Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-09-20

Stree, ANY relation, wonder, to the
Dauial Vessels | once knewn and she
at once made up her mind TO try for the
situation.
Cranforth Grange was many-gabled
granite-blocked mansion, standing on
slightly-wooded eminence in richly
timbered, undulating park The ave
nue., which led up from the main road,
was u good mile long and shaded by
tall beech trees melting in an arch
overhead; and winding through the
grounds, now flashing in the sunlight,
now hiding midst the shadows of the
dropping silver willows, flowed the
beautiful Pinkthorne River bordered
with plumy ferns and tangled briers,
with here and there clump of brilliant
rhododendrons. The wild ducks loved
this river, and the swans seemed never
weary of sailing on its surface; yellow
water lilies tloated like miniature islands
here and there, and the prettiest rustic
bridges SPAWNED it in parts where the
waters were tolerably narrow. At the
far end, under the thickest shades of the
willows, nestled an old boat-house, all
creeper-smothered and rush-sentineled.
1t was gala day for the whole vii
lage-a day of rejoicing when Judge
Vessels came home TO Cranforth
Grange. The bells rang, merrily, the
banners waved to and fro Welcome,
Welcome in the soft spring breeze,
and now the carriage dashed up the
beech avenue, and presently. in atwink-
ling it seemed. the children were spring.
ing into their fathers arms and smother
ing him with kisses. Kindly, generous
ly the years had dealt with Daniel Wes-
sells; perfectly happy, too, he looked to-
day. with the arms of his fail-haired
twins twined about his neck and his
eft hand resting on his wife's shoulder.
Desiree, in the background, watched
the joyous meeting between husband
and wife, father and children, and felt
sudden choky sensation rise in her
throat, an odd. sharp, sickening pain
seized her heart, almost taking her
breath away, and prayed that she
might not faint-that she might not
''make scene"
'Miss lie Strange-our governess,
said Lady Vessels presently.
And then-0h, how like dream it
seemed, meeting the bearded face and
shaking the large. firm hand of Sir
Daniel Vessels.
A minute more and the Jadge, with
his wife and children, were in the lib
rary, where CHEEKY log fire blazed,
and Desiree found herself mounting the
wide oak staircase to her solitary school
room. But for her own folly, she told
herself, she might have been queen of
the household to-day. How unbearable
the thought was-how maddening For
whole year she had striven to do her
duty, and had learned to love pretty,
gentle Lady Vessels, his wife; but she
could not meet the Judge daily and not
betray herself-hot let him and others
see how acutely she felt her position.
True, he had not appeared to recognize
her; but, sooner or later, he would as
suledly discover that Desiree lie Strange,
who flung back his love one autumn eve
of to-day were the same. Chance had
brought her here under his roof Sup
posing by chance she died tonight, who
would miss her?
And then, mechanically, almost like
one forced to act in spite of herself, she
crossed the room and unlocked the lit
tie medicine chest which stood on the
sideboard. Her eye ran over the bottles,
and boxes, and china pots.
1t was very small bottle she at last
took up, labeled ''Chloroform."
81 have Il bad toothache and head
ache, she murmured. with an odd
smile. Perhaps this will make NE
sleep"
Her own enemy, even to the last"
thought the Judge, looking at Desiree
lie Strange's beautiful dead face with
shadow on his own For the features
which had not struck him yesterday in
life spoke plainly enough in death-told
him pathetically, better than thousand
words, that this was the Desiree he had
once loved-the girl who had almost
broken his heart by the old stone
bridge.
He had been very busy all these years
so busy that the memory of the wears
pretty daughter had gradually grown
faint and dim. Yet looking at the dead
face now, so lovely and placid in its
last sleep, mist slowly gathered in his
eyes-for he had loved her once with all
his heart and soul-and he was grieved
to the depth of his being that her days
should have ended thus. Philadelphia
Call.