New-York tribune., 1885-07-12
xEwYoRk DAILY TRIBUNE SUNDAY JULY - sss-TwELvE

but that it wouId distress me beyond measure Il
she married any one sss despair Of sCsvs,SHis Sis
c0very produced upon me. can only compare ny
sensations to those of man who has droamt thae
he wa, about to be hanged. and who wakes TO ma .
letter by his bedside informing him that ne mas
succeeded to fortune. No sooner had realized
what my wishes were than / tore of impetuously
to give effect to them, and the first thing Mrs. IL
klnson said on seeing me was:
"HOw beaming you look! One would think shae
you had heard tho good news already"
What good newsi" inquired.
q The news Of Charlotte Warde's engagement. to
Mr.. Seymour. am so very glad about 1t, aud they
are both so happy" :,
Oh. thatw answered rather runsympatheticaly
/ have known for so long that that was COM
ing oil sooner or later. But came here to say-to
ask-to tell yeu-oh Mrs. Wilkinson. am sure you
must understand what meant Can you-wlll You
Seymourf
She did net answer, and on looking up saw that
she was pressing her handkerchief tightly against
her lips, and that her features were cOnvulsed by
some powerful emotion. That was all very well.
but it gave rather shock to discover presently
to subdue "Well," she said quietly. whea she
ceuld control her voice, glad that Is over.
swore to myself that YOU should propose to me be-
fore the season was at an end, and have kept my
Mrs. Wilkinson ?, exclaimed in dismay.
,"Oh. yes" she sail calmly; and perhaps NAV
clalIn some credit for having accomplished what
You would have considered q sheer ,impossibility
not many weeks ago: think You will understand
nov that if had wished to marry You. friend MI
difficulty. DO you really imagine that didn't see
through you the very first day that you came here
pie KIND enough to tell me Of the inquiries that You
set on foot about my pareutage and history NV
dear Colonel Walmisiey, ! am. willing to believe
Of military statistics but may tell You that you
don't know very great deal about women fou
bad much better not try to outwit us IN future.
You see, if had been what you were 50 hattering
as to think me, You wonId have rued this day to
the end of your life. Will you, please, tell Mr.;
Pole that he need not think himself called
dcrstand that he would feel as II he had done tho
proper thing after proposing to me and being re-
fused; but It will save trouble if he will consider
hardly know how ! got ont OF the
heuse. did make some feeble effort to con-
vince Mrs Wilkinson that was ut all events sim
cere IN my professions of attachment now, what
ever might have been at an earlier stage OF our
acquaintance; but felt that It was too muoh to
expect OF her that she should believe me, and' as
matter of fact. she did not believe me.
II assure you you are not III love with me-, she
said. "My humble little triumph is that have
/ went straight off to Pole and told him exactly
what had happened. GThis has been a most un-
fortunate business for me-" said: but there Is
some consolation IN the thought that you coqldnt :
have got ont Of 1t better II had been completely
successful"
al don't know whether you call this getting out
What % must she think Of me III tell you what it
is, old chap I dent doubt that your intentions
were good but | Wish TO Heaven yon hadn't inter.
that ii was he who had asked me to interfere.
made no rejoinder, and he went on Ito say that ne
had resolved to set his family at defiance; He
loved Mrs. Wilkinson, and he was going to tell her
so, be the consequences what they might;
avery we'll" returned; go and tell her, then,
since you can't be content to let well
I T"ai am sure no' you know that / speak without
any personal feeling o. bitterness put ths. shs
ever met in my lfe.'
The next time that saw Pole, he. informed me
= | don't want TO talk about it. he said Pve had
thank for It. Xii the same believe she would have
that was 9gitte possible; but l could Sid
fallen out for the best. and the whole
/ am sorry to say has not yet passed away. Down
In the country the other day CHANGED to encounter
Miss Warde who is about to become Mrs. Sey-
after ear common friend, Mrs. Wilkinson, Miss
| Warde replied that she was quite well, and then
looked at me with peculiar smile. =,
al see," said /. that you are in possession OF
| opinion of me than deserve. / consider that
was more snnsd against than snninH ont ra1
one thing! What was the mystery about MIS-
| WllknsonP vr
There never was any mystery at ALL" she
replied :" it was only you who chose to imagine
that there must be, one II you had asked my
parents they would have told you that her husband
was q naturalized Austrian subject and DIS
tinguished officer and that she herself belongs to
good old family. | believe she married General
| Wilkinson, who was much older than herself, e
please her father. Naturally, she was not well
known in London. having lived abroad for so many
years; but there people enough in different
parts Of England who could have proved to you
that she was quite entitled by birth and position to
marry Mr.. Pole" 49,
/" And pray, why did you not tell me this before r
asked. with some indignation. .
because Mrs. Wilkinson would not let me. She
was very angry with you. and l think she had
some reason TO be angry. Or course she was angry
| with Mr. Polo too ; but i believe she understood
all along that he not responsible for your ont,
rageous behavior" didn't mind being accused OF
outrageous behavior, for in truth had not seemed
| to behave well; but | was really sorry on Poes
| account that had been mIsled. and said so.
"Do not reproach yourself too bitterly" replied
| Miss Warde, laughing. " He and Mrs. Wilkinson
have met again, and believe there have been ex-
plantations, and shouldn't wonder # she were te
| forgive hlni. Yes, think she will forgive him
| but il you ask me my candid opinion, douo'
whether she Will ever forgive you."-lIhe Cornlill