Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-12-02
By Marian v Hollis Ig7@s
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NOocc~rN>oONN

always seemed so delighted to see him,
and had always something nice waiting
for him; who petted him and coaXed him
as no other woman had cvcr done; who
listened with loving caserness by the hour
together to his talk of his studies. his rec
rcations. and his father. So the summer
and the autumn passed, and she, sweet.
simple soul, was so happy with her son
that IL faint color returned 10 her face, and
the sound of her silver-swect laugh was
heard more than once.
Then came Christmas. and it was my
lady's whim that Mrs. Rivers should he
her almoner-siould give away blankets,
coal. wine and beef. in her name; and in
all those charities Rupert assisted. until
the boys attachment to the govcrness
was smiled ut everywhere.
lit will never hurt him. said his tutor
once. NO hoy of his age could be any
thing but better for the companionship
of Il good and pure woman. Mrs. Rivers
is that. and she is, besides. IL lady in
heart, mind and manners. The hoy will
gain by every visit he pays to the school
cottage"
II Think said Rupert. one snowy day.
as he sat with Mrs. Rivers in the warm.
cozy little parlor of the cottage: II think
that if ever l were to have IL bad illness,
should like you to come and take care
of me. Would you?'
II hope YOU will never have any Illness
she said. the mothers heart filled with
vaguc. quick alarm.
IF i do" he said gently, II should ask
my father to send at once for YOU"
Long after lie was gone she pondcrcd
over those words. Ii ever he sent for
her. She would havc TO go. How could
she bear To return. MS Il paid, poor, name
less dependent, to the place she had en-
tered as Il beautiful. blooming bride?
Winter passed, and the springtime
came again: the trees hogan to bud. the
birds to sing; and then Lord Sclwyn
wrote to say that he was coming home
with her ladyship. There were grand
preparations at Selwyn Castle. and early
in the month of April they returned.
Still Lady Beatrice never came near tho
schools, and Mrs. Rivers began 10 won
der il she had offended or displcascd her;
yet that could not be, for large baskets
of fruit and flowers were sent continually
from the Castle. And one morning early
in May, Rupert rode over to the cottage.
How we'll she remembered that day in
after years.
Mrs. Rivers" he said, 81 have come
to tell you the news, because I thought it
would please you. Come up to the Castle
and see my little baby brotherw
She looked at him agasht, the color
going and coming in her sweet face.
What do you mean?' she asked.
1--WE are all so pleased" he said. Lady
Beatrice has a beautiful little son, so that
l have a brother now, md 1 mean to love
him with all my heart"
Like wildtire the welcome news flew
over the ncighborhood. Lady Beatrice
Sclwyn had a little son. She had care
fully refrained from even saying one
word, and people were taken by surprise.
No one was more pleased than Rupert,
the heir of Sclwyn.
Lord Selwyn was very pleased. He
was fond of children; he liked the music
Of their pretty laughter. the innocent pratt.
tie, the amusing ways. 1t was a delight
to him to think that once more he should
hold n baby boy in his arms, once more
teach baby lips to sksak. And if he was
pleased and proud, what was the happy
mother? She had not the tenderness that
distinguished Niolantc; her heart did not
overflow with love for the helpless, inno-
cent child in her arms. But she was
proud of him, FOND of him, in her stately
way. There was one drawback. This
beautiful boy, so strong, so healthy, her
own son, was not heir Of Selwyn. He
had no proud rank to sustain, no grand
position to hold in the world; for him there
was no title, no estate; he would never be
anything save n younger son, with Il small
income, and the thought of it was gall a
wOrmwood to Lady Beatrice.
She was difficult to please in selecting n
name for her child. She chose Lancclot,
after much consideration. Lord I1ancelot
Selwyn, in olden days, had won great
fame as a warrior. and had made his
name famous through all the land.
Envy is n weak word to describe the
jealous anger and gnawing, bitter hatred
that filled the heart of Lady Beatrice for
the heir of Selwyn. Her own boy was a
beautiful child, fair of face, noble and
generous of disposition: slightly inclined
to be %tyrannical and imperious. yet loving
and gentle when his little fits of anger
were over. He resembled his father '
more than Rupert did.
1.-The pity of it," as my lady often said,
that he, descended from a noble line on
his mothers side, as we'll as his fathers;
that he, who resembled so closely the
master of Selwyn. should not be its heir"
She detested this interloper, this grand
F; son Of a country attorney. this son of a
plebeian mother. She hated him with all
! the scorn of a passionate, proud soul.
Had little Lance never been born she
would have tolerated Rupert; but, side by
side with her love for her own child, grew
; her intense and angry hate for him. She
was obliged most carefully to conceal it.
Lord Selwyn would never have permitted
e from n one living the least ~unkindness
h to Violante's son.
No one knew better how to infict 9
wound than Lady Beatrice Selwyn. s..
had a way of speaking to him-a quiet
: sarcasm. a killing contempt-that stabbed
r the boy; yet careful was she that Their
was no word ever passed her lips tina,
could be repeated to his father.
She made his home so uncomfortable
that he went oftener thar ever to the cot
tage. Lord Selwyn just at that time wa,
0 busily engaged in some political business
q and was very often from home. Lady
t Beatrice cared little where the boy spen