent young creature into
wedlock who had never heard of the
late Mrs. Frere and her sad end.
1t was late in September, and he was
at large country house where there
were large number of delicious NOR
sells in the shape of young women; he
could not tear himself away from the
captivations. yet he dared not propose
to any one OF them. for his recent ex-
perience had made him nervous. It
was humiliating to be rejected by some
girlish creature fresh from the school
room, and then meet her every day;
and he did not want to go away
from the house. for the girls
were not unkind to him. They
leased and pleased and fattered him.
/ Only he noticed that he could never be
with them alone. They always went
about with him in little companies of
three or four. In fact, they had deter
mined that the old would-be lady-killer
should never get the chance to make love
to any one of them. A new addition to
the circle. a lady who had been the
beauty of the season just over, seemed
much amused a. this little arrangement
For her part, she said, she had no fear
of Mr.. Frere; he was rich enough to be
an eligible parti but he seemed afraid
to speak to he.. SO he was; for she
was the handsomest woman he had
seen for many a day, and experience
had taught him that he would fall in
love with her, and that if he proposed
she would refuse him. The last day Of
his stay arrived, and he was very sad
In the afternoon he deserted the men,
who were going shooting, and
went into the morning room,
where he found all the
! youno ladies in a state of yavetv which