Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-03-12
THE STORY.

| Not far from the source of the famous riv
| er which rises in the mountains between
| Loeb hatrine and Loeb Lomond and divides
| the highlands and the lowlands of Scotland
| travellers arrive at the venerable gray walls
| of Mount Morven, and after consulting their
| gulde-books, ask permission to see the house.
What would be called, in modern place
of residence, the first floor is reserved for the
occupation of the family. The great hall OF
| entrance, and its quaint old fireplace, the an
Gent rooms on the same level opening out of
1t, 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 de-
| 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 chalrA
which are as cold and hard as iron, or nmid
| ly feels the legs of immovable tables which
might be legs Of elephants so far as size %
| concerned. When these marvels have beer
| duly admired, and the guide-books are shut
up biiS SAilhliIll1bCO LOullSkS. ttHtESllS lDtC
| light and air, all find the same social problem
| presented by visit to Mount Morven: "How
can the family live in such place as THAR
| If these strangers on their travels had been
| permitted to ascend to the first floor, and had
| been invited (for example) to say good-uigh,
to Mrs. Linley's pretty little daughter. they
would have seen the stone walls of Kitty's
! bed-chamber snugly covered with velYe;
| 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 child's deeply delicious
| sleep; and they would only have discovered
! that the room was 500 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 te
pursue their investigations little farther,
and had found their way into Mrs. I.inley's
sitting room, here again a transformation
| scene would have revealed more modern
luxury presented In the perfection which i'm.
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
married men among the tourists would have
recognized 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 soporific 10
fluence 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 a 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
OF matrimonial aspiration TO single gentle
men who admired size in woman. set of BY
money. After hesitating for some little time
Mrs. Ornond accepted the proposal Of the
ugilest and dullest man among the ranks Of
her admirers. Why she became the wife Of
Mr.. Presty tknown in commercial circles a
merchant enriched by the sale of vinegar)
she was never able to explain. Why she Ia
mented him, with tears Of sincere sorrow,
when he died after two years OF married life,
was mystery which puzzled her nearest and