Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-12-07
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII.
A few days passed, and Ismay Valid
rol: began to feel at home at Bralyn
She became accustomed to it's splen
doris, to its nagnifcence, to the new
and beautiful life that opened to her
She looked back with wonder on the
time that had passed-on her life il
| the humble cottage. How had she
borne the quiet, the seclusion, the alb.
sence of everything she now valued
| most?
Lord CarlswoOd was most adroit in
his treatment of her. He said nothing
that she could openly resent. but he
lost no opportunity of airing his Con
sentative principles-of expressing his
contempt for all Liberals, all radicals
He was always inveighing against
poverty, yet in such a fashion that she
could take no offence The time came
when, so far from feeling in the least
degree annoyed with him, she coin
cided with his every word; and when
the Master of Bralyn found that that
was the case he sent at once fer Mr..
Ford.
My grandchild will not leave me-"
said the old lord to his lawyer, 81 am
sure of it,
May l ask why, Lord Carlswood?"
Because her master-passion is van
ity; she has more vanity than affec-
ton. I have known women-women
of our own race too-who would have
laughed all wealth to scorn, who would
have given their lives for their love
women of noble nature. who would
have trampled all luxury under foot
But 1smay is of lighter nature Her
master-passion is vanity. She will
stay with me, because / can administer
to her vanity, and her husband can
not"
1T seems to me very like MURDER"
said Mr.. Ford, remembering the white
haggard face of the young husband.
''and I, my lord, should not like to
change places with you, if you sin in
this fashion"
Il will take all risk" was the quiet
reply.
Then the old lord began to tempt his
grandchild. He talked to her of the
great world, of it's brilliant pleasures,
it's gaities, it's honors; he told her
how such beauty as hers would COM
mand universal homage-that in Lon
don, even amidst the noblest ladies,
she would be queen. He tempted her
with the most costly jewels, with the
most magnificent dresses; he lavished
every luxury upon her. He insisted
that she should learn to ride, and
purchased a beautiful Arab for her
She had the use of a luxurious car
riage; she had servants to wait upon
her.
He tempted her through her love for
her son. He would take the child in
his arms and praise his noble face and
his frank, engaging manner.
1T is pitiful to think of Lionel
brought up in a cottage, with no higher
hope than to be a respectable game
keeper; nature meant him for a noble
man. Lionel, Lord Carlswood, would
perhaps be the greatest man of his
race"
He tempted her through her love of
the beautiful He surrounded her with
everything that was most graceful and
choice--he cultivated her taste-he
spoke highly of her appreciation.
He tempted her through the innate
refinement that had always distin-
guished her, he ministered to it in
every way. He spoke always with the
greatest contempt of poverty, of all
approach to vulgarity; he spoke with
most condescending pity of those
whose position in life was inferior to
his own.
He tempted her, too, by the wonder
full reverence in which he held his
race; he told her stories of the Carls-
woods dead and gone-of the heroes,
the statesmen, the warriors, the noble
and beautiful women-the heroines of
his race-women whose names were
famed in song and story; and then,
stopping abruptly, he would say, with
strange pathetic earnestness-
Il could not bring dishonor on such
a name"
Day by day Ismay loved her new
life more and more. 1t was so pleas
ant to wander in those splendid
grounds, under the shade of ancestral
trees; it was so pleasant to live in
those magnificent rooms, with theil
thick soft carpets, their superb furni,
ture, their rare pictures and profusior
| of fiowers-to have servants to attend
to her every wish-to have carriages
| horses, jewels, dresses, every luxury
that her imagination could devise. L
was pleasant always to have a purse
! full of money-to know that she neeC
never trouble about ways and means
to have respect, homage, iattery, rev
erence shown to her; it was pleasant Il
be surrounded by beautiful things-tt
meet none but polished and refined
people.
She thought with a shudder of tn
little cottage, the one little maid, tn
homely life. She contrasted her hus
band, in his plain working dress, will
the polished gentlemen she saw aroun'
her.
She was weak of soul, weak of pur
pose, weak of heart, weak OF will. Tn
past, with its poverty and privations
became hateful to her. She loved tn
present; she dreaded the thought of re
!; turning to her humble home, of givin
: up her jewels, of growing accustome
} again to an obscure life. How sh
: would miss the grandeur, the luxury
the magnifcence of Bralyni
Yet she loved Paul-loved him a
: dearly, and deeply as her light natur
would allow her to love. There Wer