Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-19

I was by no means the only person in
Silcombe who was puzzled in this way,
though to no one else perhsps had Bald
win said so much in tho days OF rapture
"a 10 me- Mrs. Baldwin was the prnci-
pal theme Of gossip in Silcombe, es-
pecislly, OF course, IN the scholastic cir
Gle. And the Judgment was entirely un-
favorable. Her features were plain and
Plebeian, her dresses dovdy and half
made. An elegantly-bound Volume OF
Upper was seen among her books, and
the intellectual ones laughed her to
scorn. She was destitute of the "higher
culture" She filed her drswing-room
with bad engrayings and impossible
vases. She was not musical, but fond Of
music, and especially admired Thai
bers's "Home, Sweet Home"
a." Uns Urdie bourgeois" said Miss
Rowlands, whose sister was studying art
in Paris
Miss PhippS was disappointed That she
did not drop her his; it was all that was
wanted to complete her, she said. So
that the poor lady was complete failure
in Silcombesociety, which is remarkably
intellectual, artistic, and cultivated, and
the general wonder was how she had
managed TO fascinate Baldwin.
"1f sho had only been just little
pretty one might have understood it, Z"
said all the ladies "men are so easily
captiyated by pretty face. Then she's
forty at least" Chs, l am bound to
say, was an eXaggeration.)
The general view was shat there was
mystery about it. and several solutions
had a short lived currency. The one
that lasted longest was that money was
the motive; this agreed 30 well with the
known mecensriness Of men. hatbs
maticians ore always calculating" said
Miss Phipps, who had a reputation for
wit.
SO Mrs. Baldwin was pronounced to
be enormously wealthy, and while this
theory lasted she WAS treated with great
deal more consideration and invited to
twice as many "at homes" Then this
explanation was discovered 10 be base
less, and then people were tired OF con-
lectures and Baldwin's marriage was
suffered to rest in peace. But the ladies
always called him "poor Mr.. Baldwin
About the beginning OF November
Baldwin asked mo to dine with hun.
We were alone-ve tbree-though one
or two friends were expected TO come In
after dinner The meal was not re-
mGrkAbly lively one. felt constrained
and was very silent. The lady talked
good deal in en- hmiable, feeble sort Of
way, and Baldwin kept the conversation
going pretty well. He Was remarkably
attentive 10 his wife After dinner,
however, when he aud were smoking
together in his "den," he relapsed into
utter silence, and sat putting away at bis
cigar. cogitating deeply. l was about to
propose an adjournment to the drawing
room, when Baldwin said suddenly:
81 have something to say TO you"
lie rose from his atand began pacing
the room unoasily After o few mo-
ments he resumed his seat and said (:
- must tell you. Ny marriage is an
entire mistake. | married the wrong
woman. Mrs. Baldwin is Edith's aunt.
addressed my letter to Miss +. Metcalt
Twickenham Cottage, Dunedin. Edith
does not live at TVickenhGm Cottage
her aunt's name is Eleanor. So the let
ter was naturally enough delivered to
her. 1t was she who replied to it it
was she who came out IN the Tigris, and
1t was she whom / married"
Then be paused. / said nothing. 1t
was not my fault that the ludicrous side
OF the matter was about too much for
me. But Baldwin's grave face was re-
hinder that the matter was very serious.
After | had recovered from my first be-
wilderment said:
And you let yourself be trapped into
the marriage? You were weak enough
for that She held you to your promise,
knowing it was meant for her niece ?"
"She knew nothing Of the kind" he
reioined, land | hope she never vii.
She supposes that the letter was really
meant for her, and as long as / live |
will DO what I can to keep her in that
belief. She came down to the station to
meet me when | went to the North OF
England for my wedding. saw her on
the platform and wondered for mo-
ment why she had come and where Edith
Was. But the warmth Of her greeting,
Ler dear Frank, showed me OF once
what mistake bad been made. |
don't know at al what l eaid to
her. She has told lac since that she
thought me very orange, but she
thought my agitation OF spirit was only
natural, and that sho had been n little
too ELUSIVE before the public gaze. |
bad presence OF mind enough not 10
speak of Edith. wanted first to think
what must lie done. pleaded head
ache, aud went back to my hotel early.
| had to be alone That night | spent
pacing my room anIiouslv thinking it
out. And in the morning l bad made
up nv mind" He paused a little and
then went on moro vehemently.
"Just think OF it-think Of it from her
point Of view. She had crossed the world
10 meet me. am sure that she believed
tho letter was for her. Why should she
not? ] had given her reason enough
with my srtfulness, as | called it-Got
help me. had in my pocket letter
she wrote TO me on landing--in reply TO
one ] sent to Naples, where those boats
generally put in. Ii vas tender, pas
sionate letter. where all reserve was cast
aside and womsn's feeling spoke out un-
checked. She is not young, you think,
and not beautiful. But it is not
the young and the beautiful alone
who can feel. Many a PLAIN wo-
man contemptuously called old maid
is capable OF n depth Of affection
which the young beauty who barters
away her heart in the daily traffic of
coquetry and Irritation has no cOncep-
ton of. Could have the heart to give
her such a cruel blow as TO reject the
affection she thought | had invited SO
eagerly ?sCould send her home again
Poor child I've no doubt she WAS little
triumphant over her coming wedding. |
She had trunkful of wedding presents |
with her How could she go back to her
friends, who would remember her innO-
cent boastings, and explain the story |
to them | hadn't the heart. / |
don't want to make out myself !
better than l am. l felt at once |
that all was over between me
and Edith in any case for the girl was
very fond Of her aunt, and though she
would not have blamed me, she would |