Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-06-25

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our Little Princess. who had been u
Jolly little tyrant, assure YOU, We
were all her most obedieut slaves. but
our efforts TO cut Ried out We're fruit
less, as She considered us only sec
ondary considerations
Il never saw fellow change rs Com
mandcr Ried did in tina, short time. Ne
Was full OF run, and the very esscuCc OF
gai'antry, outlying us in everything,
from tender sentiment to the brilliant
repartee for which he became noted.
The captain told us that he had always
been like that until the three years
past, when, without giving any reason
for II, he Mad become the distant. Gym
zeal fellow he had found him.
The Princess used to insist uron
helping the surgeon dress his burned
hands every day, and she was his de
voted nurse unIl he W.. nearly well.
then she tormentSd the life nearly out
of him by drifting with the rest NJ MS.
! confess to having been ono Of the vic.
Tins myself and had quite sharp
wound from that quarter, but the little
rascal only laughed At me when | told
her So Rted used to look savage when
she made eyes ut any OF us, and | think
she dearly loved to torment him, al
though they invariably made up after
the fashion of all lovers"
Where is he now" asked Mrs.
Traynor III voice unlike her own.
bob turned quickly to look ut her as
the freight flashed brightly tor an in
slant. showing the pale, set face, with
eyes SO full of Jealous pain, they be-
trayed the secret she had so hraveiy
and successfully hidden that no one
had over thought the life she was lead
ing was not the fullest happiness she
had known, lie remembered then the
faint whisper OF how she had been
madly IN love with II young officer.
whom she had atterward tilted because
he was not rich enough to keep her In
the Injuries she felt she could not live
without, and how at the last moment,
she had given him up when the
wealthy captain sought her in mar, iagc.
and as she had seemed very happy as
his wife, the gossirs had made up their
minds that she had not cared for the
young lieutenant, after all Alas! poor
Isabella, after three long years Of
struggling to forget l'ob's story had
reused all the slumhering pain she had
suffered In giving up love for wealth,
and she was filled with the most in
tense hatred toward her rival, who had
come into the life and heart she had
left desolate by her dcsertion. she had
thought II impossible that he should
ever care for any other woman IN this
world while she lived, even though she
must be as one dead to him, and now,
in a moment Of passionate jealousy
she had betrayed her secret to Lieut..
brighton. The though was intolcrnblc
to her proud spirit, but Bob, with u
Chivalrous desire to show that the un-
spoken confidence was sacred, quietly
laid his hand on hers for an instant aa
he added
Your secret is safe, my dear Lady
isabella" said he gently raising her
white hand to his lips You can trust
to my honor that neither Clayton RE |
nor any one else shall ever know from
me that our captains wife Ia not the
happicst Just as she IL tho most charm
ing woman in the world"
You will tell me II YOU hear any
further news from him. will you not =
pleaded isabella in low voice, as shc
left the lieutenant to receive other
guests who were Just arriving.
Yes surely" h" replied, but he did
not keep his word, for in less than n
, month from that time he received II let
ter from Commander Ried, which rcnd
Richmond, Va, October IS, 1894
Lieut.. Robert Brighton u. 8. N.
My Dear Bob: Ior the sake If the
warm friendship between us during the
evcntful cruise from which we have
lust returned. write to tell you of the
coming event which viii make me the
happiest man in the country. You may
not know that soon after we landed
obtained leave of absence and started
at once for old Virginia. was wei
coined right royalty by tho captain and
swectly, though shyly, by his daughter
the Little Princess" | have been
there ever since, and tina, ! have made
good use OF my time you will say when
tell you that when ] leave shall take
with me the bolnIcEt bride that ever
the sun Rhone on none other than
Aline, only daughter OF Capt, John
Raymond, Of Richmond, Va.
Come down and act as best man for
me. The captain and Allne Eend you
a pressing iGytta!lon to their hospitabc
Virginia home and several pretty girla
viii be here to help entertain you
Let us know when TO expect you at
your earliest convenience, Regards to
all old friends. Yours, as ever
Clayton -. Ried.
Alas, poor Lady Isabella" said the
lieutenant to himself as he finished the
commanders letter. 1T Is really the
best thing that could happen TO her,
but I'll be hanged # can be the one to
tell her" he I'D led. as he carefully
folded and put the misgiyp AWAY