Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-06-25
LADY AYLMER,s TABLEAUx.

know Lady Aylmer.
WHAT! old Leslie Aylmer's wife
What lucky dog he is! By jove, she il
lovelvr
Yes. she's rather the rage just now
came only two years ago and was married
before the end of the season. See, there i
Leslie coming m" he continued indicat
ing u gentleman who had come to the
front Of the box they were observing-s
tall, gray looking man, with deep set eyes
ana kindly eyes.
AS solemn as ever.
And as much engrossed in the educa,
tion question He is devoted to his wife
in his bearish sort of fashion,"
Grantham shrugged his shoulder.
is puzziing the town. The fair fellow
taking to her now, is Karl Won Althaus
an attache at the German embassy.
Vernon gave him questioning glance.
AS | said, society is exercised in its
mind.
The lady in question was certainly very
pretty, small and dainty and magnonne;
| the only thing large about her was her
eyes-big, blue eyes. with a veil of dark
! lashes that contrasted we'll with the lily
complexion and the golden brown hair
that clustered around her tiny head.
Are you coming to our ball on the
fifth" said Karl, leaning towards her.
AT the embassy? Of course. Lore
! Aylmer is most anxious to be present, y
and she glanced mischieveousIy at her
husband who sat absorbed In thought.
Won Althans smiled a trif1e sarcaStically
and disregarding the raised act-drop con-
tinued his whispering conversation.
| Lady Aylmer's carriage!' shouted the
| commissioner some minutes later, as they
stood under the Lyceum porticn.
by the way, Herr Won Althans, may
we count on you for those tabeaux vi
vants?'' asked Aylmer as he closed the
door of the carriage.
II am looking forward to them with
great pleasure, and to say this he had to
lean forward until his head almost touch.
ed that of his fair questioner.
| toward Carleton Gardens, Herr Won Al
thans pondered and wrapped in her cloudy
peignoir with her maid brushing out her
long hair, Lady Aylmar pondered
also.
Her life was very sweet and pleasant,
| she thought, but there was an UncOmfOrt-
able feeling in her heart that this pretty
| lowered path might one day give way be-
meath her feet and reveal a quagmire. She
was no longer a child, though just out of
her teens, and she knew full well that fire
| has the property of burning and that the
scar it leaves never entirely fades
| Freda Meredith had been little more
than child when she married, and her
winsome ways and pretty caprices had
charmed Lord Aylmer's heart; he lavlshed
on her all that fancy could suggest and
she was utterly happy for whole year!
| Leslie Aylmer's political anxletles and
educational schemes possessed not one lota
of interest for his wife, but "every one
has his crack" as she put it, and
Leslie was just the dearest old bear In
creation!
All things created serve some useful pur-
pose, and do doubt there is some profound
and cogent reason for the female marplot
the woman who, with a shrug and a
smile, accompanied by an artistically
evasive remark, manages to turn happy
home into metaphorically bowling will
derness.
Such a one was the Hon Mrs Hilyard
Gu te at the beginning of this season she
| had nj tackled Freda at an lat home dur
ing the performance Of some musical
gymnastics upon a growing and painting
pIat.nfOrte.
You see, my child, Lady Ferrars is q
very accomplished woman, and wonderful-
| ly we'll preserved!'
But she must be nearly fortyr' gaspeo
Freda, plteously.
Beware of la femme de quarante ans
my dear; besides, it is very old-friend
ship, shall we call it? Lord Aylmer and Lady
Ferrars have known each other for many
years; it was a sort of compact, believe
that he should never marry; but who coulC
be proof against sweet seventeen, when /
possesses such eyes ?" she added, glancing
at Freda with smile.
do YOU mean that Lord Aylme
promised Lady Ferrars to remain unmar
ried?"
so it was always believed, but II
doubt they had a little misunderstanding
and then"
He married me out of piqne'
con! no; and very likely it was all PEG
pie fancy, for yon see they ar" the BEST 0
friel d. now Aud she waved \ fal
toward a cluseuse, where the two In qNes
ton sat.
Freda tried to put this conversation GU
of her mind, but thousand and one littl
incidents served to impress it more fxedl
on her mind, and insensibly it change
her. she had loved gayety before, bu
now she possessed an Unsuitable appetit
for it, and poor Lord Aylmer felt it rattle
a tax on his affection to fulfill the dali
and nightly heavy programme of engage
ments.
t You see, Herr Won Althans | war
!. these tableaux to be a startling success, AN
> | want you to be so awfully good as to III
dertake the stage management"
: Won Althans laughed softly. Il sha
he delighted" And long vista of tett
a-tete consultations and discussions stretch
ed before him, as he looked at Freda owe
his Dresden teacup.
There is the list of the people who hav
promised to act; don't you think W
ought to do very well?"
Very" said Karl, glancing down q
the scrap of pink paper she had handle
him.
Now, leave the selection of the tai
leaux vivants entirely to you; we will
all obedience itself"
Your confidence is most hattering.
am going to suggest one at once. W
must have Helen and Paris. You woul
make an equisite Helen"
Freda blushed. And the Paris?''
Il think | shall cast myself for tia
part" he said looking steadily at her.
She rose and went to the window. "Af
there is Lord Aylmer.'
us he interested in our tableaux?'
Il heartily know" she said careiessl!
as her husband entered the room.
! His work was ended for that day an