The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-12-13


! way. he would rate me soundly for it fol
the next three days. l wonder what
/ news that letter could have contained t.
infuriate him as it did. Do you know,
! he is always terribly provoked when he
rides like that"
Il do not. neither does Aunt Constance.
! | should like TO read it though, would
not you?"
"Yes: | wonder where he put it?'
sIn the drawer Of his bookcase, where
h. keeps letters not answered. ] wish
/ could unlock it, but the key has gone
down the carriage way in the old gents
! pocket. !" replied the untilial girl.
swell, since YOU express wish TO see
| it, perhaps | can aid you. See. this key
| looks as though il might fit any lock. F"
/ returned the young man. readily enough
| falling into the suggestive mood OF his
{ sister
Laughing at the impulsive mood OF
/ her brother. the young girl turned
/ quickly with him, and both glidcd with
| stealthy steps toward the library and
| their uncle'S desk.
The key fitted; fact Robert well
| knew. as it was not the first time it had
/ been tried by the unprincipled nephew,
! and the following letter, written in a
| hand evidently feeble from sickness, was
| eagerly read, then as quickly returned
| To its hiding place. and the drawer re-
! locked. as they had found il.
! On the envelope was written. ITO he
/ sent To Sir Reginald Glcndenning, Bart,
! after my DEATH"
sir Reginald Glendenning:
| Ny DEAR BRoTHER-You will doubtless be
! surprised to receive this letter from one who
! has been - many years separated from her
I family, in consequence of having married,
! secretly, the man of her choice. Allow me
! merely to say that when you read this, the
! sister tia, you once loved will have passed
I away. and. therefore. she trusts that all
/ hard feelings that her marriage may have
! occasoned IA marriage that was happy
/ one until the bond was severed by the death
p! of the devoted husbandD Will be buried for
! ever. Brother, | write To you now in order
! to crave favor ut your hands. My only
| child died in infancy. and Just twenty and a
| half years ago, /. with the consent OF my
| husband, took charge of a little girl of gem
/ tie blood and some pleasant future pros
| poets, and gave her the love of a true
| mother. On her twenty first birthday she
! will be at liberty 10 open certain documents
! laid aside for her, and then Will come into
possession of her own property. for some
! little awaits her majority. Until then
after my death. she will lie friendless and
alone. Now, | ask If you will care for her
until that date October - is reached? Can
She not in some way be of service to you.
and thus compensate for her board and
trouble? Do this for me, my dear brother;
be kind To and care for my dear Ethel, ano
my dying gratitude will be yours. Your af-
fectionate sister, GERTRUDE.
"Of all impudent proposals, that is the
climax" calculated Belle. Indignantly.
Take her into his own family, indeed.
| | will bet the mink don't come here, if
can help it. She is no earthly relation
TO him"
Your opinion will not be asked. sister
mine, " returned her companion in evil
deeds; land you must remember that YOU
are supposed to know nothing Of the con-
tents of that letter. But do not be
! alarmed. Our relative looked too much
like thundercloud TO be cajoled into re-
cciving her here"
"lcs: that is true. 50 we need not be
anxious" was the girls reply, as She
fastened from the library.
Need We stop now, after relating such
| scene, To describe the wholly heartless
characters Of these relations of Lady
Constance Glendcnning?
lndulgrd from infancy by their own
parents a. much rs by the Lady Con-
stance. whose whole affections had cen
| tered upon them. in consequence Of the
cold manner Of her moody, passionate
husband toward herself, il is not 10 he
wondered At that they developed with
each year selfish and umamia BILE DISPOSE
Sti0ns under her fooliShly fond sway.
until at last they demanded a. Il right
the Indulgence of every whim or ca,
price. even at the expense Of honor or
the wclfar" Of those around them.
As for Lady Constance. Ter naturally
amiable disposition had grown hardened.
| Life with her yiolcnt-tcmpered husband
had proved anything but pleasant, and
aS she finally saw his ugly features of
character being Initiated by these chill
drcn under her charge. she became
morbdly Indifferent and cold IL such a
degree that her nearest relatives could
scarcely recognize in III" proud Lady
! Constance t,lcndenning the once light
hearted and gay Young cousin, whose
society was 50 much sought in former
years by the three brothers before their
fathers death. when life had been 50
different for each.
All. little had those brothers dreamed
III those gay. glad. youthful days, Of the
hard and cruel future that lay before
two. at least. Of their number,
This morning Lady Constance felt un-
usually diSpiritcd.
Her apathetic heart had been moved
| tn" night before by Singularly vivid
! dream. III which She had met once more
hrr never forgotten early lover. and the
face of Sir Arthur had appeared in that
midnight hour with all the realnc>S Of
! life. while She seemed 10 hear him wall
! III despair:
"Dh. Constance. Constance"
Starting from this dreary sleep, she
| tossed rc>tle>sly until morning. and
| then. after rising. found that the i'm
! preston made upon her mind had not in
| the least vanished.
Uron being 80 roughly addressed at
I rii, break fast hour she had with diff
| Guilty restrained her tears. aud when
] once more alone. in the retirement Of
her own apartment, she sank upon her
knees aud weeping bitterly, meancd:
"oh. Arthur. why was | 50 unfaithful
10 thy precious memory? Why did |
/ forget thee So soon. my own. my own?
! Nretchcd, guilty woman that / have
, been, Ia wed for a title and Inheritance
! 50 unfeeling and h"artless man as |,
| alas, have done. Oh. God. forgive this
| my sin. and grant me peace with thyseli
! after my weary life is ended"
I Long and bitterly she thus wrestled
! with her own heart, never stirring from
| her loNly posture. until she was sudden
| " aroused by Mortified scream from
! lips she knew TO be Bellies. while a
! strange call in tones Of anguish for
! Aunt Constance" caused her 10 rise and
I open the door. where She. too. was star
] tied TO see the whole household assem-
! hed in the halls, and then the first
knowledge of some awful calamity fell
/ upon her heart.
To BE CONTINUED
Were Not Full.