The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-10

| Or w lill;tn departed without enterln
the house, and she returned to Sir John
chamber. He rising from his pillow, sai(
''To whom hast been talking, wife, in tn
courtyard? p? heard voices there
She hesitated, and he repeated the que:
tion more impatiently.
II do not wish to tell you now" sal
she.
"But | WOOL know said he.
Then she answered, "Sir William Her
Wy"
"By c.! | Thought as much, erie,
Sir John, drops of perspiration standin:
on his white face. "a skulking villain
A sick mans ears are keen, my lady.
heard that they were lover like tones, ant
he called zee by your Christian name
These be your intrigues, my lady, when
am off my legs awhile"
"On my honor cried she, "you do m,
a wrong. swear | did not know of hi,
coming"
"Swear as you will, said Sir John, "a
don't believe 'ee" And with this he taunt
ed her and worked himself into a greater
passion, which much increased his illness
His lady sat still, brooding. There was
that upon her face which had seldom been
there since her marriage, and she seemed
to think anew Of what she had so lightly
said in the days of her freedom, when her
three lovers were one and all coveting her
hand
II began at the wrong end of them, -
she murmured. "My God-that did l."
"What ?" said he
Nothing" said she. Il spoke to my
self only"
1t was somewhat strange that after this
day, while she went about the house with
even a sadder face than usual, her churlish
husband grew worse, and what was more,
to the surprise of all, though to the regret
of few, he died fortnight later. Sir VIII
liam had not called upon him as he had
promised, having received a private COM
from Lady Penelope, frankly
informing him that to do so would be mad
yisable by reason of her husbands temper.
Now when Sir John was gone and his
remains carried to his family burying-
place in another part of England the lady
began in due time to wonder whittier Sir
William had betaken himself. But she
had been cured of precipitancy if ever
woman were, and was prepared to wait her
whole lifetimess a widow if the said Sir
William should not reappear. Her life
was now passed mostly within the walls,
or in prOmenading between the pleasaunce
and the bowling green, and she very seldom
went even so far as the high road which
then skirted the grounds on the north,
though it has now and for many years been
diverted to the south side. Her patience
was rewarded Of love be in any case a
reward), for one day, many months after
her second husbands death, a messenger
arrived at her gate with the intelligence
that Sir William Hervy was again in Cas-
and would be glad to know if it
were her pleasure that he should wait upon
her.
1t need hardly be said that permission
was joyfully granted, and within two
hours her lover stood before her, more
man than formerly, but in all
essential respects the same man, generous,
modest to diffidence, and sincere. The re-
serve which womanly decorum threw over
her manner was but too obviously artificial,
and when he said, "The ways of Providence
are strange" and added after a moment,
'tand merciful likewise" she could not
conceal her agitation and burst into tears
upon his neck.
''But this is too soon" she said, starting
back.
"But no" said he. "You have passed
eleven months in widowhQod, and it is not
as if Sir John had been a good husband
to you"
His visits grew pretty frequent now, as
may well be guessed, and in month or
two he began to urge her to an early union.
But she counselled little longer delay.
"Why?" said he. "Surely | have
waited long Life is short; we are getting
older every day, and l am the last of the
three"
"Yes," said the lady frankly. "And
that is why would not have you hasten.
Our marriage may seem so strange to every
body, after my unlucky remark on that oc-
casion we know so well, and which so many
others know likewise, thanks TO talebear-
ers,"
On this representation he conceded a
little space for the sake of her good name.
But the destined day of their marriage at
last arrived, and it was gay time for the
villagers and all concerned, and the bell:
in the parish church rang from noon til
night. Thus at last she was united to the
man who had loved her the most tenderly
of them all, who but for his reticenct
might perhaps have been the first to wiz
her. Often did he say to himself, "HoW
wondrous that her words should have beer
fulfilled Many truth hath been spoken
in jest, but never a more remarkable one.
The noble lady herself preferred not tt
dwell on the coincidence, a certain shyness
if not shame, crossing her fair face at any
allusion thereto.
BIt people will have their say, sensitive