Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-12-24
A WREATH OF ORANGE
BLOSSOMS.
CHAPTER I.

| CHAPTER I.
A blazing July day the hottest day tho
year had seen. The streets Of London
wore an aspect OF thorough laziness. and
pedestrians seemed to shuttle rather than
to walk along, so affected were they by
the suns rays. which poured with relent-
less fury upon the parchcd roads.
But although the streets were not very
busy, the parks werc--Hyde-p park es-
| pecially. Rotten Row was well filed with
the elite of the fashionable world, and the
side walks. as usual, held their hundreds
/ Of onlookcrs.
Among the promenaders was a tall and
stately lady dressed in black silk, and
whose face was concealed by a heavy
black veil, ,hrough which it was impos-
sible 10 penetrate.
Her hearing, proud and naughty in the
extreme. attracted the attention of num-
bers Of people. and many scores Of eye
glasses were fixed very carefully. in or
der, probably, 10 view her the better.
Up and down, down ard up, she walked,
| keeping her eyes well fixed on the Row,
and scanning every rider who passed.
Suddenly she paused against the rails,
clutched them tightly. and bent her head
forward.
AT the same moment, two riders, a lady
and gentleman, passed, chatting merrily,
and as they went up the Row, she looked
fercely after them.
Thus she stood until they had gone ont
Of sight. Then she inuttered in hard,
cold tones:
taken my placel Oh, my God! can this
he indeed! But let her beware! May
my most bitter curse rest upon you, Grace
Thornew
Now she moved away. and after pene-
trating the crowd Of oilers. passed rapidly
out Of the park.
No. IS, Queen square, Bromrton, was.
at the time Of our story. in the occupation
of Mrs. Danvers, widow Of Captain Dan
vers, and said 10 be worth considerable
amount Of money.
At No SS she resided with her daugh-
ter Ethel. "'rhe Dark Queen" as she had
been called 10y her schoolfelows on ac-
count Of her complexion and her proud
bearing.
Ethel was close rpon twenty years of
age, and more beautiful woman could
hardly have been found either in this or
in any other country.
She was in every way striking con-
trast TO her parents, for whereas her
father had been tender-heartcd gentle
man, with kind word for everyone, and
her mother was the same, Ethel was to-
tally different.
Her rule was not TO ask but TO COM
maud. The least thing would offend her.
and she did not have TO open her lips to
inform any one that she was offended !;
they could tell that by the flashing eyes
and the clenching Of the delicate hands
Al eighteen. Ethel had been introduced
70 society, and being a beautiful girl, with
plenty Of re.~>y wit. il IS no wonder that
She had plenty OF admirers, and more than
once she had bad, not only the opportuni-
iy Of marrying rich man, but also Of ac-
quiring title.
Bat all attention bestowed upon her
was useless; she was as firm as rock,
as cold as ice.
To ALI
No There was one whose presence
she sighed for--one whom she loved
most passionately, according TO her own
fashion--Cne for whom she would have
laid down her very life, and that one was
Rowland Saxby, the son and heir of Sir
Rowland Saxby, the well-known inventor.
But. alas for Ethel. Rowland did not
return that love. Did he know that she
entertained any love for hmi lie must
have known, for she showed il plainly
enough both by words ard looks.
lie was frequently present at Queen's-
square. but when there he always acted
as flicnd-nothing more. Ethel. praised
10y all the men. could not account for this.
She could not understand why il was
that she appeared to be unable to attract
Rowland TO her side.
She grew thoughtful ard listless, and
her mother noticed it. and became alarm
cd in consequence. One day she asked
Ethel what allied her, and after some
time, Ethel flinging herself upon her
knees, and burying her face in her moth
er's lap, sobbed out her unhappiness.
Her mother listened calmly aud attcn-
lively; and when her daughter had fin.
ished, she said, as she s;roked the long,
dark tresses:
"My child. all this is very. very foolish.
From what you say, il appears TO nc that
you would like to compel him 10 love you.
Why. my dear child. there are scores Of
men. in brilliant positions, who would on
ly be too ready 10 accept you. What is
this attraction admit that Rowland is
very handsome and all that, but il he
does not show any more attention to you
than to other ladies, why trouble about
himi Dismiss all thoughts o; him from
your mind, my pet. or it may lead TO
something wrong. For my part l viii
not invite him here again, and then you
will soon forget all about bim."
"No. nor cried Ethel, leaping TO her
feet. "Do not do that, mamma; l could
not bear i;T'
"It would be for your own benefit, my
dear"
.oh, no. must see him. His absence
would kill me-"
"Ah, Ethel, you have had but little ex.
perience in these matters. AS you grow
older you will grow wiser, depend upon
it,"
II believe in tha maxim which says
absence makes the heart grow fonder.'"
well. my dear. think over what have
said, and you will arrive at the conclusion
that ! am right
Ethel did think over 1t. and she arrived
at tho conclusion that her mother was
not right.
On the morning that VIC introduce Mrs.
panyers to the notice Of the reader, she
Is seated at the drawing-room window,
looking drcamily at the passing traffic,
but ever and anon she looks round at the
door Of the room as IL expecting someone.
AT last she gets impatient and, ringing
the bell. directs servant 10 send her
Alice. her daughters maid.
After short interval Alice appeared.
.Alice." said Mrs. Danvers, "is Miss