Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-06-17

and Madame, under protest that there
was no hurry in the world, promised
to send it in.
Selma was sitting in the drawing
room by twilight when it was delivered
to her, inclosed in large thick envel-
ope, with an imposing red seal. She
opened it somewhat eagerly. ''What
makes it such bulk?" she exclaimed
to herself ''Oh, she has detailed the
things. 1 did not care about that" 1t
was written in a business-like, but ele-
giant hand, that of Mrs. Cooper; dates,
details, all were there. But Selma
could not see clearly in the evening
gloom, and she struck a match and
lighted the wax taper on her writing
table. anxious to look at the sum total.
'.f94,'' she soliloquized, glancing at
the bottom of the first page. at must
be a deal more than that; what does
Madame mean? Pshar' she found she
was only looking at one item; the Ven
ice point-lace for the decoration OF a
dress.
She held the taper to the bottom OF
the second page. MORE antique robe,
lace, trimmings and sapphire buttons,
f125.' Psha!' again exclaimed Selma:
With rapid movement she turned
the dccOuHl ONc " Cllu ->-SNN
at the sum total: gazed at it, stared at
it, and recoiled from it. Three thou
sand and odd pounds, odd snillings and
no pence. What the odd pounds were,
whether one, or whether nine hundred
and ninetv-nine, she did not catch in
that moment of terror; the first grand
sum of three thousand absorbed her
ewes and her faculties. And there
hoated over her confused conscious
ness of other bills to come in; one from
the jewelers., one for shawls. one tor
extensively trimmed linen. There was
one shawl. real India-but she dared
not think of that. Have been mad?"
she groaned.
1t would be thought so. For she
knew that if her husband settled all
these, he would be for years beggar
on the face of the earth. %
At that moment she heard his step
coming in from the dining-room, and
turned sick She crushed the bill and
the envelope, both of stiff satin paper,
in her right hand; and thrust them, in
her terror down the neck of her dress.
Then she blew out the taper, and
turned, with a burning brow and fe-
vered frame, to the window again, and
stood there looking out, but seeing
nothing.
Oscar came up and put his arm round
her, asking whether it was not time to
have lights. -
| Eyes. presently"
s.What in the world have you got
here?" cried he. "a ball?"
She pushed the BALI higher up,
and, shaking, murmured something
|
about some paper.
.sWhat is the matter with you, Sell
ma? You are trembling"
THE night air, perhaps, u" she man
aged to answer, in a tone that stroVe
for calmness. Il feel chilly
Yet it was hot night. Mr.. Dalrym-
pie Immediately began to close the
window. He was minute or two over
it, for one of the cords was rough, and
did not go well. When he turned
round again his wife was gone; she had
glided silently from the room.
Up the stairs and into her own cham
Der she had flown, and there down
upon the carpet, in her remorse and
agony, her hot brow PROSTATE on the
| floor.
| Disgrace and ruinr' she walled
forth; ..what will become of me?''
Ruin, ruin, inevitable ruin! nothing
| but disgrace and ruin!"
| CHAPTER VI
| There is no misfortune on earth like
| a troubled conscience; there is nothing
| that will wear the spirits and the frame
| like burdensome secret that may not
be told. 1t will blanch the cheek and
sicken the heart; it will render the day
a terror and the bed weary; so that
the unhappy victim will be tempted to
say with Job: When shall 1 arise and
the night be gone, and he is full OF
tossings to and fro unto the dawning
of the day; his sleep is scared with
dreams and terrified with visions.
Strange that it should be thus with a
young and lovely woman, one not yet
two years married. The previous sea-
son Mrs. Oscar Dalrymple had been
the gayest of the gay in the London
world, and now she had come to town
again, but much changed. Could it be
illness which had changed her? Scarce.
". For although she had passed
through fever in the winter. the
traces of it were gone now, and SHE
was entirely recovered from it.
The season was at its height, and
Mrs. Dalrymple was plunging into its
vanities headlong. when Mr.. Dalrym'
pie. in quitting the house one after
noon, encountered a young lady who
walked lame.
I "Ah, Alice said he. Have you
| come to London?"
I'VE arrived yesterday replied the
young lady. who was the sister of Mrs
Dalrymple and the cousin of her hus'
band is Selma at home?"
'sShe is, for wonder. Waiting fol
somebody she intends to 60 out with. ,
.'How is she?''
II can not tell how she is. Very
strange. it seems to mer'
Il have been anxious about her, re
piled Miss Dalrymple, ''for in a letter
l received a few weeks ago from Mrs
Cleveland. she said she thought Selin;
any thing but we'll.
Take my arm, Alice, and wall
with me few paces," said Mr.. Dial
; rymple. There's something the mat
ter with Selma, and can not make i
out he continued. ''She acts, for al
the world, as if she had committed
murder. told her SO the other day.
COMMITTED MURDER echoed thu
astonished Alice Dalrymple.
J ..She's frightened at her own shadow
J When the post used to come in at thu
Grange she would watch for the boy
dart down and seize the letters, as i
she feared l might read the direction
of hers. When she was recoverin:
, that fever. and 1 would take her letter
into her, she became blanched ant
scared Often ask her questions, o
| addressed remarks to her, and she i