Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-01-02


the stone steps.
Sir Nicholas. who has come out to
meet him. gives him hearty hand
shake. and a smile that would have been
charming if it had not been funereal.
Altogether his expression is such as
might suit the dCath-beG of a beloved
friend. His cOuntenance is of an I'M
seemly length. and he plainly looks on
Godfrey as one who has fallen upon
evil days.
lie had left Mona in the morning at
GrOSyenOr, and had run down to have
it out with his mother and get her per-
mission to bring Mona to the Towers to
be introduced to her and his brothers.
This he preferred to any formal calling
on their parts.
You see, our own house is rather out
of repair from being untenanted for so
long, and will hardly be ready for us for
a month or two" he said to Mona; Il
think | will run down to the Towers
and tell my mother we viii go to her
for little while"
OF course this was on the day after
their return to England, before his own
people knew of their arrival.
Il shall like that very much" Mona
bad returned, not dreaming of the
ordeal that awaited her,-becauSe in
such cases even the very best men will
be deceitful, and Godfrey had rather
led her to believe that his mother would
be charmed with her, and that she was
more pleased than otherwise at their
marriage.
"Well, mother?" says Godfrey, when
he has gained her room and received her
kiss, which is not exactly all it ought to
be after a five months separation. lie
is her son, and Of course she loves him,
but-as she tells herself-there are some
things hard to forgive.
"Of course 1t was surprise to you"
he says.
sit was more than a 'Surprise.' That
is mild word, says Lady Rodney. 1t
was, and must always be, lasting
grief, she goes on, in low tone.
81 should have written to you about
it sooner" he says, at last, APOLOGIZE
cally, hoping half his mothers resent
mcnt arises from Il sense of his own
negligence, but | felt yOu would object,
and So put it off from day to day"
II heard Of it soon enough" returns
his mother, glOomily, without lifting
her eyes from the tiny feathered fire
screen she is holding. TOO soonl That
sort of thing seldom tarries. For evil
news rides post, while good news bats.
"Wait till You see her, - says GeOffrey
after little pause, with full faith in his
own recipe.
~ don t want to see her, " is the I'M
tlinching and most ungraciOus reply.
MY dear mother, don't say that, ;;
entreatS the Young man, earnestly, 60
ing over to her and placing his arm
round her neck. He is her fayorite son,
OF which he iS,uitc aware, and so hopes
on. "What is ii YOU object top
ITO everything! How could you think
of bringing a daughter-m-law of-of-
her description to your mother?'
"How can you describe her. when YOU
have not seen her?'
'She is not lady, says Lady Rod
ncy, rs though that should terminate
the argument.
at entirely depends ON what you
consider Il lady SAYS Godfrey. calmly.
keeping his temper wonderfully, more
indeed for MOna's sake than his own.
You think few grandfathers and an
old name make one, dare say it does.
1t ought, you know; though could tell
You of several striking exceptions to
that rule. But also believe in no
blity that belongs alone TO nature
And Mona is as surely a gentlewCman
blood of all the Towards was in her
VeinS.'
81 did not expect you would say any
thing else returns she, coldly. is
she quite without hlood?'
Her mother was of good family, l
believe
You believed" with ineffaDle dis
gust. And have You not even taken
the trouble TO make sure? How late in
life you have developed trusting dis
position,o
zone might do worse than put faith
in Mona, says Godfrey, quickly. "She
Is worthy of all trust. And She is quite
charmlng,- And the very pref
test girl | ever saw. You know You
adore beauty, mother imSinuatinClv.-
and she IS sure to create a Juror when
presented"
"Prcseutcd!" repeats Lady Rodney.
in dreadful tone. And would YOU
present low Irish girl 10 your sover-
elgn? And just now, too, when the
whole horrid nation is in such diSre-
pute?"
You mustn't call her names. YOU
know; she is my wife" says Rodney,
gently, but with dignity. woman
| love and honor most on earth. When
you see her You will understand how
the word low could never apply to her.
She looks quite correct, ana is perfectly
lovely"
You are in love, returns his mother.
contemptuoUSly. AT present YOU can
see no fault in her; but later on, when
you come to compare her with other
women IN your own set, when YOU see
them together, | only hope You will see
no difference between them, and feel no
regret"
Then there is another pause. rather
longer than the last. Lady Rodney
tritleS with the fan in 4 somewhat eX-
cited fashion, and Geotrrev gazeS. man.
like, ut his boots. At last his mother
breaks the silence.
us she-is she noisy?" she asks, in a
faltering tone.
Well, she can laugh. if you mean
that, says Godfrey, somewhat SUPER
ciljouSlv. And then, as though over
come with some recollection in which
the poor little criminal who is before
the bar bore humorous part, he Laws
his head down upon the mautel-piece
and gives way to hearty laughter him.
self.
I understand" says Lady Rodney,
family; feeling her burden is greater
than she can bear. ''She is. without
'
roariOuSly at everythirg,-no matter
What,-and takes good care her vulgar
lty shall he read by all who run"
Now. | can't explain why. but
never knew 4 young man who was not
annoyed when the girl he loved was
spoken OF as \ young woman GeOf-
ireN takes II as ueilberatc insult.
There is a limit to every thing-even
my patience" he says, not looking at
his mother. Mona is myself. and even
from You, my mother, whom | love and
reverence, will not take a disparaging
word of her.
There is a look upon his face that re-
calls to her his dead father. and Lady
Rodney grows silent. The husband of
her youth had been dear to her. in a
way, until age had soured him, and this
one of all his three children most close
ly reSembled him, both in form and in
feature; hence, perhaps, her love for
him. She lowers her eyes. and a slow
bluSh-for the blood rises with difficulty
in the old-suffuSes her face.
And then Geoffrev. marking all this.