Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-08-31
CHARLOTTE N. BRAEnE:
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to have hope or brightness in his own
life-her gentle, loving heart cried out In
sore pity for him.
There was little change. Peter Grey,
of Moulesmere, was dead, and Elsa. his
daughter, had succeeded him. She had
secured a chaperone in the person of
French countess, the widow of refugee
Nine. La Countess st. Jour, but, as
vet, she had not succeeded in finding
husband.
The Dover House, in those days, was
a cheerful house to visit. Mrs. Audley
had recovered much of her strength
Glade and she lived happily enough;
Barton Leonard Manor House was to
let. Living together, the united income
of the little household was a good one;
they kept carriage, few well-tralned
servants; they had visitors and enjoyed
life altogether. Austin had little study,
opening On to the garden, pretty room,
lined with books, with a neat writing
table, good pictures and everything that
could help him to study; here he read
and wrote poems that were fast bringing
his name into good repute. Every one
who visited them went away saying
what a very happy and united family
they were.
Into this very pretty paradise of con-
tent the peevish, foolish face of Elsa
Grey broke one morning, like a vision of
ill omen; she was followed by madame,
bland, suave and smiling.
81 ought to complain of you, Mrs.
Chandos," she said to Lenore; you new
err either visit me or ask me to visit
YOU"
Lenore, dimly conscious that, in her
own mind, there was a great dislike to
this girl, said something about her late
trouble-mourning for Mr.. Grey and her
fears of intruding.
Elsa continued:
eff Mr. Chandos is at home and not
| busy, we should like to see him. Mad
anne read some of his poems yesterday,
and said she would give anything to
know him."
81 am sure Mr.. Chandos will be much
pleased" said Lenore.
She rang the bell and sent the servant
| who answered it to look for her husband.
| She knew that in all probability he
| would be near what was called the south
wall, that was a beautiful wall in the
garden facing the south, on which grew
all kinds of luscious fruit.
Austin looked UP with half impatient
expression when he saw Elsa Grey; she
was no favorite of his, either; then his
naturally sweet temper came to the res
cue, and he held out his hand to her with
some cordial words of greeting.
II thought you had all forgotten me-
she said. "You have not been what any
one would call either good friends or
good neighbors.'
Il am afraid not, Miss Grey; but we
will do BETTER" he said. '"The fact is, [
am afraid we have been selfshly engross-
ed in our own happiness"
! IGNORES face flushed crimson-she
knew best what had engrossed her. Over
| that noble, beautiful face came an ex-
preston that Nine. st. Jour alone was
| able to understand, and she said to her
self in one moment:
| This girl does not love her husband
no matter why she married him, | am
sure she does not love him; there is a
mystery underneath it all"
Then Elsa introduced madame to Aus
tin, who liked her at once when she be-
gan to speak of his poems as though she
knew them by heart.
81 was so pleased" she said, when
Miss Grey told me that you were a friend
Of hers" but Elsa interrupted her.
II said that Mr.. Chandos had been a
friend of mine, not that he was one now,
madame
Austin laughed
''Then that was very cruel of you, Miss
Grey. l am your friend now as much as
ever l was"
when will you bring Mrs. Chandos to
spend a whole day at Moulesmere?' she
asked. "Now l have put your friendship
to the test. Will you Gomez"
Certainly, if Mrs. Chandos agrees"
he replied.
But Miss Grey was too quick for him.
| you must not make your visit depen-
dent upon Mrs. Chandos. Every man
above all, every poet-ought to have a
will of his own. Madame wants to talk
to you about your books. People say
that no man is a prophet in his own
country, so l suppose no poet is honored
in his own home"
The terrible amount of il-breedine in
this speech startled even Nine. st. Jour.
Lenore could hardly refrain from one
glance of lofty contempt. Austin laugh
| ed good-naturedly; he took his wife's
| white hand in his and kissed it.
| Il think no man is so highly honored
| in any house as l in mine," he said
The expression of Miss Grey's face in
! that moment was not good to see.
1T is my fancy, | suppose" she said,
shortly. you seem quite unused to com
pliments'
My wife appreciates, she does not
compliment he answered; and to him
self he added: WAS it possible that his
uncle had ever believed he could marry
any one so utterly foolish?''
Miss Grey was not quite pleased: she
had intended to make him see a great
difference between his wife and herself
to show him that she understood and an
preciated him when his wife. perhans
failed to do so. She was Disconnected: il
seemed to her that on his face she read
admiration, and even alteration, for the
beautiful Lenore. The day was arranged
for the visit, and Miss Grey had hardly
left the house before she turned to ma
dame.
What do you think of them?'' she
cried, eagerly. Tell me, what do you
Think