Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-01-25

"She brought plenty of money to
Fountayne, and she must have all she
wants." he was in the habit of saying
to himself; so that, during her life
time even, his hair grew gray, and
deep lines came upon his face, all
caused by money cares.
Then Lady Angela died, leaving one
daughter, Ethel; and this daughter be-
came the pride, the pet, the plaything
and the torment Of her fathers life.
She was always beautiful; she had
the Gordon face, the bright, winning
face that belonged to that debonair
race She had the quick, impetuous
Gordon temper, the Gordon pride. She
had all the virtues and many of the
failings that characterized her race.
Ethel Gordon had the faults that
generally characterize a warm, impet-
uous, loving, proud nature, and those
faults had been fostered in her from
the hour in which her baby rule had
begun at Fountayne. She was imperi-
GUS proud, with the quick temper that
belonged to the Gordons. Her face
would flush, her eyes flash fire; she
would express, scorn contempt and an
ger in moment but she was quick to
forget-she never thought twice of
wrong committed, and those who had
borne the brunt of her anger were the
kindly manner. She was quick to for
give; if she had hurt any ones feel
ings, she would do all in her power to
atone for it. 1t was not wonderful that
she was loved; she was we'll worth low
ing
She was the very light of Sir Leon
ards eyes, the joy of his heart, his
pride, and his delight. He had thought
at first of sending her to school, but
she had resolutely refused to go. Her
refusal was accompanied by such en-
dearing caresses, such a charm of man
ner such loving words, that Sir Leon
ard could not be angry, and from that
moment her triumphant rule COM
menced. A long, suffering line of gov
ernesses had tried their best to educate
her, but it had been found a difficult,
almost impossible task. She carica-
tured them, mimicked them, caressed
them, defied them-did everything, in
short, but obey them. One, more cour-
ageous than the rest, went to complain
to Sir Leonard.
Miss Gordon will not obey" said
the unfortunate lady. What am I to
do with herr"
''The Gordons are accustomed to
command, not to obey" said the child
A wise father would have compelled
obedience, would have punished the
mutinous speech. But Sir Leonard
was not wise He merely said, sadly:
"People must learn how to obey,
Ethel, before they know how to COM
mand; the greatest men have yielded
the most implicit obedience
80 would I to you. papa, but I can
not to these tiresome, complaining
women; they always look ready to cry
do not like governesses, and shall be
glad when I can do without them"
The whole household was kept in
such continual turmoil by the warfare
between Miss Gordon and her hap1ess
instructors, that it was a real relief to
Sir Leonard when the last of them
went away. Ethel was sixteen then,
and she gravely declared her education
to be finished.
Il know quite enough, papa" she
said. Besides. I can have masters, If
necessary, and that will be so much
better than a governess in the house"
It was wonderful what an amount of
knowledge she had obtained; she had
read every book that was within hex
reach; she had made herself familiar
with all the poets; she had a mind
stored with all kinds of information,
some of 1t quaint enough She had
taken to music naturally, as birds take
to song. She played with the most ex-
quisite taste; 1T seemed as though the
half-awakened soul found its voice in
her glorious gift of song. If she had
been the daughter of poorer people her
destiny must have been the stage; for
her voice was of the rarest beauty, a
contralto full of sweetness Much as
she disliked all training and discipline,
she had submitted to anything with re-
gard 20 her music-long hours of prac-
tice-perseverance in exercises-and
the result was that she sang with a
taste and skill rarely equaIled. Sir
Leonard was very proud Of this gift:
there was no pleasure greater to him
than that which he derived from his
daughters musical talent
From her earliest girlhood she had
been accustomed to have the full con-
troll of her fathers house While bare
ly old enough to know the names of
the different dishes, she had been ac-
customed to give orders for dinner
and the servants had been accustomed
to look to her for orders. Child though
she was, she had taken the greatest in
terest in her fathers guests; nothing
was ever done without consulting her
Accustomed as she had been to the
most complete sway and control over
everything and every one. it seemed to
her now very hard that this power
must pass from her into a strangers
hand.
For some time past 1t had been
dawning upon Sir Leonard that. with
all his daughters beauty and accom-
plishments, she was in many respects
unframed. By this time he had begun
to see that in reality he had fostered
and encouraged her faults, not cor
rected them. Childish passion, when
the lovely little face had flushed GRIM
son, and the tiny foot had been
stamped upon the floor, was one thing: