The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-12-02

We ask not If men call her sweet,
Or fair, or wise or clever:
We ask. We passionately entreat,
"Wiil you BIO mine forever"
wilied Woollam,, B. L., in Cassell'i FAmi.
y Magazine:
SWEETENED BITTERNESS
The town is ringing with tho very
startling news Of Lady Mary Chef.
wode's elopement.
That she. the beautiful, highly.gift-
ed, accomplished woman, sister OF
their respected lord, should bringsuch
disgrace upon the ever-stainless name
of Chetwode is abhorrent to it.
If it had been anyone but Sir Harry
Blake things might have been differ
ent, as we'll as forgotten and forgiven,
but the circumstances are really too
awful.
"A married MANI So walls the
county, as they lift up their eyes and
clasp their hands as if in despair, when
in reality half of then, rejoice in the
thought that this brilliant beauty
has disappeared from their midst,
giving a. chance to their faded daugh.
tiers; and the expectant widows, how
they inwardly laughed in their Joy!
"Poor Lady Nary" says Lady
Charters while speaking to her hus-
band few days after the affair.
"Who would have thought it,"
depend upon it, my dear, every
body knows their own business best"
answers Sir Charles. "Change of air
is beneficial to every one."
II wonder you can talk with such
levity, Charles! Change OF all. indeed!"
And, gathering up her skirts, my lady
glides with much dignity from the
room.
Sir Charles leans back with a sigh of
decided relief as the door closes.
"These ugly women" he says, chow
they love scandal-especially when
it's about a pretty woman! Pretty,
did l say?-egad, she is queen!"
That Lady Mary should be con-
demned on all sides goes without tell
ing.
How long she had struggled against
her fate, and how vainly, with all her
woman's wit, had she attempted to
evade the urgent appeals made by Sir
Harry from day to day!
Poor love, more sinned against than
SHINING, how hopelessly had she tried
to hide her uncomfortable love! All
her inward wrestling told for her not
at all.
1t was of no avail; Sir Harry was
merclless-when were the Blakes other
wise? Seeing the depth of her affec-
ton, he worked upon her sensitive
nature and truly loving heart, and,
with many fattering words and high
ly romantic speeches., played out his
part in the drama of her life, and i'm.
ploring her to fly with him, at last
gained her consent.
One memorable night, while all the
household were sleeping, two people
stepped from the library of Chetwode
Manor, and went forth to meet their
doom.
Alas! how soon one OF them felt it's
bitterness! 'Truly evil is wrought
by want of thought"
Would sir Harry have been so reck-
lessly happy if he could have seen into
the future? 1 think not. Surely he
would have hesitated before he had
taken that fatal step. and ponder ere
he made her untarnished name the
topic of public conversation. But
there are many such, who forget how
miserable are the effects of their sell
tishness, and remember not that "the
evil men do lives after them"
The alarm is raised far and near, for
many and many a mile. From Chef
wode grooms are sent out on every
side to each adjacent station for It'd
ings of the missing beauty.
Her brother, Lord Chetwodc, is dis
tracted: He can neither eat nor rest.
1t is indeed as if his one ewe-!amb had
been stolen from it's fold, and had left
an empty space, never to be refilled
for him, unless she returns soon and
alone. And then, should this be so,
he will open his arms to receive her,
and the past shall be forgotten by
them both as if it had never been; but
if disappointed in this hope, he will
follow them from place to place, he
tells himself, and have revenge upon
SIR Harry, whose treachery makes
him tremble with suppressed rage.
There is so little comfort in remem-
bering how lovable she was, and
charming. Unfortunately, "praising
what is lost, makes the memory OF it
more dear." far dearer than when we
possessed it.
The lamps are cleaning, voices are
low and hushed.
The gamblers are busy round the
tables. Some are flushed with excess
of luck; others, with ashen faces, are
throwing down their last coin; and as
!: they see it swept in by the rake of the
croupier, rise from the table, and try
ing to assume utter carelessness, leave
the room, perhaps to seek death
outside.
Lounging into the gold-room, his
thoughts far from the scene before
him, Lord Chetwode at a distance sees
Blake.
Sir Harry does not see him.
He is laughing merrily, and has un-
doubtedly been drinking heavily.
Il say, Rawson," he says, III won
that. Did you see? Another slice like
that would set me straight. Shall /
risk it again for a heavier sum, and
cry double or quits?"
Lord Chetwode walks quickly to the
table, lays his hand ON Blake's shout
der, and says, pardon me if wish to
be quits with you first. We will 20
outside, that We may be quite alone. !"
Blake rises steadyine himself as he
does SO, and, haggard from shame and
remorse, follows Lord Chetwode from
the room to the gardens outside.
For a wonder, they are deserted.
No sound breaks the stiffness of the
night: Far up above. the moon is
shedding tender radiance over the
1infu1 oo ~ h lo,,oo<l