People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-11-29
CHAPTER IT.

AhC hONo VI Lulu LdtllllcI D ludt
riage and return spread like wild-fre
over the country; nothing else was
spoken Of.
1T will be good for us and good for
the poor" said my father: lord
Latimer is very generous.
But l noticed one thing-my father
never spoke of any other quality OF
the earl. He was generous, and he
attended church regularly-two fine
qualities.
Our children were all on the qui
vive to see the new lady of LOTIONS
Cray. We heard that the old lord had
suddenly returned without having
given one moments warning, bringing
with him his young wife and her
lady's-maid. She was beautiful, they
said, as an angel, her hair glittered
like gold, and her face was fair as the
dawn of the morning. She wore rich
dresses of strange texture, and rare
jewels. Some said she was proud and
capricious, others that she was most
loving and gentle. Every one gave a
different opinion of her, and she had
made different impression on every
person who had seen her-from which
fact my father argued that she must
be wonderful woman.
Lord Latimer rode over to see nv
father the day after his arrival, an act
of attention which delighted him. He
behaved most generously-he gave
him check for the poor, check for
the church; he promised to assist with
some alterations on which my father
had set his heart; he inquired after
the number Of children at the vicar
age, smiled when he heard there were
six boys; he was-and we all liked
him best for that-mOst amiable and
agreeable to our dear mother; he
spoke of his wife, said the Journey
had tired her, and that she was not
quite well-but there was a curious
tightening of the lips as he spoke of
her.
The next day was Sunday, and we
were all interested, knowing that we
should see Lady Latimer at church. l
need not say that our family pew was
a sight to be remembered. Nine
healthy, happy faces ornamented it.
am sorry to add that the conduct of
the inmates was not always above sus-
picion. If Bob looked particularly de-
vOut, or Archie collected and calm, |
knew that a dire catastrophe i'm
pended. 1t is not in boys nature to
remain quiet for more than ten min
utes, if for so long.
| am ashamed to confess with what
longing of impotence we awaited the
coming of the LOTIONS Cray party to
church. Bob, who excelled himself
in wickedness that morning, was busy,
l could see, making a caricature on
one side of the leaves of his prayer
book. Archie was making a desperate
effort to become possessed of it. Mil
lie, seated between the two belliger-
ents, had a terrible time of it, and
looked ready to cry.
l had just restored order when they
came. l saw something that looked
to me like a vision of grace and lowell
ness floating up the aisle of the old
church. l saw rich silk and velvet
sweep the ground, priceless lace fall
in perfumed folds, jewels CLEAN here
and there; in the breathless silence
the soft frou-frOu of the rich silk wGs
distinctly heard.
| did not see her face until she was
seated in the pew and all the excite
ment incident upon their coming was
over; then looked at her. | loved
her that first moment; | have loved
her ever since, and | shall love her
until | die.
In what words can | tell the dainty.
marvellous beauty of that fair young
face, the perfection of its features, the
loneliness of its cOloring? 1t was the
perfection of fair and brilliant beauty.
A low, white brow, round which
golden rings of hair clustered, shining
rings of rich, rare gold; delicate, level
brows, dark, beautiful eyes, a mouth
that seemed at once all good and all
sweetness, delicate chin, perfectly
mOlded-a face that, once seen, could
never be forgotten.
TO BE CONTINUED.