Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-12-04
THE TURNED

proud, imperious face of tie stately
lady before her, Il have told you that
do not love Mr.. Arnold, and | shall
never marry man l do not love-"
Mrs. Langley shrugged her shout
ders, and smile of disdain fitted
over her lips.
Love! Bah! | had thought that
you were above such nonsense! Love
is but fantasy of the brain--a school
girls dream-a delusion. Vera
want you to yield to my wishes in this
matter. Marry Warren Arnold, and
you will be the richest woman in all
Cleveland. He is millionaire twice
over; he is of good family and-"
land old and ugly, and altogether
horrid!' interrupted the girl, vehe-
mentlY. Aunt Langley, | would
sooner dier
"There-there is some one else!"
cried Mrs. Langley. harshly. II be-
lieve-no, surely Vera, you cannot
care for Barry Greyp A poor clerk,
with only his handsome face to recon-
mend i'm, He is no match for you.
You are both too poor to venture up
on marriage, my dear-you would
starve."
':My Grey is gentleman, return
ed the girl, her dark eyes flashing;
land he is the very best man [ have
ever known in my lie. In every
way unexceptionable, save that he is
poor. Aunt Langley, we can wait.
We are both young, and Barry has all
the world before him where to
choose"
Mrs. Langley looked disguised.
you are madm she said angrily.
ii did believe better things of you,
Vera, but I see that | am going to be
disappointed in you after all. Well.
marry Barry Grey and live in poverty
all your life. l wash my hands of all
responsibility
Vera turned away and went out into
the garden which lay green and smil-
ing around the pretty home of her
aunt with whom she lived For Vera
was poOr--poOr and beautiful Mrs.
Langley had long been convinced
that with her face and manner the
girl should wed a fortune.
land here she has fallen in love
with Barry Grey's handsome facet"
calculated that lady, There never
was such madness before. If I could
only do something to break up the
delusion-tO separate these tWO,"
She pondered long and WE'LL and at
length a diabolical scheme came into
her head. She wrote a letter to Vera
in feigned hand, and signed the
name of Ellen Grey. This letter i'm
formed Miss Vera Leigh that she was
the dupe OF a designing villain; that
the writer Of the letter was Barry
Grey's wife-his lawful wife-to
whom he had been married some
three years previous while absent
from the city. 1t was a cruel plot
and Mrs. Langley little dreamed of
the strange consequences that were
destined to ensue.
Poor vera! She read the letter, and
sat like one stunned by the awful and
unexpected blow. She made no conf
dante of her aunt, but instead she did
what that lady had never counted up
on her doing. She carried the letter
straight to Barry Grey himself. and
laid it in his hand. The young man
"a noble-looking, dark-eyed young
felIow-read the forged letter with
intense interest When it was fin
ished he started to his feet with a low
cry.
"Vera, my darling, this is cruel
forgeryn' he cried. ''Of course you
do not believe it? Look me In the
eyes. Vera, and tell me you do not be-
lieve it, bu0 that you trust in me and
care for me as of cold"
Something in his honest face and the
expression of the deep dark eyes went
straight to the girls heart, and she
could only bow her head,
Il believe you" she said simply.
A few days later Mr.. Arnold made
Vera a formal proposal Of marriage,
and was quietly re- ected. His face
grew l1v1d with wrath.
You love that puppy, Barry Grey!"
he cried; "Dut you shall never marry
him. l swear it, for-''
But she had turned coldly away and
left the room, and he saw her no
more. He left the house in silent
wrath, with a dogged determination
that she shoulo yet he his wife, by
fair means or foul.
After that he prosecuted poor Vera
until life began to be burden. Mrs.
IanOleV was his allV and hetwaan tho
two the poor girl was nearly driven
wild Add to it all, Barry had left the
city, having been summoned to dis
tant State upon business, and Vera
had no one to sympathize with or pro
tect her. At last the end came. War.
rem Arnold put in an appearance i
Mrs. Langley's drawing-room OF
evening, aud finding Vera there alone.
once more urged his obnoxious suit.
She listened, pale and speeches. with
anger and Indignation. At last she
summoned her aunt,
Aunt Langley" she cried desper-
ately. 'if this persecution does not
cease L shall leave your house. Bet
ter to work as servant in some ones
kitchen than to submit to the indigni-
ties which | endure herer'
.'But, Vera"-Mrs. Langley's tone
was soft as sllk-.'why do you object
so bitterly to Mr.. Arnold? He is so
wealthy that you will never need to
work, if only you consent to marry
HMM