Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-04-15

WI I'm had tried hard to
! M LIN conquer the love OF
IN HE her husband which
r NIlH, had begun to
| S spring up in her
- heart. She tried
hard to do her duty, to school herself
In the knowledge that for her life was
to be without love. But 1t was hard.
She was young and impressionable;
the earl was handsome and fascinat-
ing. There were times when an ire
sistible impulse came over her-an i'm
pulse to beg him to love her. She re-
sisted 1t, and every time she did SO re-
sist her heart grew colder and harder.
It is difficult for flower to blossom In
blighted cold-the buds droop, the per-
fume dies. 1t requires the warmth
and brightness, the kisses and smiles
of the sun to bring it to perfection. So
It is with half-formed character like
Hildred's- the sunshine of love and
happiness would have brought 1t to a
fair and blooming maturity. The chill
| Va AC6lCCL anu IuulHcIcASC ShohoS~ 49,
Lord Caraven," said Hildred one
day, who is the person-gentleman, l
should say, perhaps-who comes here
80 often?
do you mean John Blantyre, my
faithful friend and steward?" ne
asked laughingly. HE comes every
day."
"Is that his name? do not like his
face"
why not, Hildred?" he asked.
at is not the face of an honest man,
unless Nature has for once made a
mistake in her own handwriting"
1T is not a handsome face, certain
ly," said the earl; "far from it."
II am not speaking of mere beauty
OF feature-and perhaps l judge him
harshly," she replied. But 1t does
not seem to me an honest face. / would
not trust the man for-do you trust
him, Lord Caraven"
II trust him implicitly-indeed, DO
not believe l ever overlooked his ac-
counts"
She looked at him in wonder.
| "Never overlooked his accounts!
How very careless of you'll" she said.
II am not careful by nature" he told
her, laughing.
But" she observed, earnestly, such
carelessness is wrong. You put
terrible temptation in his way by not
keeping a check upon him."
81 suppose" said Lord Caraven, in
dolently, that find it easier to let
myself be robbed little than to look
after matters for myself
The dark, eloquent eyes, as they
were raised to his, expressed a great
deal.
what do you do with your life?'
she asked. 1T seems to me that you
have no idea of duty"
"Nor have l. know we'll what to do
with my life-I enjoy it,"
There can be nothing more to add"
said Hildred. But il were you, Lord
Carayen. l should look after my ac-
counts"
She thought a great deal after that
conversation. 1t had opened her eyes
mors fully to her husbands character
than anything that had passed before
She decided to study him.
Was he generous? She thought at
first that she might say yes" They
were riding one day, and they met q
poor woman begging with little child
in her arms; she was poor, hungry, all
in tatters. with pinched face and sad
weary eyes, a pitiful spectacle of want
and restitution. AS they passed by the
earl took out his purse and literally
emitted 1t on the ground at the wo'
mans feet. She looked dazed and be-
v,ldered at this sudden bounty Of for
time He did not wait for any thanks
but rode on. ..
81 WISH" he said, chat I could col
1eot all the poor people in the world
together, and make them RICH"
"Was that generosity" she said tt
herself. Eyes. it must be-"
They rode on until they came to
small cottage-one belonging to thu
| RQVenSmeT6 CoIdIC ele eAAS NOoA ~
which stood a man still young bu
crippled and bent double with rheu
} matism. A little cry of pain came from
Hildred's lips as she saw him, but thu
young mans eyes were fixed with al
evil light on the earrs face.
,, Hildred stopped to say kind wort
To him; the cripple came out and stood
in front of the earls magnificent horse
"My lord" he said in a hoars'
voice. 81 have you to thank for these
. pointing to his shrunken limbs
/ land for these, also"-pointng to hi
useless hands.
"What do you mean?' Lord Cara
ven demanded, his face flushing Will
anger.
81 mean this, my lord-that was {
t strong young man when 1 took thi
:. cottage and brought my wife hom
here; now" he cried, in sudden pas
.,on IF despair-"now look at me-"