Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-31

ocrealis flashed its brilliant shafts OF
eclor against the sable breast of heaven
the tall pines, stripped bare, every
branch thick with snow and dropping
i,tcles, stood pale ghosts of the for
exits, shedding frozen tears-~the moon
more Nike steel than silver. shone
freshly cold, her light seeming to
deepen rather than soften the dreari-
ness OF the land--and on--on--on--
they went. Britta enveloped to the chin
in turs steadily driving the strange
elfn-looking steeds with their horned
heads casting long distorted shadows
on the white ground, and Philip be-
side her. urging her ON with feverish
impatience. while he listened to the
smooth trot of the reindeer, the
tsnkle OF the bells On their harness,
and the hiss Of the sledge across the
| sparkling snow.
Meanwhile as he thus pursued his
long and difficult journey, rumor was
very busy with his name in London.
| Every body-that is, everybody worth
nsideraton In the circle of the Up
per ren"-was talking about him,
81 Rigging their shoulders, lifting
their eyebrows and smiling knowingly,
whenever he was mentioned. He be
came more known in one day than IL
had served his country's interests in
Parliament for years.
| M, hN a
| left the metropolis en- route for Nor
way, that admirably conducted society
journal, the Snake, appeared, and OF
course, had its usual amount Of eager
| bit OF aristocratlc scandal, Often
Il csc good folks were severely disap~
pointed--the Snake was sometimes SO
f-ightfully dull. that 1t had actually
nothing to say against anybody
naturally 1t was not worth buying.
But this time it was really interesting
1T knocked down or tried to knock
down-at one blow, n formerly spotless
reputation and "really-really!" said
the Upper Ten. ut was dreadful, but
of course 1t was to be expected!
Those quiet, seemingly virtuous per-
sons are always the worst when you
cCme to know them, yet who would
have thought it," And society read
the assailing paragraph, and rolled II
in its rank mouth, like a bon-bon, en-
jCying its flavor. 1t ran rs follows: $50
I'VE hear on excellent authority
that the Norwegian beauty Lady
Bruce Errington, is about to sue for
a divorce on the ground Of iniidelity
The offending dana in the question Is
ar admired actress, well-known to the
frequenters OF the Brilliant Theatre,
But there are always two sides to
these affairs, and II Is rumored that
the fair Norwegian (who before her
II arriage, we understand. was n great
adept in the art of milking reindeer on
| the shores of her native Fjord) has
private reasons Of her own for desiring
the divorce, not altogether in keeping
| with her stated reasons or her appar-
ent reserve. We are, however al
| ways on the side of the fair sex, and,
as the faithless husband has made no
secret OF his new Jason, we do not
| hesitate to at once pronounce In the
| lady's favor. The case Is likely to
prove interesting to believers In we'd
ded happiness, combined with the
sIIctest moral and religious senti-
me- nts.'
Quite by accident this piece Of would
| be "smartness" was seen by Beau
Lovelace. He had wholesome con-
tempt for the Snake and all Its class,
he would never have looked at IT,,
or known OF the paragraph, had not
a friend of his at the Garrick pointed
: out to him with half smile and
half sneer.
IT'S damned lie!" said Beau
briefly.
"That remains to be proved" an
sWered his friend, and went away
laughing.
Beau read 1t over and over again,
his blood firing with honest indlg-
white lily OF womanhood,- was she To
have her stainless life blurred by the
trail of such thing as the Snake?--
and was Errington's honor to be at
tainted in his absence, and he con.
donned without word uttered In his
defense?
"Detestable blackguard!" muttered
Lovelace, reverting In his mind to the
editor OF the journal In question
What's his name | wonder?" He
searched and found 1t at the top OF
a column-"Sole Editor and Proprie-
tor, c. Snawley -Grubbs, to whom all
cheques and post-ofiice orders should
be made payable. The Editor cannot
be responsible for the return OF reject
ed MSS"
Beau noted the name, and wrote the
address OF the Office In his pocket
book, smiling curiously to himself the
while.
I'm almost glad Erringtons out of