Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-05


more; the dissraceful way in which you
daughter was treated under INV roof
must be my excuse. -
'Still it is unwise-my daughter
only young girl, and l cannot per
NIT
''Mrs. LOTUS, - interrupted Gilmore
as Mrs. LOTUS hesitated and paused. a.
am sure you cannot suspect me of any
thing but honorable motives in comm,
here-I came to ask your daughter to b.
my wife. -
little startled exclamation burst
from Nancy s lips at this announcement
which certainly had not been made tC
her; and Mrs. LOTUS delicate fact
flushed deeply.
1t is great honor to Nancy - she
said falteringly; "but your mother
my mother has nothing whatever Ia
| do with my actions, and the way she
treated Nancy was enough to disgust any
man. In fact, there is just one request |
have to make, if Nancy here Will honor
me by accepting me?' and Gilmore
ardently caught Nanoy's little hand in
his. land this request is that nv
mother should know nothing of our en-
gagement until after our marriage
which hope Nancy will permit to be
very soon?''
81 think that L had better leave YOU
TWO to settle your own affairs - smiled
Mrs. LOTUS. ''Thank you, Lord Gill
more, for your generous and noble con-
duct to my child. -
Well, have you turned him out?''
asked Aunt Fannie, eagerly, as Mrs.
Lotus re-entered the dining-room.
Hush, Fannie, You do not under
stand, " answered the proud, fond
mother, whose dark eyes were wet with
tears. she came to ask Nancy to be his
wife,
81 will never believe it, - began Aunt
Fannie, positively
1t is fact, nevertheless, - said
Mrs. Lotus, with mild triumph, r'and
their marriage will take place very soon,
believe-Lord Gilmore has behaved
very noblY.''
Aunt Fannie was speeches. for some
minutes after this. and sat with her ewes
fixed with a stony expression of utter |
astonishment; then presently she aroused |
herself.
cit is very odd thing, - she said |
nodding her head sagely, "but do |
you remember Lucy. what 1 said to you |
about Nancy, when it was first fixed |
that she had to go to Lady Gilmore 's?"
No, Fanny, what did you say?''
1 said that girl was sure to make a
good match-there, and you see 1 have
been right, though of course 1 never
thought OF her entering the peerage-it's
ust wonderful, and her poor father
you'd have been proud and happy man
he had lived to see this day!"
we ought all to be very, very thank
uI' said Mrs. Lotus, gently; and no
words were ever more truly spoken from
! woman's heart.
And in the golden days that followed
ars. Lotus had no reason to change her
lrst opinion of Gilmore. He almost
wed at the little house In West Hamp-
teao' and seemed never happy when
,anoY was out Of his sight. She was
rs last new toy IN fact-the sweetest,
ne dearest one-he told himself and he |
'as really and truly in love with her,
nd he did not regret the words he had
poken to her mother, almost without
onslderation, which had plighted his
roth to Nancy. He had seen. in fact
hat he would lose her unless he married
er, and he was ready to make any sac
flee rather than do this.
And Nancy? She was a blitbe and
Apply maiden IN these days, with her
andsome lover by her side, and a bright
lture lying before her, athwart which
D shadow seemed to fall. Their engage 3
ent by Gilmore's wish was kept a pro- d
'und secret from all but the memberst
the family, and even when Lady BIen-
snsop wrote most severe letter TO
ancy-havfng heard Lady Gilmore's
ory-by Gilmore g request she made no
ply to it.
Tnese letters, however, had one effect,
ey made Gilmore most anxious to be
arrled immediately, and they made
anoy and Mrs, Lotus, also desirious
at Nancy's real position with Lord
lmore should be known. Gilmore had
her and private reasons also for haste
d secrecy about his marriage. and
eretore just two weeks after Nancy -
been SO ANONYMOUSLY sent home
I'm Wrothsley, very quietly one early
'rning, Hugh Clifford, third Lord Gill
IRE, was married to Nancy LOTUS in A
, parish church. q
Aunt Fannie behaved most generously pc
the occasion, and presented eIO0 to
happy bride, and her bridegroom
'ish hand provided her with everything
could require. But none in the
eet or the neighborhood knew that the
rriage was going to take place except
clergyman who married them until
vas over, nay until the bride and
degroom were actually gone. ~
'ut before he left Gilmore wrote a ins
Ter to his mother to tell her that all ma
words and warning had been in
n. ID
Dear Mother,'' he inscribed in his y
ze, scrawling handwriting, ftI did w
reply to your letter before because
used in it certain very unjust ex- 81
ssions of the girl to whom was then 81
aged, and to whom l am now mar me
!. l was married this morning to ter
10y Lotus, and 1 mean to take her
pad for year or more, and hope by -
time of our return you will be recon- w
to my choice. 1, for one, am will ant
to let by-gones be by-gones, and | cha
k We had all better bury the hatohet,
you see you did not act very wisely in II
ling Nancy out of the house, when III
viii return to it as its mistress. the
sse keep the diamonds 1 gave her p psn
ly until she requires them. With Ho1
to the children, in which Nancy woE
), remain yours sincerely, tim tim
HGILMoRE. -
There, will that do, my little one?', IN
aid, handing this letter to Nancy vor
r he had written it, and we may be NOR
her smiling rosy lips thanked him t Iosl
lis words. n r1niS
49, Lee A.. | -,