Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-09-22
Barren HonoTo.

nave you ever known poVeftyP ID,
my reader. have, the saddest power
~ of all. which tries to keep up APP
pearanees. My mother was left early
a widow with five children. all girls.
We inherited nothing from our we'll
born ancestors, save well-formed noses,
white hands. and low, cultivated
voices. My mother was proud and
courageous woman. and il am forced
to impute blame to her, let the reader
never imagine that / am ungrateful for
the love and care which she gave to
my childhood or unmindful of the ter
rible temptation which assaulted her.
So scarce was money with us that we
early learned to r.se from a daintily-
served dinner cruely hungry, and
darn. and re-darn our spotlessly clean,
though simple dress. Poor mother,
hers was q stern rule, but think of
the long hours during which she play
ed the part of housek eeper, COVER
ne SIS and seamstress and marvel at
her strength of mind and body.
We lived in a country village, for
any city residence would have been be-
yond our purse, and notwithstanding
poverty had the entree of every great
honse in the country. If mamma sell
dom availed herself of such privileges
it was that no decent clothes were
forthcoming wherewith she might
clothe herself and us.
When i was IL | was invited to
spend few months with our father
cousin, a Mrs. Beaumont, who lived in
great style in London. She was that
most selfish of beings, a hypochon-
driac but to drive in Hyde Park, or
even Regent Park, was bliss to me,
and when had settled my face into an
expression meant deeply sympathetic
felt free to turn but an inattentive
BAR to my companions long list OF
sinking sensations and sudden
spasms, with which according to her
own account, she was constantly and
mysteriously seized. That might do
her some credit, Mrs. Beaumont or
nered suitable outfit for me, and fine
clothes and good food soon transform
ed me from pale, STOPPING, dark-eyed
strip of girl, into a tall, upright,
handsome young woman. She was too
hopelessly sunk in self to observe the
change, and it was not until her fav-
Norite nephew came on his annual visit
chat the admiration which his young
face too plainly showed, opened her
eyes TO the fact that | was that dan
gerous specimen of humanity-a PEN
niless beauty.
j a scene was troublesome, therefore
my hostess contented herself with de-
clarlng herself very much worse, and
ordering her doctor to prescribe sea-
ali. Jack Beaumont was requested to
accompany her to the Isle of Wight,
and was packed off home. / shall
never forget my mothers start OF sur
prise when she saw the change in my
appearance. All that evening she re-
manned very thoughtful and | began
to fear that my unexpected return was
hardly welcome, until two days later,
when. with her sweetest smile, she in
formed me that | was to put on one of
my most becoming dresses, and be-
have my prettiest as she expected an
old friend to luncheon. NY Younger
sisters were ordered off to partake of
cold dinner in the school-room, while
all things completed, with view to
impress our guest with the idea that
We tFtEJ udFy
my mother and / awaited Lord Silu-
rian in the drawing room. knew him
to be one of the oldest, as to title, of
EngIand's peers, and | had heard
whisper that mamma might have bee n
his countess had her youthful beauty
been made more attractive by the hum
dred thousands of pounds sterling
which the lady that he eventually
married had brought him.
ode came, grim-faced, stiff old gem
tleman, who put up double eyeglass
and scanned me closely. A glance of
mutual intelligence passed between
mamma and his lordship, which did
not tend to put me at my ease How
ever, / smiled and talked as well as |
could, with beating heart After
luncheon | was ordered off for a walk
with the Others and that evening my
mother kissed me. saying: Lord ST.
urian will bring his son, Lord Trenton.
to call on Wednesday," There was
something in her look and tone that
sent me TO my bed with a sudden
sinking" of heart, much more real
than any of poor Cousin Beaumont's.
What need to dwell on the wretched
details of the next few weeks. Lord
Trenton came, saw, and, as it eventu-
ally proved, conquered. | thought him
q most vacant youth, but my mother
explained that he was much struck
with me, and ''such dear, simple shy
boy. notwithstanding his great wealth
and high position"
made brave fight, for was no
Iph igenia, but mothers stern reminder
OF all owed her. of the wretched flu
ture which opened before my four
young sisters. of the long struggle
with sickening poverty which had
made up the sum total of her life
finally wore opt my desperate opposi-
ton, and burned the half dozen dried
flowers Jack Beaumont had given me,