Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-18
THE STORY.


the highlands and the lowlands of Scotland,
Of Mount Morven, and. after consulting their
guide books. ask permission to see the house.
What would be called, in modern place
of residence, the first floor is reserved for tho
occupation of the family. The great hall Of
entrance, and its quaint old fireplace, the an
cient rooms on the same level opening out Of
it, are freely shown to strangers. Cultivated
travellers express various opinions relating to
the family portraits and the deliberately car
we'd ceilings. The uninstructed public do
clines to trouble itself with criticism. II
looks up at the towers and the loopholes, the
battlements and the rusty old guns, which
still bear witness to the perils of past times
when the place was fortress-it enters the
gloomy hall, walks through the stone-paved
rooms stares at the faded pictures, and won
ders at the lofty chimney-pieces hOpeleSsly
out of reach. Sometimes it sits on chairs,
which are as cold and hard as iron, or timid-
ly feels the legs of immovable tables which
might be legs of elephants so far as size Is
concerned. When these marvels have been
duly admired, and the guide-boOkS are shut
UP, the emancipated tourists, emerging into
light and air, all find the same social problem
presented by visit to Mount Morven: ''How
can the family live in such a place as that?"
If these strangers on their travels had been
permitted to ascend to the first floor, and had
been invited for example) to say goodnight
to Mrs. Linley's pretty little daughter, they
would have seen the stone walls of Kitty'G
bed-chamber snugly covered with velvet
hangings which kept out the cold; they
would have trod on doubly-laid carpet
which set the chilly influences of the pave
ment beneath ii at defiance; they would have
looked at bright little bed, of the last new
pattern, worthy of a child's deeply delicious
sleep; and they would only have discovered
that the room was 800 years old when they
had drawn aside the window curtains, and
had revealed the adamantine solidity Of the
outer walls. Or, if they had been allowed to
pursue their Investigations little farther,
and had found their way into Mrs. Linley's
sitting here again transformation
scene would have revealed more modern
luxury presented in the perfection which Inn
plies restraint within the limits of good taste.
But on this occasion, instead of seeing the
head of lively little child on the pillow,
side by side with the head of her doll, they
would have encountered an elderly lady of
considerable size, fast asleep and snoring in
vast armchair with book on her lap. The
recognized a mother-in-law, and would have
set an excellent example to the rest-that Is
to say, the example of leaving the room.
The lady composed under the soporifc in
fiuence of literature was person Of impor-
lance in the house-holding rank as Mrs
Linley's mother, and being otherwise notice
able for having married two husbands and
survived them both.
The first of these gentlemen, the Rt.-Hon.
Joseph Ormond, had been member of par
lament and had taken office under govern
ment. Mrs. Linley was his one surviving
child. He died at an advanced age, leaving
his handsome widow (young enough, as she
was always ready to mention, to be his
daughter) well provided for, and an object
@. matrimonial aspiration to single gentle
| men who admired size in woman, set off by
money. After hesitating for some little time
Mrs. Ormond accepted the proposal Of the
uglleSt and dulleSt man among the ranks Of
| her admirers. Why she became the wife OF
Mr.. Presty (known in commercial circles as
merchant enriched by the sale of vinegar)
she was never able to explain. Why she la
mented him, with tears of sincere sorrow,
when he died after two years of married life,
was mystery which puzzled her nearest and
dearest friends. And why, when she indulg-
ed "a little too frequently in recollections of
her married life, she persisted in putting OBJ
scure Mr.. Presty on level with distinguish
ed Mr.. Ormond, was secret which this re-
markable woman had never been known to
reveal. Presented by their widow with the
stricteSt impartiality to the general view, the
characters Of these two husbands combined
by force of contrast, the ideal of manly per
lection. That is to say, the vices of Mr.. Or
mond were the virtues Of Mr.. Presty, and the
vices of Mr.. Presty were the virtues of Mr.
Ormond.
Returning to the sitting-room after bidding
Kitty goodnight, Mrs Linley discovered the
old lady asleep, and saw that the book on her
mothers lap was sliding off, Before she
could check the downward movement the
book fell on the floor, and Mrs. Presty woke.
"Oh mamma, am SO sorry! I was just
too late to catch it."
ut doesn't matter, my dear. I dare say
should go to sleep again if went on with
my novel,"
rs it really as dull as that?'
"Dull?' Mrs. PreSty repeated. "You are
evidently not aware of what the new school
of noyelwriting is doing. The new school
provides the public with soothing fiction"
Are you speaking seriously, mammal"
oeIlouSly. CdCQeTlno-aQQ gracefully
These new writers are so good to old wo
men. No story to excite our poor nerves; no
improper characters to cheat us out Of our
sympathies; no dramatic situations to fright
en- us; exquisite management of details Gas
the reviews say, and a mastery anatomy OF
human motives which, know what mean,
my dear, but | can't explain it."
81 think understand, mamma A mas
terly anatomy Of human motives which is in
itself motive of human sleep. No; won't
borrow your novel just now. don't want
to go to sleep; I am thinking of Herbert in
London"
Mrs. PreSty consulted her watch.
Your husband is no longer in London"
she announced; she has begun his journey
home. Give me the railway guide and I'll
tell you when he'll be here tomorrow. You
may trust me, Catherine to make no mis-
take. Mr.. Presty's wonderful knowledge of
figures has been of the greatest use to me in
later life Thanks to his instructions, am
the only person in the house who can Crap
pie with the intricacies of our railway sys-
tenn. Your poor father, Mr.. Ormond, never
u ~