The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-14
[Copysight, 1895. by the Bacheller Syndicate

Mrs. Blake that he new Lady Peach
really was a lady. and SO she proved to
be when Rosey and l called upon her.
which we did the first of the three
days on which she was announced to
receive.
We found her quite young and exceed
ingly pretty, with curious, shy grace
that was not a little out of keeping
with the more than middle aged man
who was her bridegroom. l liked her
and SO did Rosey, who was not always
easy to please about people. and who
was possessed of n feeling that the
match had more of money than of love
about it, a thing to which my wife was
strongly opposed. But we both liked
young Lady Peach, and perhaps what
made us like her most of anything was
the half shy air of Difference with
which she treated her elderly husband.
AS for him-well, he watched her
moving about the room with an air of
anxiety mingled with pride such as
was quits pathetic. Isn't it a wonder
at last. when our eyes happened to
meet, that a pretty young thing like
that should have taken an old hulk
like me for her husband? Why, she
might have had the pick of the town.
In truth, | fully agreed with him, al
though | should not like to have said
50 in plain words, for even parsons
must study the conventionalitites lit
tie, and not so saying plump outright
just what is in their minds. SO. IN
stead of saying that it was wonder
full thing that pretty girl and per-
feet little lady, as she was. should have
chosen to marry such a plain. homely
sort of man, as he was, | went i'm for
a little mild prevarication. and said that
doubtless Lady Peach knew her own
mind best
We got used to young Lady Peach
after a time, and as she never seemed
to be the least unhappy. gave up con-
jecturing as to the why's and wnere-
fores of her married life. Rosey, in
particular. gave it as her opinion that
there was no romance at all. no story,
and therefore that no further pity need
be wasted on her.
My dear joe" she remarked. one
evening, when we had just come home
from a big dinner at the Peaches;
depend upon it that Lady Peach was
like good many other girls-a lady
tired of keeping up position on moth
ing. There are plenty of girls brought
up with everything that makes posi-
tion, who have to count the cost of
every pair of gloves they buy, who
hardly ever know what it is to have
nice, fresh frock; who positively don't
know the luxury of having a few spare
shillings In their pocket, and if a real
good match happens to come along
they accept 1t thankfully and never
know the higher glory"
| looked at ROsey in an admiration
which was almost Speechess. | ad-
mired her always-she was so versatile
and 50 original in everything that she
did. and In the way that she did every
thing. And | think that / admired
her most of all when she waXed elo-
quent. as she sometimes was apt to do
when she was particularly interested
in her subject.
"Rosey.' | said. finding my voice at
last: am l to-to-understand from
that that you look upon me i'm the light
of the higher glory?"
Joe. you ridiculous old thing" she
cried. half Indignantly. mo, Sir
meant nothing of the kind-of course
not. Don't try to squeeze out compl
ments where none We're intended. You
know perfectly well what | mean, and
! shall not condescend to explain my
self any further"
OF course l did know just what she
meant, and l agreed fully with every
word that she said. So we gave
up thinking about Sir Thomas Peach's
young wife-with any special interest,
that is.
by the by" Rosey said to me that
very night, did you see Joe, what a
lovely diamond star she was wearing?
Sir Thomas gave it to her for the first
anniversary of the day on which they
met 1t is "a beauty"
| had noticed the star, as 1t was
the only ornament that she had worn,
and ! had seen that. girl-like, she had
glanced at it every now and then as 1t
sparkled and scintillated on the
left side of her bodice. I did not Won
der at the pride with which she looked
at 1t, for ii was q beautiful thing, and
would have turned the head of many a
woman much older than she was. But
we never saw Lady Peach's diamond
star again, and what became of 1t was
a mystery which remained a mystery in
NOrthtowers for many days after this.
1t happened not many days after this
that we met the Peaches at another
dinner a big civic affair at the mayors
house | noticed that Lady Peach wore
a pink dress. and it was the first time
that ! had seen her in the evening
dressed in anything but white.
thought. too, that she was looking a
little absent, even worried, and | saw
her look along the table in her hus-
bands direction as If she We're uneasy
about him.
However. as the evening passed on
she seemed to have recovered her spir-
it's again. and when we men went to
Join the ladies l found that she and