Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-09-09
PAYING THE PENALTY.

PAYING THE PENALTY.
Nineteen years of utter loneliness,
and to-day have been told there will
soon be relief and rest for me, the re-
lief of stilled pulse, the rest of the
grave.
Have I one regret, one hold on life
too strong to relinquish?
Not one.
You, to whom l write, have lived at
Knowlton, though it is nineteen long
years since you went from me, and
you know how beautiful the grand old
house and the wide grounds are, how
large the income that keeps them in
perfect order.
1t is forty-five years since l was born
here, and where was orphaned when
I was three days old.
My grandmother adopted me, giving
me my mothers name, and I grew up
to the proud place of heiress of Knowl-
ton, educated privately at the utmost
care and expense, with my naturally
naughty disposition. fostered by fiat
terry and injudicious counsel, till was
seventeen.
was far more of woman then, in
self-possession, pride and matured
beauty, than many are at twice that
age.
had presided over my grandfather
house since I was mere child, with
housekeeper and servants entirely
under my control.
Adjoining Knowlton was the Barclay
estate, rivalling my own home in
beauty, and it was pet scheme of my
grandfather that / should fascinate
Louis Barclay, and by my marriage
ioin the two finest estates in the country.
Louis Barclay was five years older
than myself, and I remembered him
only as boy. for he was sent abroad
to be educated when was but nine years
old.
Still, had my day dreams of this
possible sutton until my seventeenth
year, when Horace Grierson came to
Knowlton.
My grandfather, feeling the intirm-
tiles of age creeping upon him, adver-
tised for private secretary and COM
panion, for we were very poor in
relatives, and Horace Grierson was the
applicant chosen.
Let me describe him to you, and let
me say word here of my own appear
ance.
You remember me only as an aged
looking woman, a great invalid, pale
and wan.
But at seventeen was tall and slen
der, with a profusion of deep auburn
hair. large, brown eyes, a fair, bloom
ing complexion and perfect features
was a lady by birth and education
heiress to large fortune, and of {
warm, impulsive disposition, held eve1
in check by my master passion
pride.
Horace was a poet, with large, blue
eyes, waving, golden hair, effeminate
in feature, but with the wide, full brow
of intellect. soft voiced and gentle.
He was an orphan, he told my grand
father, hoping to win laurels by his
pen, but forced to curb his poetic fer.
vor, to earn his bread in some such
position as the one offered him al
knowlton.
We were not lonely in those days.
The grand old house was always
filled with summer guests, and in the
winter we varied the frequent visits tc
town by balls, concerts, private thea
tricals and other social gatherings al
| home.
It was but natural that should be 8
belle at all such festive gatherings.
l could enhance my beauty by the
most costly dress and jewels, I hao
musical talent, and the vivacity natur
al to unclouded girlhood.
Suitors were not wanting for Miss
Knowlton, but I turned scornfully from
all.
And vet, the one who never forced
attention upon me the one who helt
aloft in quiet dignity, the one who never
seemed to think of love, was winning
from me lifelong devotion.
Every day, in the familiar intercourse
of our home circle, found some new
charm in Horace.
Even his delicate, refined beauty be
came lovelier to me than the NOR
manly attributes of my admirers.
He touched depths of my nature
never knew existed till they sprang t.
life under his musical voice, and
found myself wandering with him int
fields of poesy and imagination, con,
pretending his inspirations, suggestin;
new subjects, absorbed as himself il
visionary dreams. !
Every day the exquisite beauty c
my grandfather secretary becam
more exquisite, the great blue eye
more spiritual in expression.
1t was in early summer / awoke fror
my dream.
Horace and had few interruption
in our walks and talks for sewers
weeks, for was resting from the VIII
ter gaities, before the house filled wit
summer visitors.
So we two rode, drove, walked an
talked, while my grandfather nursed a
, attack of chronic trouble he had ha
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