Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-08-28
CHAPTER XXXIV.
A Pale BRIDEGROOM.


The writing of that letter was a
did not wish to be cruel; on the con-
trary, now that she had gained her
wish, she felt something like pity for
the girl she had SO entirely crushed.
Lord Chandos would have been quite
true to his first love but for his
mothers influence and maneuvers.
She knew that. She knew that with
her own hand she had crushed the life
and love from the girls heart. Writ
ing to her would be the last disagree
able feature of the case. She would
be finished with them, and there would
be nothing to mar the brightness of
the future.
My lady took UP a jeweled pen; she
had paper, white and soft, with her
crest at the head; every litt1t uetail be-
longing to her grandeur would help to
crush this girl for whom she had SO
much contempt and so little pity. She
thought over every word of her letter;
it might at some future day, perhaps,
be brought up against her, and she
resolved that it should be a mod3l of
moderation and fairness. She had
learned Leone's name, and she began:
"My Dear Miss Noel-My son has
commissioned me to write to you,
thinking, as I think, that the business
to be arranged will be better settled be-
tween you and myself. I am glad to
tell you that at last, after many
months of infatuation, my son has re-
turned to his senses, and has now but
one idea, which is at once and forever
to put an end to all acquaintance be-
tween you and himself. My son owns
that it was a great mistake; he blames
himself entirely, and quite excu1pates
you; he holds you blameless. Permit
me to say that do the same
My son, having recovered his senses,
! sees that a marrige between you and
himself would he quite impossible. He
regrets having promised it, and begs
that you will forgive what seems to be
breach of that promise; but it is
really the best and wisest plan of his
life. Neither your birth, training, edu-
cation, manners, nor appearance fit
you to hold the position that my sons
wife must hold. You must, therefore.
consider the whole affair at an end: it
was, az it's worst, a piece of boyish
folly and indiscretion, while you are
blameless. It is my sons wish that
ample compensation should be made
to you, and have placed the matter
in the hands of Mr.. Sewel1 my lawyer.
whom Ihave instructed to settle thou
sand per annum on YOU Let me add,
further, that if ever you are in any
pecuniary difficulty, I shall find it a
pleasure in helping you.
Zone thing more: Lord Chandos is
engaged to be married to one of the
WeaIthiest women in England-a mar
riage which makes his father and my
self extremely happy, which opens to
him one of the finest careers ever
opened to any man, and will make him
one of the happiest of men. Let ne
add an earnest hope that your own
good sense will prevent any vulgar in
trusiOn on your part, either on my son
or the lady to whom he is passionate1y
attached. You will not need to ans
wer this letter. Lord Chandos does
not wish to he annoyed by any useless
appeals; in short, no letter that you
write will reach him, as we are travel
ing from place to place. and shall be so
until the wedding-day
'In conclusion, I can but say 7 hope
you will look ait the matter in a sensi-
/! BILE light. You, farmers niece, have
no right to aspire to the position of an
ear1's wife, and you have every reason