Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-08-27
CHATTER VII.

II was the close of the season. Many
people had left town, but festivities
were still on. To stranger the season
might have seemed at its height. The
Armours were giving large party III
Cayondish square before going back
again 10 Grcyhope, where, for the sake OF
Lali aId her child. thoy intended 10 re
main during the rest of the summer III
preference To going on the continent or
To Scotland. The only unsatisfactory
feature Of Lali's season was the absence
Of her husband Naturally there were
those who said strange things regarding
Frank Afmcur's stay in America, but II
was pretty generally known that he was
engascd i'll land speculations, and his
club friends, who perhaps took the
pleasantest view Of the matter, said that
he was very wise indeed, If "A little COW
ardly, in staying abroad until his wife
was educated and ready 10 take her
sition in society. There was one thing
OH which they all agrced-Mrs. Frank
Armour either had mind superior TO
the charms of their sex or was iucapa-
bic of Nrat vanity which hath many
suitors and says, $50 far shalt thou 20,
and
The fact is, Mrs. Frank Armour's
mind was superior. She had only one
object-to triumph over her husband
grandly, as a woman righteously might.
She had vanity, Of course, but it was
not ignoble. She kept one thing III
view; she lived for it. Her translation
had been successful There were times
when she remembered her father, the
wild days Oh the prairies, tie buffalo
hunt, tracking the deer, tribal battles,
the long silent hours of the winter and
the warm summer nights when she slept
in the prairie grass or camped with her
people in the trough Of great land
wave Sometimes the hunger for Its
freedom, and Its idleness, ana it, sport
came to her greatly, but she thought OF
her child, and she put it from her. She
was ambitious for him; she was keen to
prove her worth as wife against her
husbands unworthiness. This perhaps
saved her. She might have lost had her
life been without this motive.
The very morning of this notable re-
ception General Armour had received a
note from Frank Armour ; solicitor say
ing that his son was likely to arrive IN
London from America that day or the
next Frank had written to his people 10
word of his coming. To his wife, as We
have said, he had not written Tor months,
and before he started back he would
not write because he wished 10 make
what amends he could IN person. lie
expected to find her improved, OF course,
but still he could only think of her AS
an Indian, showing her common prairie
origin. His knowledge of her before
their marriage had been particularly
brief. She was little more in has eyes
than a thousand other Indian women,
save that she was better looking, was
whittier than most and had finer features.
He could hot very clearly remember the
tones of her voice, because after iaar-
riage and before he had sent her to Eng
land he had seen little or nothing of
her.
When General Armour received tie
news of Franks return, he told his wife
and Marion, and they consulted togc ther
whether it were good 10 let Laii Lnow
at once He might arrive that evening.
II SO, the position would be awkward,
because it was impossible to tell how IL
might affect her If they did tell her,
and Frank happened not to arrive, it
might unnorve her SO as to make her
appearance i'll tine evening doubtful.
Richard, the wiseacre, the incxhaus;i