The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1897-05-20


was entirely unsuited to the people with
whom he came in hourly contact. AS
the summer passed on, he abscnted him
self frequently for several days in the
week, going either to the city or hiber-
mating at some fashionable watering
place. where he was sure TO meet gay
COMPANY
Nj. Blamont was not At all pleased
with The conduct of his future son-in-
law, and his daughter betrayed annoy
anee at his neglect Baroness Defoe was
at last no longer able to control her out
ragged feelings
dissolve the bond" she exclaimed,
selling Ada's hand. 1t is still time.
You will be unhappy, and then 1t will
be too late.
Ala shook her head
1T would be unwomanly, cried
Ada. "An engagement isl promise nei-
Their man nor woman should break. As
yet he has given me no cause for such
an act. If he should break it, it
would
The girl paused, startled by the
thought that only too readily suggested
itself. IF l furnish you with proof
that he is faithless, will you break with
him Them asked the baroness.
"How will you do iti'
"Trust me. " whispered the baroness.
Next morning the marehese departed
Oh one of his rcriedical journeys.
While the mafehese WAS absent Mr.
P,a,p1u+ y,aiJ EyNs,a 81, visit A. hn \t-.,.
not aware of the latter's suit for his
daughters hand, this visit was but the
natural outcome of the kindly feelings
he had always entertained for his sOn's
schoolmate and friend. He returned
from the Gerz estates highly pleased
with Erwin's ability to manage his
property.
Marchese Luciano remained away lon
ger than was his wont. a letter came
from him, advising his tiancee that
important business engagements made
it impossible to return. Mr.. Bramonts
face grew more thoughtful as letter up
on letter arrived from Luciano asking for
loans of various large sums of money.
The father refrained from acquainting
his daughter with the purport of these
missiVCs
Reports from other sources We're not
| calculated to dissipate Mr. Bramont's
vexation. 1t Lecame known that the
marchese spent his time at fashionable
watering places, indulging III friyolities
unbec0ming Il man who was the be
trothed of IA sweet and innocent young
! woman.
When he returned at last, he was as
amiable as ever. lie relied upon his
power over Ada, whom he had fascinat-
ed by his dashing exterior. On the day
of his arrival at the Bramont home the
Baroness Defoe came over for day
visit with her friend
The marchcse asked his betrothed
how she had spent her time during his
absence, and Ada told him that she had
been very much Interested i'll volume
of Italian fairy tales which had acct
dentally fallen into her hands.
How kind of you to devote your at
tention to the literature Of my native
land" smiled the marchese
lone of these stories has been os.
pecially interesting"
(which enc, my darling?"
at is called Loves Test Was True. 8"
"a romantic titlel Tell me the story,
sweet.
They gathered around the girl and
the marchese.
"Once upon time there lived a
prince. He was handsome and elegant
of manner, and it was an easy thing foi
him to captiyate the heart of a young
girl. She consented to become his wife
and placed upon his finger ring to seal
the lond between them. But he did not
love her us he should, caring only &c
possess her wealth. Her innocence and
simplicity wearied him even before they
We're united i'll marriage He left her
for days at IL time to engage i'll the gay
pdstimcs of the world In her distress
the young girl sought the counsel of
good fairy when next her lover was
gone. Together they thought of plan
by which she would know whether hen
lover was true to hcr or not.
Under every ring constantly worn
on the same niger il stripe of white il
formed No matter how brown and
weather stained the hand may become,
this stripe remains white and pure.
Men who are faithlcss to their vows re.
move their rings III the pursuit of un-
holy pleasures.
This, the fairy said to the young
girl, is an unfaihng sign. When next
your lover returns to you, remove from
his hand the ring you have given him.
If the skin beneath is pure and white,
he has been true to you. If the stripe is
missing =
As Ada spoke these words she play.
fully drew from the marchese's hand
the ring that bound him to her
Luciano tried to snatch his hand from
her grasp, but Ada was quicker thar
he. The tclltale str pc was missing
Pale as death, the girl arose, drawing
from her own hand the ring he had
given her and throwing it at his feet.
That night the marchesc went away
for the last time, never to return. II
developed subsequently that he had Dor.
roWed money wherever he could on his
prospect of marrying an heucss
A year later we find Ada again,
spending the summer at the home Of
her friend, the Baroness Defoe The
baron had been away for several days
On mission, the purpose of which only
his wife knew.