Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-24

not befit her She was the wife of a
forger and thief.
Take them, my darling" he re-
quested, land be happy; l would give
all have in the world, Ethel, to see
brighter look on your face"
She kissed him and thanked him, try
ing to hide her despair behind smiling
countenance, and on the day Of her
presentation at court she wore them.
Lord ST Norman had always been
proud of his daughter-he had always
rejoiced in her glorious beauty-but on
this day he was prouuer than ever
The court costume suited her regal
style of beauty; her indifference to
her own loneliness seemed to increase
it; and at court she created a sensa-
ton rarely equaled
The following day every one was in
| raptures concerning her; the fashion
| able papers, which gave a full descrip-
| ton Of her costume, spoke of her mar
velous beauty; men at their clubs,
| ladies in their drawing-rooms, dis
| cussed her.
She woke one morning to find herself
famous, to find her name on every lip,
to find men eloquent in her praise. In
vitations poured in upon her; the
beautiful Miss st. Norman was wor-
SHIPPED like a queen. She received al
homage with Indifference.
Lord st. Norman was delighted wI.1
his daughters success. On the morn,
ing after the reception, as they sat to-
gether at breakfast, he complimentet
het.
You have all the world at YOU
feet, Ethel" he said.
But Helen, looking into the face 0
the girl she had grown to love so dear
ly, thought to herself that even thu
homage of the world would bring NJ
; happiness to Ethel.
THE Duchess of Listborough, Lad,
Bramfeld how many more invitations
have you?" asked her father. lookin!
over the cards. why, Ethel, if tn
! days were forty-eight instead of TWEEN
ty-four hours long, you could not &C
cept all these
To his surprise she seemed neithe
elated nor fiattered He could not un
derstand her. 1t seemed almost unnat
ural that she should be so completel'
indifferent to the admiration of tn
fashionable world That same day Lor
St. Norman said to his wife:
Helen, 1 cannot imagine why Ethe
differs so greatly from other girls.
think l should prefer her as she was
with all her faults, her pride, her Low
OF power-the Ethel of old, who wa
always capricious, always charming
to the Ethel who had grown patient
submissive, and Indifferent"
Helen sighed deeply.
= She was happier then, Leonard
: but | cannot see why she should be S
! unhappy now"
They talked of her, wondered abou
q her, and lamented the change in he
e but they said little to her. She ha
). shown them plainly how much she dis
/. liked all alusion to herself.
|. Before long Ethel St. Norman foun
/ herself queen of the most brilliant sc
: cIety in London. She was more sougf
n after, more admired, than any othe
|. woman in England, and her chic
e charm was that she seemed so utterl
! unconscious Of her beauty. No homag
g no admiration, no fiattery brought
hush to her face, a light to her eve
: Her superb Indifference, her cain
: proud serenity, her cool reception of a
|. attention, had piquancy all her OWL
Girls who blushed, smiled, talke;
t were pleased with pretty attention
i were common enough; this gran
= young beauty, who would have receive
y the homage of kings as cody as sb
did that of peers, was, to say the lea!
d OF it. uncommon.
7 Men strOve to win a smile from tn
r perfect lips. and failed; they exerte
talent, intellect, wit. all to win froi
y her che kind loom, and failed.
: She was among them, but not {
o them; she seemed like one apart froI
= all others. Some of the noblest an
4 most distinguished men in Englan
d sought to win the favor of the prout
peerless girl, and did not succeed. rh
colder she appeared, the greater wa
e their admiration: the more devoted the
t became, the prouder and the calmer sh
/ | seemed.
To be continued.