Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-25

Dora Talbot herself was not by any
means dead to the thought that it
would be to her advantage to introduce
into society girl Well-born and pos
seSSed OF an almost fabulous fortune.
Stray crumbs must surely fall to her
share III connection of this kind, and
such crumbs she was prepared to gath
er with thankful heart.
But unhappily she set her affection
upon Sir Adrian DynecOurt, with his
grand old castle and his princely rent
rOll-a "crUmb" the magnitude and
worth of which she was not slow to ap-
preciate. At first she had not deemed
it possible that Florence would serious
ly regard q mere bar0net as sutton,
when her unbounded wealth would al
most entitle her to duke. But "lOve,"
as she discovered later, to her discom-
future, will always find the way" And
one day, quite unexpectedly, it daWned
upon her that there might-if circum-
stances favored them-grOw up a feel
ing between Florence and Sir Adrian
that might lead to mutual devotion.
Yet, strong in the belief of her own
charms, Mrs. Talbot accepted the invi-
tatlOn given by Sir Adrian, and at the
close Of the season she and Florence
Delmaine find themselves the first of
batch Of guests come to spend month
or two at the old castle at Dynecourt.
Mrs. Talbot is still young, and, in her
style, very pretty; her eyes are lang
uiShing and blue as gentian, her hair
soft nut-broWn; her lips perhaps are
not altogether faultless, being too fine
and too closely drawn, but then her
mouth is small. She looks cOnsidera-
BILE younger than she really is, and
does not forget to make the most of this
comfortable fact. Indeed, to a casual
observer, her cousin looks scarcely her
junior.
Miss Delmaine is tall, slender, posee
more or less, While Mrs. Talbot is pref
tily rounded, petite in every point, and
nervOusly ambitious Of winning the re-
gard of the male sex.
During the past week private thea
tricals have been suggested. Every one
is tired OF dancing and music. The sea-
son had given them more than a surfeit
OF both, and so they have fallen back
upon the theatricaFs.
is Gofdsmith's famous production.
'She Stops to Conquer"
Miss Villiers, a pretty young girl with
yellow hair and charming eyes, is to be
COnstantia Neville; Miss Delmaine,
Kate Hardcastle; Lady Gertrude Vim
ing, though rather young for the part,
has consented to play Mrs. Hardcastle,
under the impression that she looks
well in a cap and powdered hair. An
impossible Tony Lumpkin has been dis
covered in a nervous young man with
q hesitation in his speech and difficult
ty about the letter ga young man
who wonderfully miSunderStands To-
ny, and brings him out in q hitherto
unknown character; q suitable Hast
nc hDn1 Of
Captain RingWOOd, q gallant young
officer. and one Of the "curled darIings"
Of society.
But who is to play MARROW? Who is
to be the happy man, so blessed-eVen
though in these fictitious circumstan-
| ceS-aS to be allowed to make love to
the reigning beauty Of the past season?
Nearly every man in the house has
thrown out a hint as to his fitness for
the part, but as yet no arrangement
has been arrived at.
Sir Adrian Of course is the one to-
ward whom all eyeS-and some very
jealous OneS-are directed. But his
duties as host compel him, soreIy
against his will, to draw back a little
from the prOffered honor, and to con-
suit the wishes Of his guests rather
than his own. Miss Delmaine herself
has laughingly declined to make any
choice Of q stage lover. SO that, up to
the present moment, matters are still
in such d state Of confusion and uncer-
tainty that they have been unable to
name any date for the production Of
their play.
1t is four o'clock, and they are all
standing or sitting in the library, in
tent as usual in discussing the difficult
ty. They are all talking together, and,
IN the excitement that prevails, no one
hears the door open, or the fOOtman's
calm introduction Of gentleman, who
now comes leiSuTely up to where Sir
Sir Adrian is standing, leaning over
Florence Delmaine'S chair,
He is tall man Of about thirty-fve,
with a dark face and dark eyes, and,
Wlthal, slight resemblance to Sir
Adrian.
"Ah, Arthur, it is you!" SAYS Sir Al
rian, in a surprised tone that has GER
tainly no cordiality in it, but, just as
certainly, the tone is not repellent.
Yes" replies the stranger, with a
languid smile, and without confusion.
yesterday [ suddenly recollected the
month ago to come to you at any time
that suited me best. This time suits
me, and so have come"
He still smiles as he says this, and
looks expectantly at Sir Adrian, who,
as in duty bound, instantly tells him
he is very glad to see him, and that he
is good fellow to have come without
waiting for a more formal repetition of
his invitation. Then he takes him over
to old Lady F'itzAlmont, the mother of
Lady Gertrude Eining, and introduces
him to her as my cousin Mr.. Dyne-
court"
The same ceremony is gone through
with some of the others, but, when he
brings him to Mrs. Talbot, that pretty
widow interrupts his mode of intrOduc-
ton.
Mr.. Dynecourt and I are old
friends" she says, giving her hand to
the newcomer. Then. turning to her
cousin, she adds, Florence, is it not a
fatality our meeting him so often?"