Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-07-17

1t was impossible to withhold it. He
was so handsome, so brave and gal
liant, with the bearing Of a prince, the
chivalry of a knight, and in his tenn
per the sweet, sunny grace OF a wOm-
an. They all liked him; he seemed
to have the geniality, the generosity,
the true nobility of an Englishman,
without the accompanying reserve and
gloom. At that time there was no one
more popular in Rome than the young
lord, about whom so many romantic
stories were told. He followed Mrs.
Chester to where Lady Marion stood,
the brilliant center of brilliant
group. It pleased him to see what
Difference was paid to him-how Ital-
ian princes and French dukes made
way when Mrs. Chester presented him
to the beautiful heiress.
The first moment the proud clear
eyes smiled in his face he liked her.
She was most charming in her man
ner; she had not the fire and passion
of Leone; she was not as brilliant,
sweet, candid, amiable and gentle.
One found rest in her-rest in the
blue eyes, in the sweet, smiling lips,
in the soft, low voice, in the graceful,
gentle movements-rest and content.
She never irritated, never reused any
one to any great animation; she re-
ceived rather than gave ideas; she was
one of those quiet, gentle, amiable
women whose life resembles the rip
pAng of brook rather than the rush
of stream. She looked with a smile
into the handsome face of the young
lord, and she, too, liked him.
They stood together for a few min
utes while Lord Chandos begged for
dance, and even during the brief time
more than one present thought what
handsome pair they were. Lord
Chandos was much pleased with her
the low voice, the eXquisitely refined
accent, the gentle grace, all delighted
him.
She lacked passion, power, fire, orig
inality, the chief things which went
for the making up of Leone's charac-
ter; no two people could be more dis
similar, more unlike; yet both had a
charm for Lord Chandos; with the one
he found the stimulant of wit and
genius, with the other sweetest rest.
They had several dances together; in
her quiet, gentle way Lady Marion con-
fded to him that she preferred Eng
lishmen to Italians, whom she thought
rather wanting in frankness and ease.
fWhy did you come to Rome?" asked
Lord Chandos; and the beautiful
blonde was almost at a loss how to
answer the question. The only an
swer that she could give was that Lady
Cambrey had first mentioned it.
cit was not from any great wish,
then, to see the antiquities or the art
treasures of Romeo" asked Lord Chan
uos, thinking as he spoke with what
rapture Leone would have thought of
visit to Italy.
'|No, it was not that although I
would not have missed seeing Rome
on any account. What brought you
here, Lord Chandos?"
He also hesitated for moment;
then he answered:
II really do not know. I came, so
far as I know my own mind, because
my mother came" and then their eyes
met with curious half-laughing gaze.
1t was strange that they should have
both come there without having any
clear or distinct notion why.
''Tt seems to me - said IT ord Chan
dos, chat we are both under guild
ance"
Il am glad, for my own part" said
Lady Erskine. 1T is much easier to
be guided than to guide. I find it
easier to obey than to command"
do you?" he asked, laughingly.
''You will find it very easy then some
day to love, honor and obey >"
Il do not doubt it" said the beautiful
heiress, calmly. II should not care
to go through life alone; want
stronger soul than my own to lean
on"
And again Lord Chandos went back
in thought to the noble, self-reliant
girl who would hold her own against
the world if need should be.
And yet he liked Lady Marion; her
graceful, languid helplessness had a
great charm for him. When he babe
her good evening, it was with the hope
that they would soon meet again.
CHAPTER XVI.