Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-12-21

tate-but he was no aristocrat. He
thanked Heaven that he had sought to
buy no mans soul with gold. Shrewd
men. who read his speeches, said there
must be a secret attached to his life;
! he could not hate the aristocracy SO
much unless he had suffered through
! one Of them.
! But no one even family guessed that
! he hated the aristocracy because an
old artstocrat had tempted his fair
young wife to leave him.
He had become one Of the leading
men Of the day-a power and a voice
| in the land. Lord Carlswood, who was
a great admirer of talent, admired him.
although he deplored his principles.
He has not only talent, that man, -
he said, referring to him-"he has
positive genius. I admire him even
for his honest hatred; but | wish that
his talens were all enlisted on our side
i wish that he were one of US"
People talked great deal of him; it
was said that, although he was so
fierce a democrat, even Royalty ad-
praised his eloqence. Still, he would
not enter what was called fashionable
society.
He was walking one day though the
park with Major Henchly, a great
friend Of his, and they saw the car
riages of the ladies who were going to
the Drawing
The Major, a fervent admirer of fair
women, stopped to look at them, and,
in spite of his unwillingness, Mr.. Dale
was forced to the same. Suddenly his
face grew pale, and the breath came in
thick, hot gasps from his lips. His
hand clasped the arm of his COM
paniOn.
who is that?" he asked, in a fierce,
h0arse whisper.
Major Henchley looked.
That is the beautiful Mrs. Waldron
the granddaughter of Lord CarlsWood.
She is a magnificent woman. / do not
think she had her equal in London
nay i'll all England"
Mrs. Waldron!" repeated Mr.. Dale,
in a low voice.
DO not put the question that no one
fails to ask, Who is her husband?'"
People ask that, do they? Well,
am inclined to initiate them. Who is
her husband?"
Il cannot tell you; she made some
low marriage, [ believe"
Does low marriage mean that she
married a poor man." asked Mr..
Dale.
I suppose so. l do not know.
have heard, in common with the rest
of the world, that she married beneath
her, and is separated from her hus-
band"
Because he is low can under
stand that l am what is called self
made man, Major. If a high-bred
lady looked kindly on me, and an al
lance were formed, should you think
she had contracted a low marriage?'
Because of your" cried the major.
Certainly not. Why, you are one OF
the most rising men of the day!'
ct is difficult to discover what a
low marriage is said Mr.. Dale; but
the strange pallor did not die from
his face. He was unlike himself for
the whole of the day after he had seen
Lord Carlswood's grandchild.
There were many who remarked az
the drawing that the beautiful
Mrs. Waldron looked unlike herself;
she was not SO brilliant, not so radi-
ant; there was more of thought on her
brow, of care in her eyes; her smile
was not so bright, her repartee not so
ready.
1t was the truth. The pleasures of
the world were beginning to pail
upon Ismay. Perhaps she had exhaust
ed them too quickly. She had drained
the cup Of pleasure to it's very dregs;
there was nothing left to her to wish
for-nothing to desire.
Her life for ten long years hao
been one series of brilliant triumphs;
the world had worshipped her; and
during that time she had lived without
love, without tenderness, engrossed IL,
vanity, pleasure, and love of luxury.
| She was in the very pride Of her mag
nifcent wOmanhood now, and she was
| beginning to feel tired Of frivolity--
to wish for something better
| She was at a ball one evening, and
some one presented her with a beau
f! tiful rose. She took it carelessly, ana
| held it in her hands while she sat
slowly upon her senses; it brought
! back to her the time when she had
sat with Mr.. Ford in the pretty shady
! garden; she remembered her own pas
sion Of wonder and emotion as she
listened to his story. Then her hus-
bands face rose before her as she had
seen it last-handsOme, haggard, with
misery. yet full of love and tenderness
She remembered how he had claspeo
her in his arms and kissed her lips
how he had said to her
you will find nothing in the world
like my love-
She started, for warm tear had
fallen upon her hand.
What am | doing?" she thought
Il have hardly thought of him fol-
years. Can it be possible that l an
weeping for Paul?"
could not dismiss those haunting
memories from her heart-Paul's love
PauIs tenderness, Pauls devotion
his incessant Watchfu1 care. How
proud he had been of her, How mad
ly he had worshipped her!
For the first time-so engrossed haC
, she been in her new life-she began tt