Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-15

small furnished house up at the river,
not far from Maidenhead, and thither he
now took his bride. He still kept up
the comedy OF "Mr. and Mrs. Gas
cognc," and neither by word nor look
did his wife allow him to suspect
that she knew aught beyond that which
lay on the surface. MargcYy was blessed
with a large fund Of patience, and feel
INK sure of her position, was quite con
tent to bde her time. For her, too, the
affair was not without its elements of
amusement. She Eravely discussed with
her husband sundry small matters of
domestic economy. Could they really
on six hundred a year afford to keep a
boy in buttons, as James proposed, in
addition to the cook and parlor maid,
who comprised the whole of their small
establishment? Were they not "outrun-
ming the constable" little in respect of
the hired brougham in which they were
driven out four or five times a week?
And then, Mrs. Gascoigne was shocked
to find that butchers meat was quite
twopence pound dearer than at White
apple. She had been told that New
Zealand mutton was nearly equal to
English, and much cheaper Would it
not be advisable, etc, etc. In these and
such like trivial discussions the earl took
an almost chldlike pleasure, and Mar
gerry caught the infection from him.
After all, the ecaircis.emCnt came
about in quite a commonplace fashion,
and minus any dramatic surround
it,tr | htL ST
sunny afternoon ON the edge of the
lawn, which sloped down to the river,
waiting for his wife, who was getting
ready to go with him, when small out
riggcr came spinning round the bend in
which were two men in tlannels, in one
of whom the earl recognized a well
known member of the Badminton club.
1t was too late to escape, and he decided
to stand his ground. "lIillo! Chestnut,
is that YOU? Where the deuce have you
| been hiding yourself all this time?
! Everybody at the Bad is wondering
what has become OF you. Allow me to
Introduce my friend, Maj. Topp, of the
Blues, whom I've Just had put up at the
/ Sad. Topp, Lord Chestnut, whom l
! hope you'll know better 10y and by"
The two men bowed; then something
! in the faces of the others caused Lord
! Chestnut to turn HIS wife was stand
/ ing two or three PAGES behind him draw
ing On her gloves, and must have heard
every word lie rose to the occasion
Taking Margcry by the hand he led her
forward. "Gentlemen, my wlie-Lady
Chc5nunt,' he said in clear, resonant
tones On any ordinary occasion he
would. as a matter Of course, have omit
ted the title, but this was not an ordinary
occasion.
~ on pulled through splondidly," he
laid 10 Margery little later. But,
say, what nerve YOU must have! lou
changed color for moment, but that
was al II you had been Countess of
Chestnut for twenty years you couldn't
have done the thing III better style.
Her ladyslIip put her arms round her
husbands neck and kissed him tenderly.
Il cannot love you more as Lord Ches-
hunt than did when you were plain Mr..
Gascoigne' she said. And she spoke
the truth, for her husband had won his
way to her heart by this time and few
people could have been more surprised
at the fact than she.
Little more remains to be told.
The rector, after writing dignitied
rebuke to The young people IN reply to
ms daughters note informing nm OF
her marriage, allowed himself to be
tor al lG hA lsln q