The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-11-13

There was no more admired figure
in London society in the season of 1879
than Lady Howard Cathcart. A wild
ow of 2S, as richly endowed by nature
with wit and beauty, as by her late
adorng and grateful husband with
wealth unshackled by any odious re-
stric,ion, she might well be reckoned
among fortunes favorites.
Even the debutantes of the season,
however fresh and fair, were constrain-
ed to acknowledge her supremacy, but
men pleaded in vain.
For the most part she succeeded in
evading, with equisite dexterity, the
outspoken expression of their homage,
or when this failed, she listened and
declined with grieved and grateful
sweetness which rivetod their chains.
SO many brilliant chances had been
thus passed by that the world said
that either her ambition was Unsuitable,
or that she was one of the few women
who prefer personal liberty to social
distinction.
ltll SdtlCdlI sOlllClilllto ElllllCu
to herself when some of this sort of
gossip was waited back to her ears.
Her ambition Unsuitable, when she
knows it is bounded by the strong de-
sire to lay all she is and all she has
at the feet of the one who alone treats
her with courteous avoidance
Ten years ago, on her first introduc-
ton to society, she had met young
Laurence Kinnaird, the eldest son of a
noble but impoverished family, who
had passed his examinations for the
India Civil Service with such special
brilliancy and success, as to draw to-
ward himself certain amount of pub
lie recognition and regard.
He had obtained the enviable post
of private secretary to distinguished
Governor of the Madras Presidency,
and was within three months of his de-
parture from England when their ac
quaintance began.
The latter part of that period was
passed by him under the direct intlu-
ence of Bertha Maxwell's gifts and
graces, as they were both staying in
the country house of mutual friend
She was girl of whom our choicest
English homes offer so many fair sam
plies she was beautiful, highly intelli
gent and carefully educated up to the
ever rising standard of the day. Care
had never touched her; life had taught
her no hard lessons, nor exacted any
grievous discipline. Scarcely had q
wish remained ungratifed, or an incli
nation been crossed. 1t was not tha
she was incapable of sacrifice or averst
to yield obedience, but that no demand
upon her self denial had hitherto beer
made. Also she was an heiress.
OF all the men who had already
gathered round and worshiped the bril-
liant girl, competing for the favor a
knights of old at a tournament, non,
pleased her so we'll as the grave ant
rather cynical student, the fame o
whose prodigious attainments had al
ready attracted her toward him. AT
ter the desultory intercourse of Lon
don season, they met, as we have said
beneath the same roof, and under con
ditons the most favorable for quick
ening latent inclination into love o
friendship. For six weeks they me
and parted morning and night, unit
the thought Of the morning hand clas
became TO each an anticipated rapture
and in the light chat of social inter
course, or the more earnest discussion
of thought and opinion, their eyes in
tuitively sought each others for agree
ment or dissent. Then as other guest:
less closely allied to their hostess
dropped off, they walked or rode tc
gether in the cool autumn mornings
and the young man allured by tn
sweet interest she showed in all h
said (his speech having become for he
something different from other mems
opened out his heart,
| He told her of his family history
of the heroic soldier father, disable
by a long life of hard service in Indii
and never uttered a complaint of th
scanty recognition he had got of tn
tender, sickly mother, oppressed bu
never overwhelmed by the weight {
domestic cares, and of the little crow
of brothers and sisters who were on
and all looking to him TO pave his ow
way to fortune, that he might hel
them along the road, 1t was evideI
to Bertha that the chief satisfaction
derived from his present success WI
the chance it gave him of fulfilliu
what seemed to her these somewh
unreasonable expectations, and !
spoke of it with simple manly graf
ltude, not at all as if il had been VIC