The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-08-13

u
which resulted thus, however, had
its good effect in checking the bitter
ness of their rivalry; and they re-
peated her speech to their relatives
and acquaintance with hilarious
| frequency and.publicity that the lady
little OWNED, or she might have
| b)ushed and felt moreemb Embarrassment
still.
In the course of time the position
resolved itself, and the heauteous
Lady Penelope (as she was called)
made up her mind; her choice being
the eldest of the three knights, Sir
George Drenghard, owner of the
mansion aforesaid, which thereupon
became her home: and her husband,
being pleasant man, and his family,
though not SO noble, OF as good re
pute as her own, all things seemed to
show that she reckoned wisely in
honoring him with her preference.
But what may lie behind the still and
silent veil of the future none can fore
tell. Inthe course ola few m onths the
husband of her choice died Of his con-
vivialities, Gas if, indeed, to bear out
his name, and the Lady Penelope
was left alone as mistress ofhis house.
By this timeshe had apparentlyquit
forgotten her careless declaration to
her lovers collectively; but the lovers
themselves had not forgottenit, and,
as she would now be free to take a
second one of them, Sir John Gale
appeared at her door as early in her
widowhood as it was proper and
seemly to do so.
She gave him little encouragement
for OF the two remaining, her best be-
loved was Sir William, OF whom, if
the truth must be told, she had often
thought during her short married
life. But he had not yet reappeared.
Her heart began to be SO much with
him now, that she contrived to con-
vey to him by indirect hints through
his friends that she would not be dis
pleased by u renewal OF his former
attentions. Sir William, however,
Inexperienced her gentle signaling,
and from excellent, though mistaken,
motives of delicacy, delayed to in
trude himself upon her tor a long
time. Meanwhile Sir John, now ere
ated baronet, was unremitting, and
she began to grow somewhat piqued
at the backwardness OF him she Sc
cretly desired to be forward.
''Never mind" her friends said Jest
ingly to her, (knowing of her humor-
Gus remark, as everybody did, that
she would marry them all three if they
would have patience.) "Never mind;
why hesitate upon the order Of
them? Take 'ein as they come"
This veXed her still more, and re-
GREETING deeply, as she had often
done, that such a careless speech
should ever have passed her lips, she
fairly broke down under Sir Johns
importantly and accepted his hand.
They were married on a fine Spring
morning, about the very time at
which the unfortunate Sir William
discovered her preference for him,
and was beginning to hasten home
fron a forei en- Court to declare his
unaltered devotion to her. On his
AIRY al in England he learned the sa d
truth,
If Sir William suffered at her pre-
cipitancy under what she had deemed
his neglect, the Lady Penelope herself
suffered more, She had not long
been the wife of Sir John Gale before
he showed a disposition to retaliate
upon her for the trouble and delay
she had put him to in winning her.
With increasing frequency he
would tell her that, as far
as he could perceive, she was an
article not worth such la Dor as he
had bestowed in obtaining it, and
such snubbings as it had taken from
his rivals on the same account.
These and other cruel things he re-
peated until he made the lady weep
sorely, and well-nigh broke her
spirit, though she had formerly been
such a mettlesome dame By degrees
ltbecame perceptible to all her friends
that her life was a very unhappy one;
and the fate Of the fair woman seem
ed harder in that it was her own
stately mansion, left to her sole use
10Y her first husband, which her sec
OAN htbu CulClCu l1CC anu NctS tulOV-
lng, his being bnt a mean and inca
gre thing. 81
But such is the fippaney offriends,
that when shs met them, and secret
~ eonfded her grief to their ears,
they would say eheerily; s.Never
mind; there's q third to come yet!''-
at which 1nalodroit remark she would
show much indignation, and tell
them they should know better than
to trifie on such a 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 was blamed
tor her foolish choice by some people.
Sir William, however, had returned
to foreign cities on learning the news
OF her marriage, and had never been
heard Of since. @
Two or three years ofsuffering were
passed by Lady Penelope as the de-
spised and chidden wife of this man
Sir John: amid regrets that she had
SO greatly rnic t.,C Lon hin, on1 .;,,L =