Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-03-21
CHAPTER III,

"Not Only the Dream Destroyed"
II was all oyer-the dream of her
young life, the bright, happy days, the
love that was a sin now. 1t had been
! a brief agony--a fierce wrench from the
old life--a step from glrlhood into
blank, dreary world, where she stood
woman, with all her life before her,
full of an amending struggle for duty
with one narrow path. lined with
! thorns, to tread, and from which she
might never turn her eyes to right or
F, left, to glance at the flowers she might
once have gathered. never stretched
out her hand to touch the golden fruit
Of which once her lips had tasted.
/ 1t had been brilliant wedding. Half
the county had been guests: many
more came over to see the marriage
of Sir Lionel Stanhope The brides
dress and veil and Jewels -herself the
fairest jewel Of all, the center or all
olservation-ha been criticised, adj
mired. ROBBED In sheeny satin, flash
ing with diamonds that gave back a
Thousand lights 10 the sun. enveloped
in filmy cloud of lace through which
her long hair glistened like gold, Clara
Trevelyan had moved up the church.
stately, graceful. proud her checks
as white as the snowy flowers she
carried.
Only once had there been a change,
when Wilfred-her darling, for whom
she had given more than lifeat
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 10 foot, she had chung to
him, yet fearless, striving to regain her
partially lost self-control, when she
heard without the soft melodious voice
that yet seemed TO 80 through every
nerve like a knife.
"Clarr the carriage Is waiting; are
you readyT
i Then she had started away. cold,
calm, once 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 once looking back.
j And now one year had passed away,
and, after travelling ON the continent
for that time, Sir Lionel Stanhope and
his young wifeIwere 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 not even Wilfred with
her now-for he had gone with a read
ing-party to switzerland 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 peopletenants 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
Castle in the epening-Iady TreDt,
Sir Lionel's elderly cousin. and her
fair daughter. Dora, and three or four
county magnatcs; for there We're no
visitors yet at the Castle besides these
two relatives.
Clara was in her dresslng-room,
ready to descend except for the jewels
which would put the finishing touch
to her dress Several cases lay upon
the toilet table. She had opened them
one after another, and had not made
choice. Diamonds-the suite she
had worn on her wedding day-the
Stamhope diamonds. scntillating in
their velvet beds under the rays Of
the way-candles that surrounded the
table-emeralds, rubies, sapphire set
that her husband had given her-she
did not know what to wear she had
! no one to please. Lionel would like
her to look beautiful: but that was no
Incentive; and she turned away list
lessly MT 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.
1t was the Clara of year before
/; in form and feature, tall and slender,
, with all her girlish grace-a littse more
, stately and proud of carriage, perhaps;
but all the old happy light that used
, to play, like sunny rays in summer,
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
Claras old mirthful laugh belonged
/ 10 the old days
|, For Clara's whole life was an inward
, dumb protest against the bitter wrongs
that had turned 1t to misery. She was
: not of that nature that would mold
itself aptly to ill-fitted circumstances.
She was naughty and passionate, per-
haps a little resentful even. She could
never forget that the man 70 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
|, 1t as a girls foolish fancy, as nothing