Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-06-16


hing 81 a Idle hon; and she viii not
stem g g my warming Well, I've done
That evening, as she floats to the
lroamy cadences Of the waltz music in
iollo's arms. Pansy remembers Mar
ms warning; but when she looks up
ntO the handsome face bent above hers
he forgets it. Surely truth and love
,ever spoke more plainly.
And all the time Rollo is laughing to
himself at what he calls her simplicity,
ind in the onyx locket that depends
rom his chain girls face is hidden,
Is different in every feature to Pansy's
1ove-like loneliness as can well be i'm
agined.
The next week Martin Holmes leaves
The village to enter upon the enjoyment
of a fortune to which, through the re-
cent death of an uncle, he has become
heir.
The days fit on, and at length the
Derwents leave the Hall for their city
home; they are to return in the fall;
and when Rollo laughs at Pansy's dis
tress at thoughts of separation, and
bids her be brave, she tries to obey,
but only partially succeeds.
It has been aptly said that mans
love is of mans life thing apart"
whereas, "'Iis woman's whole exis-
tence."
A couple months elapse, and then
the latest village news that is upon
every mouth is the fact of the purchase
of the empty silk mandatory, that
has been closed ever since the death of
its last owner, some years before. 1t
is welcome intelligence, because it had
been a source of income to many.
The purchaser was no other than Mrs.
Ludlow's former boarder, Mr.. Holmes.
He boards there no longer, however.
although Mrs. Ludlow invites him to.
Pansy's words, Il despise you," are
too fresh in his mind to allow of that :;
and so. though he calls upon her
mother, he takes good care that it is
when Pansy is absent upon her daily
round of lessons.
If Pansy knows that such is the case
she does not give it second thought.
Her mind is preoccupied. Letters pass
frequently between herself and Rollo :;
but while hers carry her whole conf
ding heart in every artless line, his are
cold and unsatisfactory.
Why it is so the girl learns all to
soon. The time has passed until fall
has come, bringing back to their coun-
try home the summer residents.
The Hall has been in state of fer
ment for some weeks. The decorators.
painters, and carpenters being gather
ed in such full force that the villagers
begin to suspect some event beyond the
ordinary is to enliven the coming sea-
son.
They are right. A week before the
family's expected arrival cards make
their appearance in misunderstanding
cards, which announce that a fortnight
previous, at Grace church, New York
City, Rollo Derwent was united in mar
riage with his cousin and his mother
ward, Miss Grantley.
The engraved words swim before
Pansy's eyes.
So Martin was right. What she
took for love was merely triding. She
had been the sport of idle hours, moth
ing more. Oh, the shame of it!
The poor little girls cheeks blaze at
the thought, and her hands clinch
themselves so tightly together that the
nails cut the soft flesh.
For awhile she suffers keenly, then
pride comes to her succor: No one
must know, he least of all, what an
utter dupe she has been. Let him
think what he may, let him wonder as
he will, Pansy determines that never
by look or word shall Rollo Derwent
suspect that for his sake her tender
heart has bled and her eyes wept
bitter. scorching tears.
She meets him very soon at the re-
ception given to introduce his young
bride.
Never has Pansy looked lovelier, al
though her dress is simplicity itself.
The pink roses in her hair and bosom
cannot match in exquisite coloring
their wearer's cheeks, while the in.
tensity eff her purpose lends more than.
usual luster to her large eyes.
Rollo looks at her in establishment.
"What an actress she would MAKER
he thinks, while his vanity receives for
the first time sharp sting. 1.-THE
little coquette was only fooling me,
after all! She never cared a pin for
me, Judging by present appearances,
it was diamond cut diamond
A year passes on, during which
changes come to Pansy's home and
life. Her mother it stricken with pa
ralysis. and thus the clever ri ght hand,
which has done so much for the main
tenance of the little household, becomes
useless, and the whole responsibility
devolves upon Pansy, rendering it nee
essary that she shall turn her attention
to some pursuit that will bring her in
larger income than she has hitherto
been able to earn through her scholars,
While she is painfully debating in her
mind as to what she shall or can do, a
benefactor makes, his appearance in the
person of Martin Holmes.
Mrs. Ludlow had always taken more
than friends interest in the young
man who had been an inmate of her
home for so long; and now she accepts,
without hesitation, and very thankful
ly, the opportunity he holds out. The
position OF bOok-keeper at the mills has
recently become vacant, and he offers
it to Pansy,
Months elapse, Mrs. Ludlow's health
begins to improve, while Pansy would
be perfectly happy in her congenial
employment were it not for one thing.
Although he is perfectly courteous in
his manner to her, she thinks that she
reads contempt with the GOODNESS which
fills Martins eyes whenever they meet
hers. She had always liked Martin,
aud, as she grows to understand his
character more fully and sees how no.
BILE it is in every fiber, another and a
different feeling begins to take the place
of the liking; and yet he despises her
even as she once told him that she de-
spied him. And for what had that been
said? For telling her the truth! How
gladly now would she have had those
words unspoken! But that were i'm
possible; and his demeanor, so cold