Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-10

invited the two ladies to drink tea with her.
in honor of an interesting domestic event
Her husband, absent on the continent foI
some time past on business connected with
his firm, haG returned to England, and had
that evening joined his wife and children al
SandySeal.
Lady Myrie had arrived and Mr. Romsey
had been presented to her. Mrs Ormond,
expected to follow, was represented by a
courteous note Of apology. She was not well
that evening, and she begged to be excused
This is a great disappointment" Mrs.
Romsey said to her husband. You would
have been charmed with Mrs. Ormond-
highly-bred, accomplished, perfect lady.
And she leaves us tomorrow. The depart
ure will be an early one, aad l shall find an
opportunity, my dear, of introducing you to
my friend and her sweet little Kitty"
Mr. Romsey looked interested for mo-
ment when he first heard Mrs. Ormond's
name. After that he slowly stirred his tea
and seemed to be thinking instead of listen
ing to his wife
'Have you made the lady's acquaintance
here?" he inquired.
''Yes-and hope have made friend fol-
life" Mrs. RomSey said with enthusiasm.
And so do L. Lady Myrie added.
Mr.. Romsey went on with his inquiries.
us she handsome Woman?'
Both the ladies answered the question to
gether. Lady Myrie described Mrs. Ormond
in one dreadful word-as classical" BY
comparison with this Mrs. ROmsey's reply
was Ineligible. ''NOt even illness can spoil
her beautyr'
1.-The sort of headache she has got to.
night?' Mr.. Romsey satirically suggested.
Don't be ill-natured dear! Mrs. Ormond
is here by the advice of one of the first physi-
clans in London; she has suffered under Sc
riOuS troubles, poor thing"
MI. R0msey persisted in being satirical.
CONNECTED with her huSband?' he asked.
Lady Myrie entered protest. She was q
widow; and it was notorious among her
friends that the death Of her husband had
been the happieSt event in her married life.
But she understood her duty to herself as a
respectable woman. Il think, Mr.. ROmSey,
you might have spared that cruel allusiOn, "
she said with dignity.
Mr.. ROmsey apOlOgZed. He had his rea-
sons for wishing to know something more
about Mrs. OrmOnd; he proposed to with
draw his last remark, and to put his inquiries
under another form Might he ask his wife
if anybody had seen MI. Ormond?
NO"
Cor heard Of him?'
Mrs. ROmSey answered in the negative
once more, and added a question on her own
account. WHAT did all this mean?
1T MEANS" Lady Myrie interposed, ''what
we poor women are all exposed to-scandal."
She had not yet forgiven Mr.. Romsey's al
fusion, and she looked at him pointedly as
she spoke. There are some impenetrabe
men on whom looks produce no impression.
MI. RQmsey was one CT them. He turned to
his wife and said, quietly: "What / mean
is, that | know more Of Mrs OrmOnd than
you do I have heard Of her-never mind
how or where. She is a lady who has been
celebrated in the newspapers. Don't ire
alarmed. She is DO less person than the
divorced Mrs. LinIey"
The two ladies looked at each other in
blank dismay. Restrained bya sense of con-
jugal duty, Mrs. Romsey only indulgett in an
exclamation. Lady Myrie, independent of
restraint expressed her opinion, and said ::
'QuiTe impOSsibler'
The Mrs. OrmOnd whom [ mean," Mr.
ROmSey went Oh, ''has, as l have been told,
mother living. The old lady has been
twice married. Her name is Mrs Presty.''