Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-02-15

pv. him to in winning her. With increasing
frequency he would tell her That, as Tar as he
could perceive she was an article not worth
such labor as be had bestowed in obtaining
it. and such suubbings as be had taken from
| his rivals on the same account. These and
other cruel things he repeated till he made
| the lady weep soreiy, and we'll nigh oroke
her spirit. though she had formerly been such
| q mettlesorae dame BY degrees 1t became
| nereentibls to all her friends that her
| life was q very unhappy one; and
| the fate Of the fair woman seemed yet
| the harder in that it was her own stately
mansion left to her sole use by her first hus-
| band. which her second had entered into and
was ENJOYING, his being but a mean and mea-
ger thing
But such is the flippsncy Of friends that
when she met them and secretly coniided her
grief to their ears, they would say cheerily,
.sNever mind; there's third to come yet,
at which maladroit remark she would show
much Indignation, and telbthem they should
know better than to trife on such solemn
theme. Yet that the poor lady would have
been only too happy to be the wife OF the
third instead of Sir john, whom she had
taken, was painfully obvious, and much she
people. Sir William, however, had returned
to foreign cities on learning the news OF her
marriage, and had never been heard of since.
Two OF three years of suffering were passed
by Lady Penelope as the desp;sed and chidden
wife of this man Sir John, amid regrets that
she had so greatly mistaken him, and signs
for one whom she thought never to see again;
till it CHANGED that her husband fell sick Of
- n-,a Il oft
when she was sitting il his room, looking
| from the window upon tho expanse in front,
she belleld approaching the house on foot
form she seemed to know well. Lady Pene-
lone withdrew silently from the sick room
| and descended to the hail, whence, through
the doorway, she saw entering between the
| two round towers, which at that time thanked
the gateway, Sir William Hervy, as she had
| surrnised but looking thin and travel worn.
| She advanced Into the courtyard to meet
| him.
81 YVES passing through Casterbridge," he
said with faltering difference, land walked
out to ask after your ladyshlp's health. L
| felt that could do no less; and, OF course, to
pay my respects to your good husband, my
| HERETOFORE acquaintance. But ., Penelope,
thst look sick and sorry"
! i am nearC SICK. tudJ Sstiu Slie
They could see in each other an emotion
which neither wished to express and they
stood thus q long time with tears in their eyes.
He doesn't treat zee well. hear" said Sir
William in low voice. MAY God in heaven
! forgive him; but it is asking great deal!"
Hush hushr' said she hastily.
"Nav, but will speak what may honest
" saw he answered II am not under yonr
| f,oa IL 4 %
wait for me, Penelope, or send to me more
/ overt letter. | would have Travelled night
and day to Gomez
''Too late, William; you must not ask it,"
said she, endeavoring to quiet him as in old
times. "My husband just now is unwell. He
viii grow better in day or two maybe. You
must call again and see him before you leave
/ Casterbridge."
AS she said this their eyes met. Each was
! thinking of her lightsome words about taking
them in turn; each thought that two-thirds
OF that promise had been fulfilled. But, as
| if it were unpleasant to her that this recollec
| ton should have arisen, she spoke again,
quickly: ''Core again in day or two when
nv husband will be we'll enough to see you"
| Sir William departed without entering the
house, and she returned to Sir Johns cham
Der. He, rising from his pillow, said: ITO
whom hast been talking, wife, in the court
yard. heard voices there"
She hesitated, and he repeated the question
more impatiently.
~ do not wish to tell you now" said she.
'But WOOL know!" said he.
Then she answered. 'Sir Henry Hervy"
"By G.! 1 thought as muchI" cried
| Sir John, drops of perspiration standing on
! 81, IL, I,;,, -
mans ears are keen, my lady. heard that
they were loverhke tones and he called ZEE
| by your Christian name. These be your in
! trigues, nay lady, when l am off my legs
awhile!"
ION my honor" cried she. 'you do me a
wrong. l swear did not know Of his COM
! ingp
Swear as you WILL" said Sir John, 81
don't believe 'ee." And with this he tainted
| her and worked himself into a greater pas
| sion, which much increased his illness His
; lady sat still, brooding. There was that upon
her face which had seldom been there since
her marriage; and she seemed to think anew
of what she had so lightly said in the days of
her freedom, when her three lovers were one
and all coveting her hand. Il began at the
wrong end of them,n she murmured. MY
! God-that did l."
'What:' said he.
Nothing" said she. 81 spoke to myself
only"
| 1t was somewhat strange that after this
| day, while she went about the house with
even q sadder face than usual, her churlish
| husband grew worse; and what was more, to
| the surprise of all, though to the regret of
| few, he died fortnight later Sir Wiiiiem
had not called upon him as be had promised,
| having received a private communication
| from Lady Penelope frankly informing him
that to do so would be inadvisable, by reason
| of her husbands temper
| Now when Sir John was gone and his re-
mains carried to his family burying place in
another part Of England, the lady began in
due time to wonder whittier Sir William. had
betaken himself. But she lad been cured of
| precipitancy Of ever woman -were), and was
| prepared to wait her whole lifetime widow
| if the said Sir William should no. reappear
Her life was now passed mostly within the
walls, or in promenading between the pleas
aunce and the bowling green; and she very
seldom went even 50 far as the high road
which then skirted the grounds on the north,
though it has now, and for many years, been
| diverted 10 the south side. Her patience was
| rewarded Gf love be in any case a reward:
for one day, many months after her second
husbands death, u messenger arrived at her
gate with the intelligence that Sir William
Harvey was again in Casterbridge, and would
be glad to know If il were her pleasure that
he should wait upon her.
1t need hardly be said that permission was