The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-09


- would rather have Gerard with three
hundred, mother" said Lilias.
one looked lovely enough she said 1t,
Win soft smile in her hazel eyes, to be-
Mllch any man; and she really loved Gerard
Ernescllffe for himself, though she was GER
fanny dazzled, not by his money, but by his
nlrth and connections.
Ii 1t was not in her nature to love with
any great depth of passion she was not to
p1ame for that, and she was fully resolved to
De a good wife to him, and do all she could
10 please him.
She did not understand her own limits; she
was setting out like blind on an un-
Known road, with no idea of the perils that
beSet it.
Poor little ignorant stumbler, with her
fatal gift of beauty
but Mrs. Denton was much consoled by the
bridegroom's gifts of pearls and diamonds
None of the people she had known had such
gems at their weddings.
And Lilias, in her wedding gown, was "a
dream of fair women
The announcement of the marriage came as
a shock to those who knew Gerard Ernes-
clffe.
They had, naturally, heard nothing of the
Wooing, and only knew of the marriage when
the announcement of it appeared in the
Times.
The way of putting it was queer they said
Gerard Milton Ernescliffe to Lilias Den
ton"
Who was Lilias Denton?
Had ErneScliffe made mesalliance?
In truth, Ernesclffe could not very we'll
tack daughter of the late John Denton
builder and decorator" after his brides name
SO he adopted a Spartan simplicity in the
announcement which, If it inevitably started
sCrmise, evaded the statement Of actual facts
Ernescliffe took his bride to Italy, and
LiliaS was delighted with all she saw, and
take more interest in Roman shops than in
Roman marbles, and the glories of the Far
nese Palace rather bored her.
But, on the whole, there were not many
nr1o ~
The glamor was still over everything, and
the rowing life the constant change left little
room for the manifestation of those charac
teristics of which Evelyn Vereker had spoken
Beauty is SO refining that Lilias, tastefully
dressed-as she always was now-more than
passed muster at table d. hotes, in the streets,
and elsewhere.
Her happiness, too was not boisterous.
She was indeed too much inclined the other
way, and in her desire to be ladylike, was
apt to be somewhat prim.
The admiration she received everywhere
rather turned her head.
In Italy, especially, her fair beauty at
tracted an immense amount of. attention,
which was shown with italian frankpess,
and proved perhaps perilously Intoxicating to
the little bourgeoiSe, who, furthermore, pos
sessed that invincible tourist spirit, which is
more DESTROYS Of covering ground than of COL
lecting material. =
She was always ready to move on"
She soon got tired of one place, and in
deed wanted to go to many places as the
time would allow, disposition which irritat-
ed Ernescliffe more than he was willing to
own to himself, though he knew he had no
right to expect anything else.
why, you have Milan Cathedral lots
Of times" she said one morning to her hus-
band, when he stood gazing in rapt delight
at that marvel of loneliness.
"And could see it as many times again."
he answered: land always find it an enchant-
ment."
Fancy" said she; you are mad on art.
Is that lady friend of yours you told me of as
mad as you are?"
'Yes, indeed; but don't say lady friend
Lily, dear"
mo? Isn't it good form'?"
Pm afraid I must say it isn't"
ooh, dear!'
She sighed, then laughed.
Everything was Colour de rose as yet, and
she took all her husbands corrections in good
part; but she had not musical ear, and it
was impossible to make her perceive fine
shades Of pronunciation.
She spoke well-decidedly well-for her
class, and she had sweet-toned voice; but
there was much that offended her husbands
fastidiouS ear.
He promised himself a course of daily in
struction to his wife later on: at present he
contented himself with correcting any little
vulgarsms of expression or phrasing which,
it must be admitted, cropped up pretty fire.
quertly.
Her wedding trousseau had been entrusted
to frst-class art modiste, who was re-
spcnsible for the tasteful gowns the young
bride wore.
Her own taste was far from correct; it
could not be called tawdry, exactly vulgar,
but it was often, from the artistic standpoint,
outre.
Nor had she any eye for form or proper
ton: in fact, she was not artistic at all.
She loved music, in an uncultured way, and
had learned the piano, taught in the
boarding schools of the haute bourgeoisie
One day, towards the close of the honey-