Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-02-13

is q strange world! Ii Pauline mad
taken handkerchief, or purse from
Ralph's pocket the iron hand of the
law would be down upon her imme-
diately, but she steals his heart right
out of his bosom, and society looks on
with smiling face and folded hands:
"Why is there no law, made and
enacted, to punish such heartiess
crimes as these2 For crimes they arc
black, treacherous crimes, even
though perpetrated so charmingly by
beauties like Pauline Sedley and her
sister coquettes! And this fair, limo
cent boy, whom loved like brother:
the coolest heart might have spared
him. By Cupid and all his attendant
deities, l will be revenged on Pauline
Ssdley for thisl"
At almost the same moment Ralph
Montacute came slowly up the piazza
steps. The ightness and elasticity OF
his gait were gone; he walked like one
who bad received a mortal wound.
''Ralphi'
Montacute started at his cousia' S
voice.
'You here, Harry?"
eyes, all alone. Sit down beside Ra !,
old fellow; why are you not with tue
boating party2"
II did promise this morning to make
one of them; but-but-somehow l
don't feel like it tonight"
Livingstone took his cousins hand
and pressed it with firm, loving
grasp
~ know all about it, Ralph, " he said
mildly. Don't be cast down-shc
isn't worth one pang of memory. The
world is wide; life is long-you'll out
live this blow, if you only have
patience to wait"
Montacute's head dropped on Harry
Livingstone's shoulder.
"Oh, Harry did love her-l loved
her dearly!
take courage-she is not worth
it,
And the stalwart soldier, soothing
away his boy cousins woe, was as
gentle rs a woman, even while he
wondered to see that Ralph took it SO
keenIy and bitterly to heart.
From that day the gay little world
of the fashionable watering place was
astonished at the devotion accorded
by Major Livingstone to Miss Sedley.
Pauline herself was more than aston
ished, she was elated and overloyed.
Major Livingstone was a man who
was sought and courted by all the
bellies of society-a man whose mag
netic eyes" as she herself had phrased
it, and tenderly modulated voice were
enough to set any feminine heart in a
blaze. lie walked with her, he rode
with her, he read poetry to her, he sat
with her during the long golden Sep
TENDER twilights, until Pauline felt
that life beside him was the brightest
boon providence could accord. She
haughliiy discarded her other suitors;
she cared no longer for ball room or
picnic parties, TO her the whole world
held but one man, and that was Harry
Livingstone.
But still he kept just outside the
charmed circle of love making; he
did not propose. And Pauline, grow
ing almost sick at heart, counted the
days that still remained Of 'the sea-
son"
''He will propose to morrow, or per.
haps the day after" she whispered to
herself. "Oh, surely, it must come
soon"
1t was the evening before the break
ing up of the gay party that had en-
livened the seaside hotel all summer,
and brilliant ball had been gotten
up to celebrate the close of the brief,
happy season. Pauline Sedley had
dressed for this festivity with unusual
care somehow she felt that it was to
be crisis in her life. She wore a
lemon colored Grape dress on lemon
colored silk, like a fair, aureate cloud,
and her hair was Topped up, in its
shining braids, by slender chains of
gold. Her toilet, she knew by the
murinur that pervaded the ball room
the moment she entered, was sucC ess
and Harold Livingstone's handsome
eyes rested upon her face with evident
admiration.
But the evening passed away,
throbbing its brilliant hours in music
and perfume, and Harold never came
near her. She had cavaliers in
abundance was the cynosure OF
all eyes-but he, the man of men,
kept obstinatelv aloofl
''Take me to the balcony | am
sitting for want of fresh air." she
said, almost pettishly, to the partner
with whom she had just glided through
the rcdowa. THANK you, need de
tain you no longer"
And Mr.. Guildersleen, feeling him.
self abruptly dismissed, left Pauline
by the side of Major Livingstone and
stalked away in high dudgeon.
Harold, " she breathed, softly, with
a pleading glance upward into his
eyes, you have not been near me all
the evening""
II have been busy with the com
paaionship of my own thoughts" he
answered coldly. Il start for Europe
tomorrow morning"
For Eprope"
TO be goMe | hardly know how
many years. | may visit India before
/ return"
Harold"
He bent down his 1ad in cold eour-
tesy.
Il beg your pardon, Miss Sedley-
did you speak2"
on VIII leave me, t1arOIuf
Il shall be obliged to leave many
kind friends, he returned inditferc mt
ly.
There was a cold chill at Pauline's
heart-a dizzy blindness before her
eyes, but still she commanded herself
With her it was no idle matter of
etiquette-itw was struggle for life and
death!
And you can leave me so calmly,
Harold"
He lightly whispered the bars of a
popular tune:
Beware, beware of the gay cavalier,
Who loves, and rides away.
Harold" she cries, forgetting in
the moment of agony all her feminine
training, all her womanly impulses,
II thought you loved me- Oh,
Harold, | cannot let you go!"
ttT arn MT arare Miss Sp6lnv pf