Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-04-17

" fehSA eNas WV 80
telescopes at an empty sea. The fiat, open
country, with its few dwarf trees and its
NANCY hedges, lay PROSTATE under the sky
in all the desolation of solitary space, and
left the famlous restorative air free TO build
up dilapidated nerves, without an object 10
hinder its passage at any point of the COM
pass. The lonely, d~rab-colored road that led
to the nearest WI offered to visitors taking
airinSs a view of a low, brown object i'm the
distance, said TO be the convent in which the
nuns lived, secluded from mortal eyes. At
one side Of the hotel the windows looked on
a little wooden pier sadly in want OF repair.
On the other side a walled inclOsure accom-
modated yachts of light tonnage, stripped of
their rigging, and sitting solitary on a bank
OF mud until their owners wanted them. In
this neighborhOOd there was Il small outly-
ing colony OF shops; one that sold fruits and
fish; one that dealt in groceries and tobacco;
one shut up, with a bill in the window invit-
ing a tenant, and one, behind the methodist
chapel, answering the double purpose of a
postonice and a storehouse for ropes aud
Goals. Beyond these objects there was moth
ing land this wa the great charm of the
place. to distract the attention of invalids,
following the doctors directions, and from
"N''s'7 ~ So M 'NAN " lAN hNtAANs
The time was evening: the scene was one
OF the private sitting rooms in the hotel, and
the purpose in view was q little tea party.
Rich Mrs. RomSey, connected with COM
merce rs wife of the chief partner in the firm
of Romsey d Renshaw, was staying at the
hotel in the interests of her three children.
They We're of delicate constitution; their
complete recovery, after severe illness which
had nnsSpI tTaun pnA IN thn ,tlaI xNaS Lass
speedy than had been anticipated, and the
doctor had declared that the nervous system
was, in each case, more or less in need Of re-
pair. TO arrive at this conclusion, and to
recommend a visit to Sandyseal, were events
which followed each other medically speak
ing) as a matter Of course.
The health Of the children had greatly inn
proved; the famous air had agreed with
them, and the discovery of new playfellows
had agreed with them. They had made ac-
quaintance with Lady Myris's well-bred
boys, and with Mrs. OrmOnd's charming lit
tie Kitty. The most cordial good feeling had
established itself among the mothers. Owing
a return for inequalities received from Lady
Myrie and Mrs. OrmOnd, Mrs. ROmsey had
invited the two ladies TO drink tea with her,
in honor of an interesting domestic event.
Her husband, absent on the continent for
some time past on business connected with
his firm, had returned TO England, and had
that evening joined his wife and children at
Sandyseal.
Lady Myrie had arrived and Mr.. Romsey
had been presented to her. Mrs. Ormond,
expected to follow, was represented 10y a
courteous note of apology. She was not well
that evening, and she begged to be excused.
This is a great disappointment Mrs.
liomsey said TO her husband. "You would
have been charmed with Mrs. Ormond-
highly-bred, accomplished, a perfect lady.
And she leaves us tomorrow. The depart
IRE will be an early one, and | shall find an
opportunity, my dear, of introducing YOU to
my friend and her sweet little Kitty"
Mr.. Itomsey looked interested for Il mo
ment when he tilst heard Mrs. Ormond's
name. After that he slowly stirred his tea
and seemed to be thinking instead of listen
ing to his wife.
Have you made the lady's acquaintance
here?' he inquired.
"lcs-and | hope | have made Il friend for
life" Mrs. Romsey said with enthusiasm.
and 50 do l." Lady Myrie added.
Mr.. Romsey ven on with his inquiries.
"ls She q handsome woman?'
Both the ladies answered the question to
gether. Lady Myric described Mrs. Ormond
in one dreadful word-as classical" BY
comparison with this Mrs. Romsey's reply
was Ineligible. Not even illness can spoil
her beauty ~
"Ihe sort Of headache she has got to-
night"' Mr.. ROmsey satirically~ suggested.
Don't be ill-natured, dear! Mrs. Ormond
is here by the advice of one of the first physi-
clans in London; she has suffered under Sc.
f!ons troubles, poor thing
Mr.. Romsey persisted in being s~atirical.
Connected with her husband?' he asked.
Lady Myrie entered a protest. She was a
widow; and it was notorious among her
friends that the death of her husband had
been the happiest event in her married life.
But she understood her duty TO herself as a
respectable woman. II think, Mr.. Romsey,
you might have spared that cruel iallusion,"
she said with dignity.
Mr.. ROmsey apologi2ed. lie had his rea-
sons for wishing TO know something more
about Mrs. Ormond; he proposed to with
draw his last remark, and to put his inquiries
under another form. Might he ask his wife
If anybody had seen Nj. Ormond?
mo"
'Or heard of himr'
Mrs. ROmsey answered in the negative
once more, and added q question on her w
account. What did all this mean?
ut means" Lady Myrie ~interposed, "what
we poor women are all exposed to--scandal."
She had not yet forgiven Mr.. Romsey's al
fusion, and she looked at him pointedly as
she spoke. There are some impcnetrable
men Oh whom looks produce no impression.
Mr.. Romsey was one Of them. He turned to
his wife and said, quietly: what | mean
Is, that | know more Of Mrs. Onmond than
you do. j have heard of her-never mind
how or where. She is a lady who has been
celebrated in the newspapers. Don't be
alarmed. She is no less Il person than the
divorced Mrs. Linley."
The two ladies looked at each other i'm
blank dismay. Restrained by a sense of con-
jugal duty, Mrs. ROmsey only INDUCED in an
exclamation. Lady Myrie, independent Of
restraint, expressed her opinion, and said:
Quite impOssiblev'
THE Mrs. Ormond whom | mean" Mr..
Romsey went on, ''has, as | have been told,
4 mother living. The old lady has been
vice married. Her name Is Mrs. Presty."
This settled the question. Mrs. rresty was
established, in her w proper person, with
her daughter and %grandchild at the hotel.
Lady Myrie yielded to the force of evidence;
she lifted her hands in horror: ''This is too
dreadful!'
Mrs. ROmsey took a more compassionate
view of the disclosure. Perhaps the poor
lady is to be pitied," she gently suggested.
Lady Myrie looked at her friend in aston
ishment. my dear, you must have forgot
ten what the judge said about her. Surely
you read the report of the case in the news
papers?.'
mo; l heard of the trial, and that's all.
What did the Judge say?'
''SayT Lady Myrie repeated. what did
he not say! His lordship declared that he
had a great mind not to grant the divorce at
all. lie spoke of this dreadful woman who
has deceived MS In the seyerest terms; he
said she had behaved in a most improper
manner. She had encouraged the abomin-
able governess, and, if her husbandh had yield
ed to temptation, 1t was her fault. And more
Decides that | don't remember"
Mr.. Romscy's wife appealed to him in de-
spair. What am / to do?" she asked, help
lessly.
ID nothing" was the wise reply. Didn't
you say she was going away Tomorrow"
That's the worst of it, MIS-. ROmsey de-
- III It.AI - re-.