The Dickinson press., 1892-01-30
LOVE FOR A DAY.
CHAPTER v1I-cowr1SuEp.

at is never too late to mend" he said,
II have often wished that you could give {
little OF your time and attention to char
ity."
"Why did you not tell me so?" she asked
eagerly.
when every one wakes to the realities O.
life. Your time had not come.
II shall never be so careless again. ! feel
Is though all these years l had truly been
asleep" said Lady Yorke.
Then they discussed what was best to be
done. Lord Yorke suggested that one Of
the pretty cottages built on modern prin-
ciples which stood outside Woodheaton
should be given to the poor woman rent
to allow her so much each week until she
could earn money herself.
"You must remember one thing,
Louise" said his ~lordship, that
you will meet with many cases quite as
pitiful as this, and that it will not do to
give all to one"
The next time he met ME he took my
hand and held it for a ome in his. He
looked at my black dress.
"From your own SORROWS, said, you
have learned to feel for others. Heaven bless
you!"
Then I knew that he was we'll pleased
I had tried to draw his beautiful young
wife from her ~self-worship and interest her
In Others.
The next evening, at dessert, she looked
critically at some fine grapes that were on
her plate. Two days earlier she would have
sent them away; now her eyes sought mine,
and l knew she was thinking, What would
little sick Annie give for them?"
1t was a small beginning, but it led to
greater things, Gradually Lady forke
woke from her long letharey. She began
IN iptoraSt berSelf in har own servants to
understand that they had pleasures and
sorrows. She lost much of her Incidence.
She was no longer content to spend the
greater part OF the day on q couch. She
thought more of the widow and orphan in
their desolation. of the sick and ailing who
wanted help, ofthe hungry who wanted
food.
SO life passed on at Westwood, and no
great change came until spring. To me
every birthday, every Christmas Day. were
Is milestones on the way to heaven. AS l
passed each, l was nearer to Mark.
Again the lilacs were in bloom. They
were not so plentiful or so beautiful as at
Gracedieu, but the sight and the fragrance
!ofthem brought back iorcibly the remem-
tell the sharp pain that pierced my heart
Yorke was fond d lilacs. While they last
cd she would have them in the rooms. l
never told her what the sight OF them cost
me.
The keeper of the west lodge having
found a better situation, Mrs. Clinton, with
kindness. went to live there By Lady
Yorke's wish l visited them almost every
day, the lilacs grew all round the west
lodge---tall fine trees, with a wealth Of fra
grant blossoms. Mrs. Clinton, who could
never do enough for me, had gathered some
ofthe finest sprays; and one morning, when
l went to see her, she held the punches OF
lilac bloom close to my face.
See, MISS" she said, chow fresh they
are!'
i'll had seen one risen from the dead, /
could not have grown more sick at heart.
went home sad and weary. Here was the
world waking up again to the beauty and
glory Of spring, and my heart Was sinking.
my hope was dead. Ny lover, to whom my
dead. What could spring, sunshine, or
bloom OF flowers say to me? As l walked
home and saw the yellow primroses shin
ing like stars in the grass, and the bud
bursting into leaf l sobbed aloud. l feltso
tired of waiting. Itsome angel-hand would
but draw me up to heaven and place me by
Marks side, oh, my love. how l loved
you'll AN the beauty OF earth, the fairne.s
OF spring, the brightness OF life, were as
~ASt 49, y. ~ 5
with mel!
There were times like these when my
courage failed me, when my heart ached.
and could only weep and
call on II who would heal
me nevermore. 1t was the sweet odor Of
the fresh lilacs that had brought Mark SO
wildly back to me. / could see his face,
could hear his voice, his warmstrong hand
seemed to clasp mine--and he was dead!
As / entered the house l met Lady Yorke
In the hall.
"Will you come to the library, Miss
Chester" she said. II have some letters !
must answer. and some for 20 l to write"
When we were seated the. 9. and she had
made those inquiries about the sick chile
which she never omitted, she showed me g
bundle ofletters.
ave will have a large party here soon,'
she said. ''This morning l had a letter
from Lord Severne. We met him and Iii,
wife last year in Italy. and | made hin
promise that ours should be the first house
In England that they would visit. Lord Sew
erne is a great tavorite Of mine. You have
"No,"I replied. The man was quite
1t was a very old title, Lady Yorke told
me. but the present successor had com
quite Unexpectedly into it.
II must say" continued her ladyship
that l have been a most Indifferent mem
Der o fsociety. No one has ever seemed te
Severene. He is very handsome, but ter
ribly melancholy. He never smiles lik,
any one else"
Finding that it pleased Lady Yorke to
speak OF her friends, 1 listened with in,
terest. l banished the lilacs aud Marx
from my mind: they were oftime past:
ave met the Severnes in Florence
1oIu Vorko Uanf on t.opl hnfh INV hr,o
band and myself liked Lord Severne very
much; but we were not so agreeablyim.
pressed by his wife. We were very
intimate with them, and went on,
with them almost every day. Lady Sew
creme is quite unlike her husband. He il
earnest, grave, with a strange veil o
most me.a' animated asaAy the o'I gay "sst and md IS mos .n'
brilliant woman 1 have ever met. Sh'
tired ME in all hour, and l amsure she tiret
her husband too. He liked to talk quietl,
with me. He is the only man," she con
tinued, "who has ever really reused nj,
curiosity"
"Why?" I asked.
because he appears too good a man te
looks like a man with some heavy troubl
on his mind. am sure you will like him
Miss Chester, but l am not sure whe,hel
you will like his wife. She has such
strange name too"
"What is it2 l asked. I had never heart
Lady Yorke say SO much about any Twin!
creature. "LuIline," she replied. Nov
can you fancy any sensible woman with
name like that?"
"Her name is her misfor'un not he
fault" 1 said. ~ like it, Lady Yorke. l
Is ianciiul and uncommon"
ut is like herself" declared her ladyship
"Well. Miss Chester, we must have a part.
to meet them. Lord Severne himself doe
not care about society, but Lady Severn
lives for it only. We must nave plenty Q
visitors, and plenty of gaycty to anus
her"
"she is a troublesome visitor" 1 said
"Yes; but she is a power in hersel.
She is one of those women VIII
sweep all before them. I.or,
Yorke could only compare her t
a w%hirlwind. Yet l cannot imagine no,
she has persuaded her husband to return t
England. When We were in Florence. sh
said nothing would induce her to live il
this climate. We will ask Lady Mar,
Avon and her brother Sir Charles to NEE
them. Lady Severne is more than amatcl
in conversation for any six gentlemen a
once"
as she a firt?" 1 asked.