Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-02


his wife and son,-and there among
the shadows of the Caesars, his long,
social martyrdom ended, and he re-
gained what he had once believed lost
for ever--his wife's affection, Clara,
gentle, wistful. with the softening
shadow OF a grea; sorrow and great
repentance in her once too-hriliaut
eyes, was very different Clara to the
daShing beauty" who had figured so
conspicuously In London society She
chung to her husband with an almost
timid eagerness as though she dreaded
losing him-and when he was not with
her, she seemed to rely entirely on her
son, whom she watched with a fond
almost melancholy pride. and who re-
spouded to her tenderness though prof
fered so late, with the full-hearted
frankness OF his impulsive ardent ma
ture. She wrote to Thelma asking her
pardon, and in return received such a
sweet torgiving, generous letter as
caused her to weep for an hour or
more. But she felt she could never
again meet the clear regard OF those
beautiful, earnest, truthful eyes--never
again could she stand in Thelma's
presence. or call her friend-that was
all over. Still Love remained "a Love
'chastencd and sad, with drooping
wings and somewhat doubling smile,
yet 1t was Love
Love, that keeps all the choir Of
lives in chime
Love, that Is blood within the veins
Of time"
And Love, no matter how abused
and maitreated. is a very patient god,
and even while suffering from unde-
served wounds. still works on. doing
magical things. So that poor Edward
Neville, the torsaken husband OF Violet
We're, when he heard that that popular
actress had died suddenly in America
from fit of delirium tremens brought
on by excessive drinking, was able, by
some gentle method known only tn
Love and himself, to forget all her
frailties--to oDliterate from his mem
ory the fact that he ever saw her on
the boards of the Brilliant THEATRE
and to think of her henceforth only as
the wife he had once adored, and who,
he decided in vague, dreamy fashion,
must have died young Love also
laid firm hand on the yiyaciuus
Pierre Duprez-he who had long scot
fed at the jeu d amour, played it at
last in grave earnest, and one bright
season he introduced his bride into
Partisan society,--a charming little
woman, with very sparkling eyes and
white teeth, who spoke French perfect.
~, though not with the 'haccent' rec
commended by Briggs. 1t was difficult
to recognize Britta in the petite ele-
gante who laughed and danced and
chartered her way through some of the
best salons In Paris, captivating every.
body as she went, but there she was,
all the same, holding her own rs
usual. Her husband was extremely
proud OF her-he was fond Of pointing
her out to people as something excess
sirely precious and unique and say
ing-"See her! That is my wfe
From Norway! Yes--from the very
utmost north of Norway / love my
country ertainly!-bu ! will tell you
this much-if ! had been obliged 20
choose a wife among French woman
ma fol! ] should never have married."
And what Of George Lorimer?the
idle, somewhat careless man OF mod
ern" type, in whose heart. notwith-
standing the supposed deterioration OF
age, all the best and bravest codes OF
old world chivalry were written? Had
Love no fair thing to offer him? Was
he destined to live out his life In the
silent heroism OF faithful, unuttered,
unrequitted, unselfish devotion? Were
the heavens, as Sigurd had said, al
ways to be empty? Apparently not
for when he was yerging towards mid
die age, a young lady besieged him
with her affections, and boldly offered
to be his wife any day he chose 10
name. She was a small person, not
quite five years old with great blue
eyes and glittering tangle OF golden
curls. She made her proposal one
summer afternoon on the lawn at Err
rington Manor. in the presence OF Beau
Lovelace, on whose knee sat her little
brother Olaf, a fine boy year younger
than herself She had placed her
dimpled arms round Lorimers neck
and when she so confidingly suggested
marriage 10 her "Zordie." as she called
him, she was rubbing her rosy cheek
against his mustache with much sweet
consideration and tenderness. Love-
lace. hearing her, laughed aloud,
whereat the little lady was extremely
offended.
! don't care!," she said, with pretty
grace, Il will marry oo."
George held her fondly to his breast
as though she were some fragile flow
er OF which not petal must be in
jured.
All right" he answered gaily.
though his voice trembled somewhat,
accept! You shall be my little wife,