Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-11-19

" say duSNtlS Oh <itli idll- laughing.
For the first time | feel distressed and
ashamed that it should be so. We can
only boast a haunted chamber; but
there are certain legends about it, | am
proud to say, the bare narration of
which would make even the stouteSt
quail"
Good gracious-hOw distinctly I'M
pleasant exclaimS Mrs. Talbot, with
a nervous and very effective shudder.
How distinctly delicious, you meant"
puts in Miss Delmaine. Sir Adrian,
is this chamber anywhere near where
shall sleepr
"Oh, no: you need not be afraid of
that" answers Dynecourt hastily.
Il am not afraid" said the girl sauci-
ly. Il have all my life been seeking an
adventure of some sort. / am tired Of
my prOsaic existence. [ want to know
what dwelIers in the shadowy realms
of ghost-land are like
Dear Sir Adrian, do urge her not
to talk like that; it is positively
wicked" pleads Dora Talbot, glancing
at him beseechingly.
Miss Delmaine, you will drive Mrs.
Talbot from my house if you persist in
your evil courses" says Sir Adrian,
laughing again. 'Desist, / pray yOu!"
Are You afraid, Dora?" asks Flor
ence merrily. Then keep close to me.
1 can defy all evil spirits, | have spells
and charms"
you have indeed" puts in Sir Ad
rian, in a tone so low that only she can
hear it. And, knowing this, you
should be merciful."
Though she cannot hear what he
says, yet Mrs. Talbot can see he is adj
dressing Florence, and marks with
some uneaSiness the glance that passes
from his eyes to hers. Breaking quick
" into the conversation, she says tim
idly, laying her hand on her hosts
arm
This shocking room you speak of
will not be near mine?"
in another wing altogether" Sir
Adrian replies reasSuringly. Indeed
it is so far from this part of the castle
that one might be safely inCarcerated
there and slowly starye to death with
out any OsIe of the household being
bit wiser. 1t is in the north wing i'll
the old tower, portion of the building
that has not been in use for over fifty
years"
81 breathe again" says Dora Talbot
affCctcdly.
II shall traverse every inch of that
old towcr-haunted room and all-be
L al L
ence deiiamtly. After which she smiles
at Adrian again, and follows the maid
up the broad staircase to her room.
BY the end of the week many other
visitors had been made welcome at the
castle; but none perhaps gave so much
pleasure to the young DarOnct as Mrs.
Talbot and her cousin.
Miss Dclmaine, the only daughter
and heireSs of an Indian nabOb, had
taken London by storm this past sea-
son; and not only the modern Babylon,
but the heart OF Adrian DynccOurt as
well. She had come home to England
on the death of her father about two
years ago; and, having 10 nearer rcla-
tivcS alive had been kindly received
by her cousin. the Hon. Mrs. Talbot,
who was then living with her husband
in Il pretty house III Mayfair.
Six months after Florence Dclmainc's
arrival, George Talbot had Succumbcd
to virIlent fever; and his widow, up
on whom Il handsome jOinture had
been settled, when the funeral and the
necessary law worries had come to IN
end, had minated to her Young cousin
that she intended to travel for Il year
upon the Continent, and that she would
be glad, that is with an elaborate sigh
She would he Il degree less miserable,
IL She, Florence would accompany her.
This delighted Florence She WAS
Wcaricd with Attendance on the sick,
having done most Of the nursing of the
Hon. George, while his wife Iamcntcd
and slept, and. beside, she was still
sore at heart for the loss of her father.
The years abroad passed swiftly; the
end of ii brought them to Paris once
more, where, feeling that her time of
mourning might he dcccntly terminal
ed, Mrs. Talbot had discarded her som.
Der robes and put herself into the
hands of the most fashionable dress
maker she could find.
Florence, too, discarded mourning for
the first time, although her father had
been almost two years in his quiet
grave amongst the Hills; and, with her
cousin, who was now indeed her only
friend, if slightly uncongcnial decided
to return to London forthwith.
1t was early in May ,.and. with a SEN
sation of extreme and most natural
pleasure, the girl looked forward to Il
few months passed amongst the best
of those whom she had learned under
her cousins auspices to regard aS
Society
Dora Talbot herself WAS not 10y any
means dead to the thought that it
would be to her adVant lgr to Introduce
into society Il girl wCll-horn and pos
ScSScd of an almuSt fabulous fortune.
STRAY crumbs must surely fall to her
share in a connection of this kind, and
such crumbs she was prepared to gath
CT with a thankful heart.
But umhappily she set her affection
upon Sir Adrian DynccOurt, with his
grand old castle and his princely rent
t,,ln
worth of which she was not slow to APP
prcCiate. At first she had not deemed
it possible that Florence would serious
ly regard mere haronct as Il sutton,
when her UnhOuudCd wealth would al
most cntitle her to Il 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 thcm-grow up feel
ing between Florence and Sir Adrian
that might lead to mutual devotion.
Yet, strong i'll the belief of her own
charms, Mrs. Talbot accepted the invi-
tatlon given 10y Sir Adrian, and at the
close of the season She and Florence
Dclmainc find themselves the first of a
batch of guests come to spend month
or two ut the old castle at DynecOurt
Mrs. Talbot is still Young. and, in her
style, very pretty; her eyes are lang
UlShing and blue as gcntian. her hair "a
soft nut-hroWn; 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
fact. Indeed. to Il casual
observer, her cousin looks scarcely her
junior.
Miss Delmaiuc is tall, slender. poSce
more or less, while Mrs. Talbot is pref
tily rounded, petite in every point, and
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 Surfeit
of both, and So they have fallen back
upon the theatricalS.
The play on which they have decided
is GoldSmith's famous production,
"Shc Stops to Conquer"
Miss NilliCrS, 4 pretty Young girl with
yellow hair and charming eyes is to be
ConStautia Neville: Miss Delmainc.
Kate llardCaStle; Lady Gertrude Vim
ing, though rather young for the part.
has consented to play Mrs IIardcaStle.
under the impression that she looks
well in Il cap and powdered hair. An
Tony Lumpkin has been dis
covered IN nervous young man with
4 hesitation in his speech and difficult
ty about the letter "S'-a Young man
L. IL