Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-30
CHAPTER w.

The prospect of a visit to the Larches
most agreeably occupied Lena and
Bertha DaltOn's minds during the few
weeks that elapsed after the invitation
arrived. When the happy day came at
last, the day of escape from London
and its [, lis and cares, full of spirits,
they took Their seats in he railway
carriage, Lena dreaming of conquest
and the possible attainment of her de-
sircs, Bertha of the delightful meeting
with kind old friends, and the welcome
change and release from mOnOtOnouS
round of duties.
Mrs. Dalton was the widow of a
naval officer. Captain Dalton had done
good service in his time, and had been
much respected. During the latter
years Of his life he had been disabled
by wound received during the Crime
an War. IL had not at first appeared
serious, but 1t had gradually impaired
his strength, until, after some years of
struggle, he had been compelled to re-
tire. On this he settled with his fami-
~ near Plymouth, where Mt length he
suCcumbed TO his injuries, about three
years prior to the visit to the LarChCS
of the Misses Dalton.
He had married when already arrived
nj middle age, attracted by the pretty
Face and captivating manners of the
girl he made his wife, to find out too
late that but a small amount of heart
or intellect lay beneath the captivating
exterior. Not that Mrs. Dalton was i'll
any way nnamiahle; she was merely
shallow, silly, and sclf-indugcnt.
With these qualities, il was scarcely
To he expected that she would prove
either a sympathetic companion to her
Ia 4 L -
affairs. Every farthing she could
wiring from him went to meet what she
considered her necessary expenses, and
often debts were incurred which endan-
Ecrcd the peace of the household. For
tnately, however. Captain Dalton,
though not Sef-seckiug, was prudent.
lie had his daughters future welfare
to consider: SO, when he died, Mrs
Dalton found herself in possession of
an income that ought tC have satisfied
her requirements.
Captain Dalton, with ether property,
had inherited small old-fashioucd
house in st. Johns Wood-a house for
which it had not been easy to find
tenant. Ivy Cottage being vacant at
the time of her husbands death, Mrs.
Dalton determined to take up her
abode there, perhaps for once in her
az NNillA q W lNt AliliiEs
The elder of the two daughters, from
beinr n lovely child, petted and fondled
by all about her, had grown up to be a
beautiful woman. That Mrs. Dalton
loved her elder daughter more than her
younger she would have vehemeutly
denied. But she was proud of Made
lima. She looked upon Lena as the one
who was TO retrieve the fortunes of the
family. Lena would be sure to marry
well, said the dotlng mother; and Lena
was consequently educated solely with
n ,,CW To that end.
The duty Of disposing of herself in
the best market being early impressed
upon her mind, Lena easily acquired
the lesson. Self-indulgent, like her
mother, she had more talent and more
strength Of character, mheriting under
calm and soft exterior somewhat Of
her fathers indeNibllity of will. She
soon outgrew her mothers weak con-
troll, and regulated her life as she chose,
without much consideration for others.
Bertha was her fathers favOrte. He
had wished to educate his daughters
himself, but, rs Lena's tastes lay in a
direction where he could not guide, he
was induced to place her at school. In
his little Bertha, however, he found
first IA intelligent and dOcile pupil, and
atterward rs his hCa tn became worse,
the most attectIonate and interchangeable
of nurses.
Bertha felt her fathers death keenly.
1t was her first great sorrow. She had
never been much thought of by her
mother and sister, excepting as one
necessary to their comfort, one whom
they could not do without-and Bertha
had never been i'll the habit of thinking
much of herSelf-but she felt very deS-
olate when they first moved to st.
Johns Wood, without the dear protec-
tor and companion who had made the
happiness of her childhood.
Mrs. Dalton s income ought to have
sutliCed, bat Mrs. Dalton could not do
with the one good old servant who had
ACCOMPANIED them from Plymouth.
She found it absolutely necessary to
have parlor-mald. Then ii was eS-
sential that Lena should be stylishly
and hecomingly dressed, and, rs Lena
could not go out by herself, she must
also be well dressed to accompany her.
She must subscribe to Nudes, because
she would be bored to death now that
they saw so little company, unless she
had all the new novels; and suhScrip-
ton To the Botanical Gardens was also
advisable, where she and Lena could
walk at pleasure. All these items. and
many more, such as her two glasses of
good sherry daily, and her cream for
coffee and tea, We're nothing, she ar
gued; but altogether they amounted to
something: and, to Mrs Dalton's alarm,
she found, Notwithstanding their being
in mourning, that her expenses during
the first year of her widowhood had eX-
ceeded her income.
There was nothing they could re-
trench in-absolutely nothing, she said
10 Lena-and it was then a bright idea
struck her.
Bertha was a good musician; she
played brilliantly on the piano. sung
well, and as her father had never al
lowed her to acquire any accomplish
ment in a merely perfunctory manner,