The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-01-28

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SsNssA sANf'Vf1J ~ tho ilreslde with
EASpAR1s--- three letters lying
q - open on her lap
Time had discolorod the paper and had
turned the ink 10 brownl'h hue Tho lou
ten were all addressed 10 the same person
"The Right Hon. Lord Lydard"-and we're
all signed In the same way-"Your affection
ate cousin, James Iollmldge' Judged by
these specimens OF his correspondence, MT
Tollmidgo must have possessed ono great
merit M u leltor-wrter--th merit OF hreYity'
He win weary nobody's patience, II ho II al
lowed 10 have hearing, Lot him, therefore,
bo permitted, In his Own highilown way, 70
speak for himself, .,
First letter! "My statement, ~ your lord
ship requests, shall be short and 10 tho point
was doing very well az n portrait painter IN
the country, and had n wife and children 70
consider Undor these circumstances II ]
hal been loft 10 decide for myself, should
certainly have waited until had saved III
tlo money before | venturod ON tho serious
expense OF taking a house and studio at the
west end of London, Your lordship, posi-
lively declare, encouraged me 10 try the OK
pertinent without waiting, And here am,
unknown and unemployed helpless artist,
lost In London, with sick wife and hungry
children and bankruptcy staring mo In the
face. On whose shoulders does this dreadful
responsibility rcsti On your lordships"
Second letters After weok's delay you
favor me- my lord, with curt reply can
bo equally curt ON my side, Indignantly
deny that OF my wife have over presumed
10 uso your lordships nam0 a. means OF
recommendation TO sitters without your per,
mission Some enemy has slandorod ua !
claim, IN my right, 10 know the nano OF that
enemy"
Third and last) letters "Anolhcr week
has passed and not u word OF answer has
reached me from your lordship, II matters
little. | have employed tho intorva In
making Inquiries, and / have at last dis
covered tho hostile influence which has
estrangod you from mo, | have been, II
sooms, 80 unfortunate ~ TO offend Lady
Lydinrd (how, can not imOgincli aud the
all.powcrlul influence Of this mobile lady m
now used against tio struggling artist VINO
a. united to you by the sacred lies OF kindred
Be Il no, c.n tlght my way upward, my
lord, aS other men have done before mo a
day may yet come when the throng OF car
riage, waiting at the door Of the fashionable
portralt rnintcr win include her lndyship's
vehicle, and bring mo tho tOrdy expression
of her lalyshps regret | refer YOU my
Lord Lydinrd 10 that dayW
Having read Mr.. Tollmidgo's formidable
assertion rotating 20 horself for the second
time, Lady Lydiards modita'ions came 10
an abiupt ond She rose, took the letters In
both hands to tear them up, hcitated, and
threw them lnck into the cabinet drawer In
which she had discovered them, among other
papom that had not boon arranged since
Lord Lydnrds death
'Tho diotm said her lndyshIp, thinking OF
Mr.. 1ollmdgc ~ never oven heard Of him
IN my husbands lifetime; | never oven knew
that ho was really related 10 Lord lydiard,
till found his letters, What Is 10 DO done
ncxtf'
She looked, oS she put that question 10 her
pclf, nt an open newspaper thrown on tho
tnbie which announced the death Of that
accomplished artist, Mr. Tollmidgo, related,
Il N said, 10 the late woll.known connoi@our,
Lord Lydinrd.n In the next sentence the
writer Of the obituary notice doplorcd the
destitute condition Of Mrs Tollmidgo aud her
children, "thrown helpless on the mercy OF
the world Lady Lydiard stood by tho table,
with her eyes on those limos, and saw but too
plainly the direction In which They pointed
The direction Of her check book
Turning toward the fireplace, sho rang the
bell. "l can do nothing In this mottcrn sht
thought 20 herself until ] know whether
tho report about Mrs Tollmidgo aud
hor family s TO bo depended on. Has
Moody como backr she asked, when
tho servant appeared nj tho door. Moody
pthorwisc her adyships steward had moi
como buck Lady Lydiard dismissed the sub
feet Of the artists widow from further con
alteration until the steward returned, and
gave her mind 10 question Of domestic in
tercgt which lay nearer 10 her heart Hoi
favorito dog had been Oiling for somo time
pnst and no report Of him had reached hoi
that morning, She opened door near the
fireplace, which led, through little corridor
hung with rnro prints, 10 her own boudoir
DIsabolh she called out, "how is TommiON
A frcsh young voice answered from behind
the curtain which closed the farther end Of
the corridor, mo better, my lady
A low growl followed the frosh young
voice, and added dn dogs languogc), "Mucf
WOrbc, my luuy-mucn NpreoI
Lady Lydiard closed the door again. with
compassionate sigh for Tommic, and walked
slowly 10 and fro In her spacious drawing
room, waiting for the Stewards return.
Accurately described Lord Tydinrds widow
was short and fat, and perilously near hei
nxtieth birthday. But IL may be said with
out pnying compliment, that sho looked
younger thnn her nge by ten years at least
Hor complexion was Of that delicate pinl
tngo which X sometimes seen In old womor
with wcllprcscrved constitutions Her eye
lcqually well.prescrved) were Of that hart
light blue color which wears well, and doc
not wash out when tried by the test OF tears
Add 10 this her short nose, her plump cheelu
that sct wrinkles at defiance, her white hail
dressed In stiff little curls, and, II doll coult
grow old Lady Lydiard at sixty would hay,
been the living Image Of that doll, taking III
easily on It's journey downward TO the prot
tiost of tombs, In burial ground whore th
myrtes and roses grew all the year round,
These being her ladyships personal merits
impartial history must acknowledge, on th
list OF her defects u total want Of tact ant
tasto IN her attire The lapse Of time sine
Lord Lydinrds death had left her at llbert,
20 dress ~ she pleased. She arranged hc
short, clumsy figure in colop that were ia
too bright for woman Of her ago lie
dresses, budlY chosen as TO their hues, wer
perhaps not badly made, but we're certainly
badly worn. Morally, as well as physlcally
must DO eaid Of Lady Lydlord that hor out
ward side was her worst side. Tho anomalies
Of her dipss were matched by the anomalies OF
her character There wero moments when
bhe felt mud spoke M became n lady Of RINK,
and there wore other moments when she felt
and spoke ns might have become the cook In
The kitchen Beneath these superficial incon-
sistencies the great heart The essentially true
and generous nature OF the woman, only
waited the sufficient occasion 10 assert them
selves In the trivial intercourse Of society
she was opcn 10 ridicule ON every nd of her.
tai