Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-05-09

lou tccu2nlLe the old routine-the
manner OF disposin2 OF such cases?
My maiden aunt considered Il scandal
Gus, but consented to chaperone my
protege. Into her hands / gave 70
Oelde Tor year-stipulating that she
be taught all Christian grsces. And
so l left her to tapestries, French
verbs, and the piano.
II confess l thought very little about
her. The only life between me and
my estates was severed by the death.
while hunting, of my cousin, the young
Earl OF Favisham, and was brought
10 realize my position by my solicitor.
could give my wife a position which
would seem desirable in English ewes: /
entertained some extravagant notions
about the new life at the hall and the
new Lady Favisham whom I would
Introduce to my people. The most
dazzling beauty on the walls of the
Old picture gallery would. 1 felt. pale
beside the charms OF the last Lady
Harcourt, Countess OF Favlsham.
~ ct how shall | describe my first
meeting with herp l heard her light
loot In the corridor. and the rustic of
her silken gown. The morning sun
SHINE Hooded the room, the odor of roses
from their tall green vases for a
moment turned Inc faint. Was 1t a
fancy that the old musty incense of the
Jungle where the boa lies coiled entered
the room with her, emitted by her
white garments.
"She gllded toward me, scarcely
making a sound, and my senses
seemed bound by a spell.
There was no forbidding airs of
hauteur. She cOiled her arms about
me, and slid her dusky cheek along
until 1t lay against mine; yet it was
cool.
II was very nearly overcome when
my aunt entered the room, bringing a
current or fresh air with her. SIS she
not lovely, your little Indian savage?''
pointing to Zobeide, who seemed To
drift-not walk-over the floor to the
piano, from which she evoked such
quaint minor chords that 1 begged her
TO come and talk to me instead of play
ing.
From that hour my soul passed out
of my body TO the keeping of this girl.
She spoke to me caTessingly, soothinyly,
rs a child When wearied of my cray-
ings for her kisses and caresses. she
would shut herself up for hours in her
apartments, or would gallop away over
the downs on her black horse SelIm,
an Arabian had given her.
1--WE were married in London one
day, and began life in an irresponsible.
un-Engllsh way, as my aunt had said.
But We were always together. IL we
gave no balls, that was a mere matter
or taste 1 had once had passion for
such diversions, bat 1t had died IN me,
as had most passions except for nv
child-wife- ZobeIde seemed to reyel
In the county ball at first, and to gloat
on the homage and admiration she
received. But very soon she tired Of
that sort OF thing, and even of her
rides with Selim, the great splendid
rooms, the library and the picture gal
lery, the lakes, the swans, aud the
cleaning ghostly in the moonlight.
''She had weaIied of the homage OF
men and the envious amazement of
women, awe-strucE by her beauty long
ago. She locked herself up more often
in her own wing. and always laughing
ly refused to admit me. j cannot see
why l did not marvel at this, but this
was no more strange than that l gave
up hunting, which had been a passion
ate fancy Of mine before. My aunt
had laid her hand on my brow, saying:
"'How changed you are, Henryl'
'NonsenseP L replied 1T is you
who are altered. Where is Zobeide?'
Always that question: she mur-
INJURED in a tone OF distress.
"Once she pulled me INTO her own
chamber, saying in a way calculated 10
startle me-but it did not
"'My dear boy 1 want to speak to
YOU. : must speak now with you.
Why do you allow Lady Favisham to
amuse herself daily with a brood of
detestable snakesI'
"'Does sheg' asked listlessly. "My
good soul, why should | interfere if the
child really does amuse herself. Don't
worry about Zobeide, dear; L don'tl'
"'No, poor boy. | wish you dIdp
''Strangel l passed the conversation
off as If 1t had related to the flannels of
the rheumatic tenants Yet ordinarily
l should have been paralyZed with hor-
ror at the idea OF my wife juggling
with snakes. 1t sets my teeth on edge
now only to think of 1t, and it would
have made my HAIR stand on end had l
been in my right mind.
Il was insane all that horrible sum-
mer when snake charner ruled at
FavIsham Hall, the seat of a loyal and
hot-biooded race of which 1 was the
last and least worthy.
s'Yet any one that knew Lady Har-
court at that time would not have
wondered at her autocracy, I am sure.
Even the servants were tinctured with
the poisonous atmosphere, and only my
aunt, who constantly went abroad,
was able to shake off the leaden pail
which had settled down upon US at the
hall.
suddenly, in obedience to the
wishes of my physician, made ready
to run over to my shooting box in
Scotland. / was stubbornly firm about
taking my wife with me, although she
demurred and even wept when L pre-
sented the tour to her. 1 carried my
point, and we were away just ten days.
Lady Harcourt stipulated that her
wing of the hall was to remain undis-
turbed during her absence. But she
expected fully to be back within a
week. My aunt had gone to Rugby.
II will try and describe our coming
home as intelligeRtly as possible.
~ had noticed with wonderful ella
tion that my head was clear and my
whole mind more coherent during our
absence, as if some terrible influence
had been wanting to sway and blacken
my life.
"On the contrary, my wife, although
so young and lovely, with all the world
to fall at her feet. seemed strangely i'll
at ease during our trip, and grew SO
nervous nearing home that she actually
leaped from the carriage as tt drew up
before the hall. She had coiled herself
up In 1t without a word, although L
talked necessarily OF the rains and the
hops
perkins, the butler, gravely met
us, saying, Dinner awaits, my loru,
ike a theatrical callboy. But my
wife sprang out an rushed of to her
own apartments with her wraps on her
arm, trimming a little strain oil q
Hindoo song which she knew msae me
particularly unhappy.
81 threw myself in a deep chair anu
broke the seals of two or three letters.
running over. their contents In the
great banquet room, where the tall wax
=. ~WU