Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-11-08

ing at my young friend here. Are you
going, Mr.. Venning?''
began to be afraid that had made
a goose Of myself. And Lord Saintsbury
was looking SO solemn. Perhaps that
was because he was in the ministry.
''Mrs. Waldo" he began, as soon as
Mr.. Venning had disappeared, "don't
repeat that little story about-the-th
lady with the primulas. IT,
''My dear Lord Saintsbury, why
mayn't 1? love little anecdote, and
this is such a thrilling one
"But you would not like to cause
pain, I am sure. :"
"And you think Miss Linthrop so very
thin skinned that she cannot take lit
tie chaff?''
sit is not on her account that am
speaking. You may Or may not have
heard that Miss Charcote was not
Kurz's first wife. No? Well, she was
not. His first wife was girl of the peo
ple-some said nursemaid, some a
peasant. Itreally doesn t signify VIII ich.
At all events, she was neither a lady by
birth nor a person of education. After
time he grew tired Of her. His father
died, and he came into money. He be-
gan to go i'll for society. He met Miss
Charcote. One night-it was at the
Grand Opera i'll Paris-she was seated
for some time in Lady Jane Charcote's
box His wife was alone i'll the loge op-
posite. What she saw Or thought don't
know, but when he returned to her she
complained Of feeling very tired, and he
suggested that they should go home.
She tainted On the staircase and was
carried into their brougham. That same
night she died. It was very sudden and
rather mysterious. -
"Good gracious! Did any one suspect
the baron Of having poisoned his wife?"
''Not that I know Of. But they did
say that his neglect had broken her
heart. But to come to the point Of my
story. The first baroness Kurz-Rosine
was a faiy, blue eyed woman, with
passion for primulas. In Paris, where
she had no acquaintance and was only
known by sight, and by many people
was not supposed to be Kurz's wife, she
always went by the name of the lady
with the primulas. That is why was
startled and upset by what you told me.
That was why was distressed that the
flower should have been mentioned in
Kurz's Harrington hear am sure he
did,
It was my turn to feel distressed
distressed, but at the same time wildly
interested. Twas just going to ask Lord
Saintsbury whether he had ever known
Rosine personally, when Mr.. Venning
reappeared, and at the same moment I
noticed that while we had been discuss
ing the first Baroness Kurz her successor
had disappeared from the opposite box
had left the house probably, I thought,
bored by the dizziness of act 1.
"Spch an awful thing has happened -
Mr.. Veuning's face was pale, and his
voice sounded low and hoarse. "Kurz
has fallen down dead, just outside the
omnibus box"
"Good gracious, how dreadful! But
very likely he has only tainted. %
Mr.. Venning shook his head. "Cleve-
land met him looking ghastly-you
know he does sometimes. And he asked
him. Are you i'll, Kurz:' And the 9TH
er just stared at him and muttered:
True, true! She has come for me, and
fell back dead. )"
started to my feet. "Mrs. Waldo, I
must go home. Please let me. Don't
you come, butt
my dear child,'' and her voice
sounded a shade harder and 1ouder than
usual, "don't make a scene, please.
Our visitors had vanished at the bare
mention of such possibility, ever
dreaded and held in adherence by the
sterner sex.
''But cannot stay. Didn't you hear?
He is dead''
Mrs, Waldo stared at me with look
Of derision on her handsome stony face.
"But you did not know him. 1t is not
customary for young ladies to make
scenes over the death Of a man they
never knew. Such things are not done."
"Ah, but you don t understand. Isaw
her.
"Her? Whom?''
''The lady with the primulas-his
first wife. She came to fetch him. He
eaid so-you heard -
"My dsar child, what nonsensel You
were dreaming, Of course. Hush! We
must not talk any more now. We must
listen. :"
And the curtain rose upon act a.
st. James Budget.