Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-11-29

fort to me to know that you are so near.
dare say you will think me very silly, but l
never feel quite easy until Mr.. Lawrence
has stamped on that burning paper; my
dress is very fluffy and"
"Have no more uneasiness, said, truth
fully. i, too, dislike that business and
watch your dress as carefully as If were
your maid
l dared not say more nor speak in too ten
der tone, for Lawrence had drawn near
and was scowling tiercely at US. l fancied
that he was not quite himself
1.-THE second scene in our play was O
hackneyed one Lawrence, the unsuccess-
full sutton, flourished before his lady's gaze
the will her father had made subsequent to
the only one found at his death; the one he
bad just found resembling the old mans be-
quest of great wealth to his daughter, pro-
yided she marry Sir Harry Vaughn LAW
rence).
"When she firmly and for the third time
refuses to marry him or any one but Jack
Leslie (myselt) he tears the paper in his
rage, thrusts the two strips into a lighted
candle, and, waving them before her, cries:
$50 vanisheS all proof that your father
weakly changed his mind No one but you
and me knows that this will was ever made,
and as these flames flicker and spread you
see your ease and luxury, and comfort dis
sppear-disappear forever, unless you
marry meP
"Then he throws the burning ends of
the paper on the floor, and stamps on them,
crying:
"'Now, let US see what is before you'll
Comfort with me or starvation with your
plebeian suitor'
"As the days had grown into months I
ho5 MA Ivy hot T n Z
spoke our respective lines from our hearts.
Did Mile. d'Esterre! How longed to knowl
Lawrence was fascinating fellow, was
not; he had a fairly good social position,
and / was supposed to have none; he had
e good income besides his salary, had
nothing.
mo one in our company knew my his
tory, but will tell you the gist of il now.
Though was billed as Max Osmyn my law
full appellation was Henry Osmyn Maxwell;
my grandfather, who was very wealthy,
had announced his intention Of making me
heir to most of his property, but after years
Of kindness and indulgence he cut me off
without shilling because ! refused fatty
to marry the granddaughter of one of his
cronies, an old reprobate whom detested.
"Of course, Lawrence did not know it,
and the numberless ways in which the cad
tried to teach me my place, socially, were
very amusing. / scorned the fellow too
much to feel angered at him.
''This night when Mile. d'Esterre had con-
fded her anxiety to me l was even moro
watchful than before. l imagined that
Lawrence was unusually excited Q learned
afterward that she really had rejected him
In earnest that afternoon) and threw much
emphasis into his lines.
HE brandished the burning papers in q
wild manner and then cast them to the floor
In a reckless way. Just what / feared
would happen some time now took place.
"a breath of wind, caused, perhaps, by a
sudden movement of Nile. d. Esterre's trail.
ing robe, fiicked one of the papers close to
her; the dying fame gave one last flicker,
bent forward, and seized a diaphanous frill
or fiounce or something on her skirt, started
into new life, and was fain to clasp my dar-
/ ling in its fiery embrace.
/ aBut love is more ardent than fire. In an
instant darted forward and crushed out
/ the fame with my hands.
Lawrence, who had not seen tue fire,
thought was improvising something to
spoil his situation, L presume, for he
grasped me by the shoulder and swung me
forcibly into the flies. How the audience
Kissed him Most of them had understood
} the unexpected scene and many were
] ptCoSAAcSS Win lCiAO4s &uc OASnSSISa
leader whispered to Nile. d'Esterre that II
was all right and she went on with her
refusal.
"Com fort, with a craven like you'll Soon
er would l diel Sooner, thousand times
sooner, would l starve with my dear Jack
and here he is, to learn how / love him and
6etest you,' were her lines.
"And how the audience applauded nowl
They did not seem to notice the rather els,
heveied condition of dear jacks wig and
collar and necktie, result Of his sudden
and upintentlonal exit at Lawrence's hands,
and they certainly did not knew that the
hands OF dear Jack so teuderiy olsSped By
the heroine, were smar.ing and blisteredi
''Of course she knew the Condition Of NY
paws, and 1t was when she insisted Oh
dressing and bandaging them for me that
found courage enough TO tell her how /
loved her.
"'Eou say you love me and want 70 uar-
~ me- she said, by and by, IN a tone Of
surprise, yet you know nothing Of me, not
even my name, for am not French
Al know that you are sweet, noble
comdH, be your name what il may made
reply. But before insist on an answer 70
my question 1 must tell you ny story
Which ! did, accidentally emitting al
names.
SLOW very strangel Ny father, at the
instance Of nv ambitious step-mother,
turned against me because would not agree
10 marry some one he had selected for me.
Perhaps was romantic, for ] refused %
even see the young man- said would Se
loved for myself alone and would give my
hand only where my heart went
"sHad you seen the fellow may be you
would have liked him, and then should
never have met you said. jealousy.
~ could not have fancied himl In all the
country there is not Al idler, gayer, more
useless man than that young Henry MAY
WE'LL A devotee of tennis
a.Whof cried, excitediy.
, ..Henry Maxwell Did Jon ever hear Of
hila in New York;
.sWell, rather answered, smiling.