Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-11-15
The Ivydene Scandal.
BY G. T. K.


"Whatl" l cried, incredulously,
yet full of dIsmay. "Grace?"
Eyes, my dear Miss Templeton, /
have been so anxious Cor those stupid
people to go, that l might tell you.
l fancied you did not know"
Certainly 1 did not. sat dis
mayed, appalled, at the news, which 1
could not as yet believe.
Ny informant was one of those per-
sens whose whole time seems devoted
to pryine into otheI persons affairs,
and retailing what they see to the
world.
She haG dropped in to my FIVE
o'clock tea, and | am sure had sat on
tho=ns lest rwo not very interesting
gossipy guests present before her
should have had the intelligence also
and communicated it first.
Why she had not spoken it out her.
self [ cannot tell, unless it was that
she knew very much liked Grace;
or that, having but the barest particu-
lars at present, she feared starting
others upon the prying track she de-
sired herself alone to follow.
1t is wonderful the Importance peo-
pie seem to feel they derive from
spreading scandal.
How do you know Grace Orborne
has done this, Mrs. Burleigh?' 1
asked,
'One of the maids at Ivydene told
my maid not an hour ago, she re-
Piled. This morning Mrs. Osborne
went out before breakfast, which was
next waiting for her ever so long, but
she never came back. Then her
maid found letter in her dressing
room addressed to her husband, which,
when he read it, made him turn as
red as scarlet, and as dark as a
thundercloud'
Then he ordered the breakfast to
be taken away; and when the cook
asked about dinner, said none would
be required; Mrs. Osborne had gone
and was not coming back
That was all my informant knew,
and having pecked and lowered over
and pulled it into very shreds, at last,
much to my relief, futtered off to
spread the news elsewhere, leaving
me alone
Grace Osborne left her husband to
whom she had not been quite year
married!
could not credit it; she so good,
SO pretty, and so-almost severely
truthful.
of what could she have been
dreamingY | exclaimed to myself. "A
penniless orphan nearly, with so sa /
a past, how could she have even con-
ceived her lot would have fallen into
such pleasant places as the becoming
mistress of Ivydene, and the wife of
so fine and handsome man, so de.
voted lover, as Harry Osborne.
She had drawn prize, and thus for
feited it. oh, it is all nonsenseP l
cried, rising from my seat. They
may have had little tiff, but Grace
run away from, left her husband, it
isn't true
&, had approached the window while
speaking this soliloquy and now saw
my brother Ralph advancing across
the lawn. He had, I was aware, Just
returned from The town; so, stepping
out Of the open glass doors, went to
meet him, saying:
Ralph, have you heard the news?
He lifted his face, and it was
marked by deep seriousness.
DO you mean about Grace Os-
borne, EffieP he asked.
'Yes,' gasped. 1T is, then, true2'
That she has left her husband? l
fear so-that isl mean know SO 7
'How2 l inquired.
4 met Osborne himself, proceeded
Ralph; I'VE were on horseback did
not observe the strange look upon his
face, and, as usual, asked after Mrs.
Osborne
She was very we'll when ] last saw
her, he replied, curtly.
will you give her this message re-
specting the new orchid l told her
I would inquire about? | began,
when he stopped me, saying, hoarsly:
Pardon me, it may be very long
time before | see Mrs. Osborne. You
may see her first, in which case you
can deliver your own message, and, it
YOU will, this from me--That I have
gone to the Riviera; she will under
stand
Coed heaven, Osborne!' l exclaim-
ed, noticing his expression for the
first time, What has happened ?
There's nothing wrong, is there
.Wrong!' his lips gripped like a
vice. Grace left Ivydene and me
this morning; and I am going abroad.
Before I could speak further in my
amazement, he had shaken my hand
from the bride, and dashed on
"A hundred yards down the road l
met old Colonel Simpson; he was full
of it,
Then it was true. How heavy my
heart felt. Had Grace been one of
nv own relatives | could not have
Il,