The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-03
SELECT STORY.
LADY MARY MINX'S REPENTANCE

agined she held her good-naturei. vain
old mother, the Countess dowager
of Scilly, in complete subordina,ion,
When, therefore, one morning at
breakfast the latter informed her that
she had on the previous evening be
come engaged to the able young actor,
Mr.. st. George Coningsby, her ladyship
was both surprised and indignant, and
expressed her opinion of the Countess
and the Countess betrothed with great
vigor ard little tquivocation. AS long
as the remarks were applied Only TO
herself, the Countess bore them in her
usual meek and Submissive manner:
but when Lady Mary proceeded to de.
nounce Mr.. Coningsby in all the terms
of her varied and powerful vocabulary;
she suddenly became so exceedingly
wroth, and used such strong language,
that her daughter found herself, to her
amazement, completely y cclipsed She
then felt she had gone too far, and that
it would be wise to withdraw her OBJ
servations and express her regret foi
them. This she accordingly did as
soon as her mothers cloqucnce allowed
her an opportunity. But the effect OF
her remarks was not effaced. Hence
forth the Countess bore herself to-
ward her daughter with a GOODNESS
and hauteur to which that young lady
was not accustomed, and which she did
| not like.
Lady Mary knew well the handsome
young actor to whom the Countess haC
become engaged; and, before that event
took place, she had admired him very
much, and even liked him. But since
his engagement she absolutely detestec
him. His presence to her was almos,
intolcrable, and when he came, as ht
now frequently did, to lunch at tn,
dowager's house, she usually founC
some excuse for beng from home
Occasionally she had to meet him, ant
then she watched his behavior very
closely. AS far as mere bearing wa
concerned, she had to admit to hersel
that he was perfect gentleman. HI
was easy and polished in his manners
and there was about him certain
stateliness of mein which, though tc
an unfriendly critic like herself NIGH
SAVIOR of the stage, sat well on one o
his noble and distinguished appearance
But though In these respects he wa.
all one could desire, every time Lady
Mary saw him she disliked him NOR,
and more. TO her keen eyes it wa
clear that he was insincere in his pro
fessed affection for the fond dowager
Again and again she saw in the smiI,
he cast upon his betrothtd something
that seemed TO her very like sneer
She no,iced-as everybody but tn,
Countess did-that IN company his at
teDtions were directed, not to tn,
younger and more attractive ladies, bu
TO the wealthy. To another widow O.
very homely looks, but of great for
tune, Mrs. Blunt, he was almost as af
fectionate in his manner as toward hi
betrothed. Before she had watched
him long, therefore, Lady Mary be
came convinced Gf she ever doubted it
that he was nothing more nor less thar
an unprincipled fortune hunter.
Under these circumstances, since she
wished to believe it, she had little diff
Guilty in persuading herself that it was
not merely her interest, but her duty
to break off the engagement; and she
was resolved it should be broken off
AS to the means she felt no scruples
If she could find any, be they fair Oh
foul, she would willingly use them.
For some time all her observation
and all her ingenuity were unsuccess
full. The course of the engaged couple
love was, on the whole, running very
smooth. The dowager was as warn
and constant in her affection for Mr.
Conningsby as ever; and if he seemed
scarcely so attentive as at first, he coult
hardly be called negligent. Formerly
he came almost every day for lunch
and not infrequently after he had left
the theatre he would sup with them
while now he thought two or three
visits in the course of the week quite
sufficient. This inattention (Which
Lady Mary attributed simply to his feel
ing secure in his betrotheds affections
ev dently annoyed and alarmed the
Countess. She seemed to suspect tina,
some one else was making advances &c
him, and she was therefore naturally
anxious to have the marriage hurried
on. So it was clear that if Lady Mary
wanted to prevent it, she must take
some decisive step without delay.
Though not SO regular in visiting as
formerly Mr., Conningsby was still very
attentive in writing to his betrothed
Every morning, as sure as the sun
came little note to her from him
Lady Mary sometimes, in her mother:
absence, made voyages of discovery
into her apartments in order to study
these productions. 1t was while en-
gagged on one of these that a device
occurred to her which, though mean
and despicable as she knew it to be
might, she considered, if carried out
well, enable her to put an end to the
match she so hated. 1t was to bC
worked by means of forged note
She would write letter purporting tc
be from Mr.. Conningsby to some lady
of the ballet, and direct it to the dow
ager. In the morning it would, il
posted after the last mail OF the pre-
vious night, arrive by the same post as
his letter, She, through whose hand,
all the letters by the early posts passed
before reaching the Countess, could re
tain the real letter and allow the forged
one to go TO her mother instead. The
latter, If the note was ingeniously writ
ten, would at once conclude that Mr.
Conningsby, when he was writing tC
her, had also written TO an humber
love, and, by mistake, had enclosed tn,
wrong note in the envelope addressed
to her. If she could but do this with
ont discovery, Lady Mary was certain
the match would be at an end. Sh,
knew how jealous her mother was, how
easily her vanity was hurt The rag,
and Indignation she would feel at hi
supposed dupliciiy and contempt fol
her would soon put an end TO her love
The only objection was that it was al
extremely dangerous undertaking. |
il were discovered there would be al
incurable breach between her mothe
and herself AT the same time, if th,