The morning news., 1889-03-17

but Miss Firth must have known he was
married. Nell, the affair went on to such
lengths thatat last. great scandal arose.
and Lord Nlter tried to get his wife to
divorce HINT was said, but Lady Walter
refused. Itnded in Col Forth leaving
India with b two daughters, aud l dare
say it will b all forgotten now, especially
when Miss forth is going to marry so
we'll"
'It is prolbly half Of it nonsense, just
Indian gossip and l quite fail to see, still,
why Ruth shuld be disap rOved of as my
wife, becau, her sister had a Irritation
with a marsd man in India, especially
when such tngs are so common. Mother
dear, | am SUE you would love her; do try
to get my fater to give his consent to our
marriage; l cy, If | could go and tell
Ruth at va wished it, that it would all
come right-ad mother dear. do care for
her So"
de took hi mothers little hand as he
spoke, and lo&ed in her face with his earn
est uruth-tellig eyes, and Mr.. Seaforth felt
she could not,efuse his request, though she
was in much we of her husband.
"Well, my ear boy will try" she
said; but yoi know your father is very
firm
"Still. thk you could persuade him;
this is her Photograph, mother-isn't it
sweet faceN
Mrs. Seafortl put on her silver-rimmed
spectacles TO lok at the ''sweet face" and
her heart echod her sons words. 1t was
womanly, lovng, modest face, and yet
there was deph of passion and tenderness
in the shadow, eyes-eyes which almost
looked fated towesp for some great tragic
grief or wrong
''She is very ,retty," said Mrs. Seaforth,
gently.
ut isn't evel that she's so pretty" an
swered Kenard gazing at the fair portrayal
of his young 1--we, with lovers enthusi-
asm; "but she' SO nice; kind of girl who
has SO much Sympathy and feels SO for any
one who is in trouble and that kind of
thing. And ae loves horses and dogs
mother, and dn't they like her; my little
Jockey is always going up to her and licking
her hand, and ooesn't he whine wnen h.
knows l am gong to Col Forth'S and don't
take him."
Mrs Seaforth smiled and looked at her
son, whose goodlooking brown face hal
flushed, and whEse eyes were full of tender
ness and feeling in spite of mis- simple, boy
ish words. AID the mother understood
that her boys leart was really and truly
given to this fat girl, and she made up her
mind to try to overcome her husbands OBJ
jections to the marriage.
1--WE must see what we can do with your
father" she sald; "and perhaps as Miss
Forth is goingto marry Col. Kenyon-"
Truly, we who live in this world are of i'll!
Here was a gentle, God-fearing woman
taint d too, though she had thought to set
her affections and hopes far above its shall
low creeds and thin distinctions. Frances
Forth was bec0nins whitewashed even in
her eyes, now wnen she was going to marry
a ricl man and take a good place among
her fellows. Yet it was the same Frances
Forth who had been stoned by those who
could scarce have stood the scathing com
ment of the wise sad Judge of the human
heart, who bade him who was without sin
to fling the first missile at the Jewish
woman of old. We short-sighted mortals
condemn SO freely, that the dark spirits
which maybe pass and repass unseen
around us, must often laugh with malignant
laughter as they listen to our self-righteous
words.
Mrs. Seaforth's simple heart thought of
these grim problems and unknown myste-
ries Of life. But she spoke in commo
speech, spoke as most men and women do
1t was au advantage to Ruth Forth in her
mind that her elder sister was about to
marry well, and Frances Forth's shortcom-
ings were now almost forgotten, though
but short while ago both the general ana
his wife had not scrupled on account of
them to try to part young couples
plighted love.
And the news of Col. Kenyon's engage
ment was not without effect on the general
also
Mrs. Seafortn, with some womanly tact,
did not broach the subject of Kenards
wishes until she had told her husband thai
Col. Forth's eldest daughter was going to
marry Col. Kenyon almost i'm nediately.
"You remember him, John, don't your
she said. 'He was a good-lOoking, gentle
manly man.
"Of course l remember him, " replied the
general; lis he absolutely going to make
such fool of himself as to marry Frances
Forth, after the way she's been talked ofP'
"Kenard tells me tney are to married
very sooI, and he says that Col Kenyon
has such a beautiful place not far from
Hcadfort, and that he is a very wealthy
man"
81 heard that he had inherited fortu 10, -
quoth the general, "at the time he retired
from the service; it's lucky thing foi
Forth, l should say, who is devilish poo!
cross grained fellow
ITS a very lucky thing, and, Of course,
will make a great difference in their position
altogether"
"Oh, yes, of course, money always does
Miss Forth Is some years older, isn't she,
than the girl Kenard was afters By-the-by,
has he said anything more of that follyF'
'He showed me her portrait, and it's the
sweetest face, John, that you ever saw.
But such a strange thing has happened.
She has given him up, and he even fancied
we might have written TO her to say we
disapproved Of the connection"
Then | hope you told him we did moth
ing of the sort"
"Of course, | told him so, but she may
have heard somehow or other that we did
not like it."
"Nor do like it; Of course, it makes a
difference if Kenyon is going to marry
the eldest girl, as she was the Objectionable
one"
'Yes, that is what 1 thought, though
did not say much to Kenard until | heard
your opinion. Kenard's young lady is five
or six years younger than the future Mrs.
Kenyon, and remember Mrs. Bartlett say
ing she was a very sweet girl, at the time
when Frances Forth was so much talked
about, though, dare say, it was more
scandal than anything else.
The general smiled grimly.
"Does all this mean, he said, that Ken
ard has talked you over"
"Of course not, John, unless you wish IL.
But must let you see her photograph, and
| believe the darling boy is very fond OF
her: ne told me unless he married her he
would never marry anyone else"
"Oh, dare sayp
"But he is really fond OF her, John--I
could SEQ that in his face when he talked Of
her-and he is sadly cut up about her Civ
ing him up, because he says they are very.
very fond Of each other. And there are
SUCH things, you know, John, as people be-
ing very fond Of each other" and M s.
rose, crossed the room. and af-
laid her little hand on her gen
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