Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-10-28
CHAPTER l..

OF the MiddleShire Avon, which here
makes bold and sweeping curve. The
stream has such languorous flow just
Mt this point; the river here spreads itself
into sI-h placid cxpanse, that one would
hardly credit the current with force
enough to turn watermill or drift a
barge. No one basking on the green
slope above this CLASSY stream, between
foreground OF bulrushes and back
ground of immemorial oaks. would sus-
pcct the existence of such place as the
great manufacturing town Of Brumm
within ten miles.
Yet although its smoke made no stain
upon the blue sky above yonder gray tow
ers, Brumm had an influence on the in
habitants of Lashmar Castle, and that
by no means pleasant influence; as wit
messed by her ladyship's temper upon this
particular morning, as she sat at break
fast in the oak parlor, with her stepson,
Lord Lashmar, and the Elton boy, her
son. Lady Lashmar had almost always
had her own way. and she had almost
always been happy. When it pleased
heaven to take her husband, after six
years OF married life, she bowed to the
rod. Lady Lashmar thought that Provi-
dence would have done well to take her
husbands afflicted son and to leave her
own boy fine healthy youngster to fill
the place which the deformed stepson
could never bold with proper dignity.
Yes, deformed. 1t is one of those
words which are hardest to say. The
old servants who had known Lord Lash
mar from his cradle said that his back
was little weak; but his stepmother
knew that his spine had been curved in
his infancy: q weakly child, born of an
ovcr-educated hyper-intellectual mother,
and a father who had lived not wisely
but too well. She knew that in the
years to come that bent back would get
gradually worse, that narrow chest would
invite the attack Of phthisis. She told
herself that Hubert, Lord Lashmar,
would never make old bones; but she
feared that he might live long enough
to marry and leave some sickly son who
should blight the prospects OF her boy,
Victorian. the very embodiment of ply
steal power and fresh, unblemished
youth.
She had not been unkind to her step
son. She was far too clever a woman to
make that irreparable mistake. Lashmar
was IA when his father died, and Victo-
rian was 5. difference Of nine years;
and Lashmar was old for his years. He
had travelled good deal with the tutor
and the servant. He had read more than
most young men Of five and twenty. In
q word, he was sickly lad, who had been
brought up and nourished upon books;
but he had fine instincts and a strong
humanitarian feeling. The villagers
about l4ashmar adorcd him. He drank
tea with the old women, read to them
when they were i'll, wrote letters for
young and old, talked politics or meta
physics with the deep thinkers and car
ried the light Of noble intellect into
every house he entered.
Lady 1.ashmar was intense in politics.
She hated Radicals, and her greatest
affection In life was that Lashmar Castle
should lie as it were in the very bosom
OF revolution. Brumm was Radical to the
backbone. and Brumm was only ten miles
on. Brumm was a center Of Freethink-
Ing and Nihilism, and Brumm was at her
door,
lit ID an outrage aginst the decencies
Of life" she exclaimed.
Whats the matter, mother?" asked
Lashmar, looking up at her with his
deep sunken eyes-thoughtful eyes, OF
darkest hazel. rs it anything about
BoldwoOd p
'sOf course it is about Boldwood. That
low creature has been holding forth at
another meeting. They seem to be per-
petualiy having meetings at Brumm."
They have very few other pleasures -
murmurcd Lashmar. "You see, there is a
superior minority who have learned to
think, and who want to say their little
say upon great public questions
You always talk like book, Lash
mar" sneered her ladyship; II should
like to hear you speak in reply to this man
Boldwood, at a great public meeting"
s'Would you really like to hear me
speakT asked Lashmar, smiling family.
sSThen will do my best to answer him to-
night. There il to be a Conservative
meeting at the Town Hall. Colonel Spill
ineton, the new Conservative candidate,
Il going to address the electors. It is ex.
pected Redwood will be in full force and
that there will be a row. Spillington has
asked ME to support him-and-yes, !
really should like to answer Boldwood
Mine will be very poor speech, of course
Z very tame reply to Boldwood, who ID
born orator; but shall have education
ON my SlOe.
Colonel Spillington called at Lashma,
Castle that day. He was fine average
specimen or the British oficer-bluff
outspokcn. unintellectual, right-thinkina
and honest, stanch Conservative and 4
thorough gentleman. He was not elated
shout his election and had dark doubts
~ to the power Of the Radicals il
Brumm. Still he tried to be hopeful.
The meeting was to be at o'clock, sc
the party 1t the castle took . late lunch
con and started for Brumm soon after G
intending to be early at the Town Hall
IT was delicious summer evrning, calm
i peaceful, the atmosphere stepped in sun
light, the earth breathing warmth and
perfume; delightful evening in which
4 10 lolI against the cushions Of Lady Lash
mAr's barouche, to be gently lulled upon
springs along the level turnpike road
lovely road tor the first half Of the jour
neg.
AZ they neared Rrumm there was On
4du1sistakable change In the atmosphere
~ gold had become dim. That pure