Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-21

Trtyelyan had moved Up tie church.
stately. graceful, proud. her cheeks
as white SIS the snowy flowers she
carried.
Only once had there been a change,
when Wilfred-her darling. for whom
she had given more than life-at
parting threw his arms about her neck.
and seemed as though he could
scarcely let her go; then her rigid calm
had nearly broken down. Quivering
from head to foot. she had chung to
him. yet fearless. striving to regain her
, partially lost se~lf-control. when she
heard without the soft melodious voice
that yet seemed to go through every
nerve like a knife.
"Clara. the carriage is waiting: are
you ready?"
Then she had started away, cold,
calm, NICE more.
"My lord and master!' she said. with
a slight emphasis on the words which
gave an indescribable irony to her
clear tones: and she went from the
room without one looking back.
And now n year had passed away,
and. after travelling on the continent
for that time. Sir Lionel ~Stanhope and
his young wife We're back at the Castle
for the autumn. Guests and enter
tainments Were to be received and
held; and Clara was glad of these, be-
cause she would have little time to
think. She had lot even Wilfred with
her now-for he had gone with a read
ing-party to Switzerland-and her
father was abroad for his health: so
she was quite alone.
This was the day of their arrival at
the Castle. There had been quite a
little crowd of people-tenants and
hOliday-folk from the country round
to give the master a welcome home
the master who, naughty and reserved
: with his equals, was ever yet gracious
and kind to his interiors; and then
there was a small dinner-party at the
Castle in the evening-Lady Trent,
Sir LiOnel'S elderly cousin, and her
fair daughter, Dora, and three or four
county magnates; for there were no
visitors yet at the Castle besides these
two relatives.
Clara was in her dressing-room.
ready to descend, except for the jewels
which would put the finishing touch
to her dress. Several cases lay ulpon
the toilet-table. She had opened them
one after another, and had not made
a choice. DiamOnds-the suite she
had worn on her wedding day-the
Stanhope diamonds, Scintillating in
! +I11S, -11r-0+ IOI- ,-,la, A. ,a-, e
the waX-candles that surrounded the
, table-emeralds. rubies, a sapphire set
hat her husband had given her-she
did not know what to wear-she had
10 one to please. Lionel would like
! her to look beautiful; but that was no
incentive; and she turned away list
lessly at last. and went and stood by
the hearth, looking with fixed gaze
into the fire that burned therefor the
September evenings were chill on the
! coast.
It vas the Clara of a year before
in form and feature, tall and slender,
with all her girlish grace-a little more
stately and proud of carriage, perhaps;
but all the old happy light that used
~ pAot IA ILL., LII .
over the girls face, had long since
died out of the large eyes; instead, lay
a deep, settled, enduring shadow. The
+ firm lips, habitally compressed, were
painfully grave in expression; when
they smiled the smile never reached
her eyes and passed quickly; and
! Clara's old mirthful laugh belonged
to the old days.
For Clara's whole life was an inward
dumb protest against the bitter wrongs
that had turned it to misery. She was
not of that nature that would mold
itself APPLY to ill-fitted circumstances.
She was naughty and passionate, per-
haps a little resentful even. She could
never forget that the man to whom
she was bound, as she deemed, passed
over with quiet Indifference the love
that should in honor have stood be-
tween him and his will-had treated
it as a girls foolish fancy, as nothing
to stand in his-Lionel S~tanhope's way.
She had never spoken Of it to him,
either before Or after their marriage.
She had told him coldly and calmly
enough that she had no love to give
him, and never would ~have-that he
knew her motives, and could not ex-
pect devotion. And as quietly to her
who could not then read the passion
ate heart which beat beneath that dire
, reservoirs coldly he had answered:
81 can wait, Clara
i 1t was hard, oh! it was hard to re-
, member that she was wedded-set
apart forever from the love to which
her heart yet chung with such bitter
~yearningi 1t was hard to do battle
with thought and memory, with duty
alone for champion. Sometimes her
thought passing oyer years, and seeing
! before her naught but a trackless
! waste, shruDk bcak appalled, at what
might await her there. And so, fright
ened, she lived from day to day in
thought. Perhaps, if it had not been
for that which barred the very idea Of
love for her husband, Clara might have
learned to read Alright the man who
could never stCop to win love. To nat
ures so reserved a caress offended, a
pet name given, is even at times an
effort when love is assured; to Lionel
Stanhope it was well night Sn impos-
Sibility when he knew there was no
love for him-even shrinking instead.
Ho u,aS ouar oant1a t~hoTph+fu kind