Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-12-20


turn, s'you must not forget you are
gentleman born, and our families were
friends in the years gone by
GA gentleman ?" repeated Paul disre-
gardlng the last clause in her sentence.
eyes, the son Of an obscure curate,
vagabond by adoption. And am | too
WOO dear Lady Disdainp Good God
You drive me mad -
Stella watched him blankly for
moment as he flung about the room,
then she threw herself on the lounge
and burst into hysterical tears. Natur-
ally this brought him to his senses at
once, and he patted and petted and
soothed and pacitied her until the
storm was over.
Thursday, October 1, dawned, but it
brought no prospect of the Ferris din
ing at Kensington.
There came instead small note
which read as follows:
No. 10 SALISBURY STREET, Oct. my
Dear Miss St01lhOpe: My sister is SO very
much worse to-day that it would be inn
possible for us to dine at your home this
evening. She desires me to convey to you
her regret and disappointment.
Yours, very sincerely:
PAUL FERRIS.
Margaret received it at luncheon time,
she turned to her huge mastiff who was
sitting bolt upright beside her, and thus
addressed him: "Christopher, | am
afraid your sex is hopelessly obtuse
Now what would you think of letter
like that, coming from an individual
whom you had known in childhood,
had played with, and squabbled with
hundreds of times?"
Christopher gazed at her fixedly and
solemnly thumped his tail as a dirge-
like accompaniment.
"Never mind, Christie, you love me,
anyway, don't you dear? There old
man, don't lick my face. You think |
am crying, don't you? but it is not SO, l
assure you. Why, Christopher, do you
think 1 would shed a tear for Paul
Ferris? Come, we will get ready and
60 to Stella, since she can not come to
us. An errand of love, my son, with
roses and jasmine for our offering
There were many such errands of
love in the ensuing week, for Stella
grew weaker day by day, and her re-
covery seemed far off and uncertain.
The poor child would fain have been
we'll. She would talk for hours between
spasms of coughing about the things she
would 90 and see, the books she would
read the places she would visit when she
would be better again
1t was Christmas eve that the end
came. There was sudden attack OF
hemorrhage, a message sent to Paul at
Her Majesty's theater, few hours of
hushed waiting, a little struggle-and it
was over. Margaret Stanhope was
there, and it was in her arms that
Stellas life fickered and went out.
Toward the last she begged Paul to
sing to her IN w 40 J..
sleep soon," she said YEARLY.
And Paul went to the piano in the adj
joining room and touched the keys
softly.
When he had finished he felt light
touch on his shoulder. He turned and
saw Margaret with the tears like rain on
her face.
''sne is asleep at last" she said,
brokenly.
When Margaret had done what she
could she went away and Paul did not
see her for months.
1t was better so, he told himself. Her
way was not his. Their paths lay far
apart and he could not attempt to bridge
the gulf between them. And so life
went on for him DULY, drearily, with
never break in the monotOny until
spring came. Then one morning he
met her on Regent Street. She was
just stepping into her carriage, but she
stopped him and gave him her hand,
and drew him aside for few moments
conversation.
81 am glad I happened to meet YOU"
she said. 81 wished to speak to you on
on matter of business. 1t is favor
am going to ask of you.
"No; do not be so rash as to grant 1t
beforehand, but promise to come to the
house tomorrow morning, and we will
talk it over. / shall be in until II
O'Clock Good-by for the present"
When Ferris was shown into Miss
Stanhope's drawing-room the next
morning he found it deserted. A cheer
FIJI fire was burning in the CRATE, the
sun struggled in through the lace cur
tains, and on the window-seats boxes of
snow drops were lifting their delicate
heads to receive the warm rays.
Margaret appeared very shortly and
greeted him with her usual frank kind
illness. She asked him to pe seated,
and after few commonplace remarks,
evidently made an effort to plunge into
the subject weighing on her mind.
81 asked you to come here because /
have something to say to you that con-
Germs us both-something that | wish to
ask of YOU" she began.
"Anything that | can do for you, Miss
Stanhope. You must know | am yours
to command"
at is rather difficult for me to tell
you now that you are here" she went
on, nervously.
"The fact is, Mr. Ferris, think of sail
mo for New York in a Fortnight and