The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-03-03

! thought this should he to tho numerous
persons who love choice bit of scandal
above everything. That De Vieuzac and
Beauchamp had had a mortal quarrel;
that they had been within an nee Of slit
ting one another's weasands in the good
old fashioned style; that tl,c7 had only
been paciied by the joint yertions Of
Lord BraclSncll and the rel, cr's humble
servants; and that scene Of ie most dis
tresslng and dramatic nature had taken
place subsequently between Lady Brack-
nell and her incensed husband--tbese
things were known all over the house be-
fore l left my bed room the next morning;
and when made my appearance | found
my fellow guests upon the tiptoe OF joyous
excitement and curiosity. II they gained
no further information from me, it was
not for want Of asking for it; nor,
imagine, would the appeased rivals have
escaped cross-eXamination, had not those
gentlemen wisely sought safety In flight,
They must have journeyed up to London
| by tho early express together; and l
should much have liked to hear what they
conversed about by the way, hut had no
opportunity Of making inquiries as TO that
until the whole subject had ceased to in
terest me.
However, that may not seem to exalt
myself unduly by affecting n superiority
TO the weaknesses of my neighbors, will
confess TINT was most anxious TO obtain
some account Of the lecture which Brack-
nell had doubtless administered to his
wife; because ! thought 1t likely that this
had been expressed In fine, forcible Eng.
lish, such as one Is always glad to listen
TO in these days of roundabout phrases
and involved construction. Ny hostess,
looking rather hard ut me, informed me
that the Bracknells were leaving that
morning; 80 that was obliged to bolt my
breakfast in terrible hurry. For, after
all the trouble that ] had taken in the
matter, should have been truly vexed
had been denied the satisfaction of see-
ing her ladyship's face before she de-
parted
AS it fell out, was privileged not only
to see her face but TO hear her voice; and
! don't know when / have enjoyed any,
thing more than the interview Of ten
minutes or no which she was pleased to
accord TO me In the conservatory, where /
discovered her. A deeply discounted
woman was she that day, and bitter were
the reproaches with which she assailed
me.
"This has been your doing from first to
lastn she exclaimed GAN the misery
and disgrace that may come Of 1t will lie
at your door,"
And when replied that accepted the
whole responsibility and gloried in it, she
fairly lost her temper-a thing that was
not usual with her-declaring that that
only showed what an empty headed, con-
eeited idiot ! was, "You think yourself
so wise that you must needs have n finger
In every ones business. ] should very
much like To know whom you 1atter your
self that you have benefited this timel
Not your friend, Jim Leigh, at all events;
for, mark my words, Mr. Beauchamp will
60 straight of and propose to Mildred
now | need not tell you that she will
accept him For all her demure airs, she
knows the value Of a large income as well
as anybody. As for me, you have GER
tainly done me an Ill turn, II that Is any
satisfaction TO you--whch | suppose it Is.
For the Inst five or six years have shown
you every possible civility; igve had
you to dinner again and again when you
bored me to death, and have introduced
you into lots Of good houses which you
know very well that you would never
have entered but for me- Naturally,
therefore, yor hate me, Why you should
hate Bracknell don 'tknow; butyou have
very eilectually ruined him. Alfred Beau
champs marriage means bankruptcy 10
him-nelther more nor less than that. -
She must have been very angry to use
such candor. you admit then, dear
Lady Bracknell," " observed, "that your
purpose was to improve the family pros
poets by getting Alfred Beauchamp killed
out Of the way"
II adult no such thing she returned,
"and ! defy you to produce one atom Of
proof that wanted him TO fight M. de
Nieuzac. | will admit that flirted with
him II that shocks you, you are welcome
to be shocked, 1t don't shock Braeknell,
who knew quite well what | was doing
and why did It, That much he couldn't
deny last night, in spite Of all his raving
and storming,h
Ibid he rave and stormr | inquired,
with interest.
"Yes, he did He said such abominable
things to me that have very great doubts
as to whether will continue TO live with
him." IH
"You will wait, presume" said l,
"until you see whether there is any chance
Of his having anything to live upon"
| Why this remark should have exasper'
ated her cannot tell; possibly because II
expressed nothing more than the simple
truth. At all events, she turned upon me
quite fuuously. "You think 1t is safe tC
insult me, do yon 2' she cried, "You will
find yourself mistaken r have very
| good memory, and | am not likely'to for
| get what ! owe you. The day will come
when you will be sorry for having med
died with me-"
That day may come; but it has not come
yet, and | am still unrepentant ] believe
I am one Of the very few people who car
boast of having put Lady Bracknell into
passion.
She and her husband drove down to the
n