Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-09-04

marriage which, though good, were not great
enough to satisfy her ambitiDn ID was, as
the result proved, an unwiss co1rse for lady
% slenderly portioned as she, for an attack Of
smallpox deprived her Of her beauty, and
then she was obliged to ask herself, not whom
she should marry, but who would marry her.
The question SCI med difficult Of solution, but
at last suitor appeared in the person Of Mr..
Macnab, Of Tulliecawdor. 1t is true that
this gentleman was on the high road to co.
and possessed certain characteristic Scottish
vices, in addition to q Scottish length of
pedigree and Scottish shortness of purse,
but Dady Barbara accepted him, saying in
her own mind that it was better 10 be a widow
than spinster. OF the intervening stage Of
existence as & wife, the less said the better.
Within two years, however. Mr.. Macnab
was laid in the grave OF his fathers at Tullie-
cawdor, and Lady Barbara was free woman
once more. But she was not a rich one
The jointure she receiv ID from tho Tullie-
cawdor estates was not sufficient to satisfy
all her desires, and she h.ld been obliged to
add to her income by "arious means She
wrote paragraphs on bais, bazaars and beau
ties for society Journal she was obligIng in
countenancing and taking the management
of the entertainments O; rich parvenus who,
of course, gave her handsome present as an
expression of their gratitude, and were privi-
legged to send wine, fruis AMI game when she
gave party; and every season she intro
duced q yourg lady into society. For this,
too, she was-paid is too harsh word; let us
say compensated, by tie girls family, if she
was rich, or By tie man she married
if she was poor. Lady Barbara demanded
three things of her charges: That they
should be pretty, obedient to her directions,
and ready to marry az the end of the season.
She could not stand girls who insisted on
flirting with detrimentals and refusing good
offers; they must be sensible and tractable
And, let me tell you, Lady Barbara was very
successful III her vocation: she never had a
failure, and she had had several triumphs.
Did not her last American heiress become
countess of Bogoak, and relieve the earl of
all future anxiety as to the caprices of his
Milesian tenants: Was it not one Of her
charming but penniless protegess who mar
ried young Ironstone, whose coal-mines are
the envy Of thousands! 1t was to her care
that the Misses Vandersteen were consigned,
and her ladyship could not help feeling with
modest pride that they could not have had
better chaperon.
She was delighted with her new charges.
She had artistically advertised them by
writing in The Glass of Fashion, the paper to
which she contributed, paragraphs about
"The new American beauties who are at
present the guests of Lady Barbara Macnah
at her charming little house, the rendezvous
of the elite of the social and artistic world"
She described their dresses and their diamonds
and the sensation they created when they
appeared at the drawing-room; but she knew
well that advertisements do not always bring
the success they aim at. In this case, how
ever, they answered their purpose; the Misses
Vandersteen were among the most successful
of the seasons debutantes, and Lady Barbara
began to entertain justifiable hopes of sic
cess greater than any Of her previous ones
MAKE yourselves look as charming as posi-.
Bile tonight" she added to her proteges ora
evening in May; "Lady Foxland is one OF
the lest dressed women in Europe, and she
won't stand dowdiness even in princess"
"And she's very select, too, isn't sher
swords won't describe it. She draws the
line finer than any woman in London l al
most went down on my knees to her to get an
Invitation to ball for James Ironstone after
he was engaged to Evelyn Mowbray, but she
wouldn't yield. 4 believe Mr. Ironstone's
father was collier she said. 4 decline to re-
ceive him, and if Miss Mowbray marries him
l shall not receive her, ether and she has
kept her word. Any one who goes to Fox
land house is safe, and as the marchioness
never crowds her rooms your dresses are
seen to the lest advantage. You ought to
make q sensation tonight"
Never had Lady Barbara had greater
cause to be proud of her guests. They were
beautiful, exquisitely dressed and successful.
Every man i'll the room wished to dance with
them, and, which delighted Lady Barbara
more, Lady Foxland herself spoke of them as
"your charming young friends" "If those
girls don't make the best matches of the sea-
son 1 will never bring one out again" thought
Lady Barbara.
"Valeria," said Ermyntrude to her sister,
II am almost sure l saw Alice Barclay"
Impossible! She knew no one in London;
how could she get here?"
But even as she spoke she saw Alice and,
with her, Dick Ellis. Lady Barbara only
noticed the latter.
"There is a man must introduce to you,"
she said, Che who is going into the conserva-
she is-Dick Ellis I suppose he is staying
here"
"Here in the house, do you mean" asked
Valeria.
Eyes"
"Oh, surely not"
"Why not? Lord Foxland is his uncle"
'"BuJ he is only an artist"
"An artist! He goes in for painting
good deal, know, but he is Lord East
bourne's only son, and heir to the earldom
Of Sussex"
"But Lady Barbara, that Mr.. Ellis's name
Is HugheRoderick Herbert le Marchant."
eyes, but everybody calls him Dick He
is charming fellow"
The Misses Vandersteen nearly tainted
with horror, but their partners claiming
them at that moment they were forced to
subdue their feelings. But the gentlemen
who had the honor of dancing with them
were surprised to find them SO silent. When
that Lady Barbara had captured Dick and
was questioning him about Alice
"She is Miss Barclay" they heard him say.
"Her parents and she came over in the same
vessel rs l. and since then they have been
staying with my people at Bourne Lodge"
"She looks very charming"
Dick smiled II think her So" he an
swered, "but perhaps my word won't be ac-
cepted, as shn is the young lady lam going to
marry"
"Indecd, congratulate you," said Lady
Barbara, with every correct appearance of
delight, but with disappointment in her
heart, nevertheless. 1t was good parti lost.
"Let mo introduce you to the Misses Wander
steen," she added, however, as duty. The
future earl of Sussex was worth having as a
friend, even if he was lost as husband.