The Penn's Grove record., 1885-02-14
A AT FAULT.


81 quite agree with you. Lord Sands,
that love is a myth, while marriage is a
delusion, and only friendship can give
any lasting pleasure or comfort" And
Lydia Firth clenched her pretty hands
and her clear gray eyes flashed detiantly,
as though challenging a reply.
For some minutes none was forth
coming E; then her companion answered
gravely-
You have taken my words too liter
ally, l fear, and l was speaking beyond
my knowledge. What does a mere
leoker-on know OF this divine passion ?
1t comes before ones eyes in so many
phases that one is daZZled by the fire.
quent changes, and puzzled beyond ex-
preston to find the key to this ever-re-
curing enigma. But as to marriage
well, that is a social necessity"
Eyes, yes, l know" assented the
Young girl, land that is what makes me
80 bitter against it all. The age Of idol
atrous fanaticism is past, and | have Nc
desire TO throw myself down before this
matrimonial a of Juggeraaut. Why
should l be the victim of this terrible
Moloch of society ? 1t is too, too badl''
she added Indignantly.
SAT least we shall be companions in
misfortune, :" he returned, smiling. Il
too am marked fol- destruction, | sup
pose, being the unfortunate possessor of
the traditional ten thousand a year, an
estate in Suffolk, a house in London,
and a shooting.box in Scotland"
Lydia laughed merrily.
81 have worse, far worse than ever
all that have six sisters in the school
room, and the two eldest are dying to
come out. People may try to OAK you
TO marry, but you are your W mas
ter as for me, II is my destiny. What
else can / dor Il cannot work, ana to
beg | am ashamed"
She stopped short with %quiyering liz
and troubled eyes.
Lord Sands, you must think me
very, very foolish to speak like this to
you"
Il think you are very-at least, never
mind what | think-but, Lydia Firth
l wish you would let me be your friend.
AS far as any man can help any woman,
let me help you. You do not know
what an interest l take in your welfare
let me be your friend"
he broke off h~urriedly, AID moved
nearer to her, holding out his hand with
asquestionlng gesture /; but she made he
reply-her eyes were gazing vacantly at
the dark gray sky with its myriads OF
bright stars, and the shone down
and her beams fingered ca%resslngiy OH
her upturned face and waving wealth
of light brown hair.
$50 you will not be friends Pr. lie
whispered.
"Friends OF course we are friends u
she answered quickly, arousing herself
from the thoughts that had absorbed
her, and laying her cool hand in his fol
one moment. "And now let us go i'll
they are playing my favorite waltz, and
| am to dance it with Jack. All, here
he comes P'
A tall fair youth, with small clear
cut features and a slight tawny nous
tache, Joined them as she spoke.
"Well, my little sister, and how goes
1t with you % he cried gaily, laying his
hand affectionately on her shoulder.
Fancy deserving ones first ball to gaze
at a noon and river that in all probable
ity will be here tomorrow, next week,
and throughout the term of your nat
aral life ~
$50 You count my juvenile dissipa.
tions as nothing ?" she returned 10.
guishly. ''But do you know, if my for
ner partners were smaller, am not at
all sure that they were not more anus
ing And | would rather dance with
you, Jack, than any m in the world
go and hide your diminished head,
Sands you have evidently not put
forth your full powers of attraction
while, as for you, my senseless sister,
come and let me crafty your absurdly
bad taste - and, placing his arm
around her waist, he drew her in with
him, and the next moment they Were
moving round the room to the well
marked time of Strauss famous band.
but Lord Sands did not follow them.
He stood for some time after they had
left lost in thought, and when he went,
it was not through the ballroom, but,
without apology or farewell, he strobe
across the park with a quick step and a
strange expression in his dark haze
eyes.
Lydia Firth was the eldest daughter
of an Essex Baronet of good old family,
who possessed two fine entailed estates,
which, while giving him much power
and prestige in the county, yet added
very little to his real personal comfort,
they being unfortunately >mortgaged &c
q very considerable extent and, as he
had very little ready money on which tC
keep up his position, it may be judged
with what dismay he saw his seven
daughters growing up around him
clamoring to be fed, clothed, and edu.
Gated.
"If one conld only marry them al
off-hand In the good old foreign fash
ion p he would say sometimes, with a
merry twinkle in his eye. But his wife
would answer stiffiy-
"Youn need not be afraid of my daugh-
ters not marrying. or not marrying well