River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-03-01
BEGGING HER TO PROCEED

UNIQUE scenery of the mining district Of
PENNSYLVANIA, she declared her intention of
Immediately inspecting the region around
about Hazleton, in Luzerne County.
Under assumed names, they registered at
little hotel in q e village of Upper Lehigh,
within two miles of Drifton, in Pennsyl-
vania.
Prof John Fairfax, a dignified, gray
haired old gentleman, was in charge of a fe-
male seminary in the town. He was well-tO-
do only in the size Of his family, consisting
Of several daughters and two sons, Arthur
and Dana Fairfax.
Mr. Arthur Fairfax was absent-nO one
knew where. Su1 this fact, although not all
reassGrinS, was by no means conclusive
proof of his guilt. So my Lady Lydia re-
solved to profit by his absence.
Ere her departure she had learned much
about the town. more about the Fairfaxes,
and. most of all. about Mr.. Arthur Fairfax.
She heard. too, the history of his disappoint-
nents and his present unhappy state of in
decision. But, the more she learned about
him and the more she saw Of his fathers
family. the more she began to think that it
was impossible that he should be any thing
else but innocent.
Lydia was what might be called a prac-
teal dreamer; and. to be candid, many Of
subject. and much in the following extra
ordinary vein:
Her estates We're large; her tenants man
fold. They. Of course, would vote for the
man of her choice, should he offer himself
as Parliamentary candidate. How much
better would be her life could she marry a
man whom she might thus help. Howmuch
happier than if mated with some roHe, her
equal in wealth and station, perhaps, but
tired Of life and in Jldss; whom was no am
bitiOn and no apparent interest in the world
at large.
These, and thoughts like these, constant
" fioated through her mind. Can she be
blamed if they were in connection with but
one mans
Her very mission, together with the ex-
tremely satisfactory results of her investi-
cations as 10 Fairfax's character and ante
cedents were such as could scarcely fail to
interest the coolest and most fastidiOus
woman. Lydia found her interest growing
50 warm that she. at last, allowed herself
to come to a defnitely-shaped resolve, al
though somewhat staggered at first. by the
very boldness and unwOmanly nature Of
the latter. In character it was somewhat
as follows
When she should eventually find this man,
Fairfax. he and fate-"tOgether with little
assistance from me-" so she naively told
herself-must once and for all ''decide this
NATTER as she was pleased to call it.
But deep down in her heart was the con-
viction never uttered, yet al-powerful, that
/ for what she gave she must receive genuine
coin in return.
Let the reader pause moment before
uttering his hastily-fOrmed opinion as to the
somewhat remarkable course adopted by
this equally remarkable young woman, and
allow the writer TO repeat certain facts al
ready given.
She had always been accustomed to hay
ing her own way. She had lived long
enough in her own country to realize the
false and mercenary spirit Of most of the
men whose rank would allow them TO aspire
to her hand. Something in hcr heart told
her that when she esteemed this Fairfax,
she was esteeming a genuine man. But her
very rank and wealth, she thought, would
be apt to hold him alOOf, even if he were to
fall in love with her;-perhaps most impor-
tant-their respective homes We're in widely
different continents and events might never
a-ain throw them into each others way.
Thus reasoned Madamoiselle Lydia. and
il she reasoned oddly and somewhat diff
ferently from the conventional ways of
precise society. she, at least, reasoned cor
rectly and naturally, and followed not
form. but her own heart. As Emerson has
il, she had written ION the intels of her
door-pOst, .Whim.'
But where was this Fairfax TO be fOundi
His own family did not know She was at
her wits end to discover some means to
learn his whereabouts and to meet him, so
that the meeting might appear accidental.
Fortune helped her, as it always helps
those who help themselves.
Ere leaving the village she made a part
ing call on the Fairfaxes. The family was
IN great JOY. 4 letter had Just that mo-
Inent been received from the missing son.
Mrs. Fairfax was reading il aloud, and her
caller. taking kindly interest and begging
her 70 proceed, she continued;
1T seems Arthur is at Mt Desert, 'on
/ little business affair he writes. that may
keep me here some time. By the way. am
know here as Arnold Fox Address my let
tiers accordingly. and here he had
heavily UNDERSIGNED the line" please. on
no account, let any one know Of my where
a5outs OF nom de plume OH Miss earns
ford''-fOr such was the name BY which
lydia was known 70 her-''you Will excuse
US, then. for requesting silence upon that
point that we have unwittingly divulged to
you-n
l She then returned 70 New York, endeav-
I oring throughout the journey TO solve the
I problem as 70 Mt. Desert-how 70 get there,
and what the excuse for gong.
Z AT he Windsor Hotel she found the
cards Of many callers among whom had
I been the Gulnares, who left note asking
I her to return with them 70 Bar Harbor,
/ where they proposed spending October
She was overjoyed AZ this simple solution
T Of her problem. OF course she would so
with them
Wherever the party went, the observed
Z Of all observers. il IS quite needless 70 say,
was the young Englishwoman. The tall
4 finely proportioned figure. that clear. white,
brilliant complexion. those wonderful blue
! eyes, and her very manner and carriage
never failed 10 attract q second glance
I toward her.
On the afternoon Of a lovely. calm day
I they arrived a. Mt Desert ferry. In the
sunset GLOW the hills Of thfs island loomed
rf-1 OH sla .r-atnrs ~ p osnfs-rsslrlfz hay