Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-01-15
CHAPTER 1.


whose figure was bent and whose
hands trembled with weakness-an old
man who had not been pleased to
grow Old-whose thoughts, cares and
interests had been bound up in this
world, and who knew no other. He
sat in an easy chair, his head thrown
back. his eyes closed, his hands fold
ed, his face hopeless in it's expression.
The Cliefdens had once been the
leading family in the county, and
CIfefden Hall the most hospitable man
sion in it; but long before the present
Squire was born Cliefden Park was
sold, it's name changed, and all that re-
manned of the once vast estates was
low, rambling, picturesque place called
White Cliffe. 1t is an awkward mat
ter to be born with the tastes of a
grand duke, a love of luxury and a de-
sire for position, when one possesses
very limited means. This was what
had happened to Squire William Clief-
den. His fathers one prayer, one sin
cere desire, had been that he should
win the old lands back again. He had
died with such words on his lips; and
they had set his sons heart on fire.
But it was much easier for him to
spend than to save He went abroad.
hoping always that some wonderful
change would enable him to retrieve
his fallen fortunes, though it never
came At that time he was hand
some, gallant young man, with no
more idea of the value of money than
a child
He passed some years quicksilver
mining in Spain, and then returned to
England. none the richer for his wan
derings in search of wealth Soon aft
erward he married a fair, placid girl
who had large fortune, and with
whom he lived happily enough. Cath
crime SOmers loved her handsome,
erratic young husband, and was quite
content. She never wondered whether
he had had other loves or other inter-
ests; she was placid, quietly happy.
One day terrible accident happened
to the Squire. He was struck by a
falling branch of tree, and carried
home senseless. Even now he suffered
from the effects of the injury which
had nearly proved fatal at the time he
received it. During his delirium his
one cry was Dolores, DOlOresi" in a
voice so full OIL acute pain and misery
that it brought tears to the eyes of
those who heard him Dolores, Dol
ores!" was reiterated by the sick man
all through the dark hours of the night
and the early hours of morn. while the
simple, unsuspecting English wife
knelt by his side and wondered who
Dolores was.
AS he grew better the Squire ceased
to repeat the name; and his wife be-
Iieved the cry to have arisen from
some wandering of his fevered brain
When his little daughter was born, he
said that she must be called Dolores"
and his fair wife smiled as she said,
'FThat was the name you repeated so
often when you were i'll" So the beau
tiful, golden-haired child was called
Dolores" a name as ill-suited to her
bright, blonde loneliness as anything
could we'll be-
Whatever the romance or tragedy Of
the Squire's life had been, it was never
discovered If a wild, deep unhappy
love, it died with him and was never
told; nor did he ever betray himself in
any way respecting it, except when his
voice took a more musical tone in tire
utterance of the name DOLORES"
The gentle wife died and was buried
Then the Squire devoted himself to the
task of making a fortune for Dolores.
But Fate was not kind to him. He
liked to speculate, but no speculation
ever turned out we'll for him; he lost
more than he made; and now, when he
was old, when energy, spirit, and hope
were all gone, the news had come to
him that he was utterly ruined
He had gathered together every
available shilling-he had even mort
gagged White Cliffe, SO sure was he of
sue }ss-he had invested his money in
mining shares, which he had been as
sUred would bring him in thirty per
cent, and sell at any time for thrice
their value. He was certain to make
q large fOrtune-sO the agents of the
new company told him. And the
Squire-never very keen where money
was concerned, never very sound of
Judgment in making investments-wa
only too delighted. He staked every
1arthing he had in the world, and for
one year he enjoyed a wonderful in
crease of income. But that morning
he had received a letter which told
him of his utter ruin. The company
was a complete swindle; the manager
had absconded with all that remained
Of the capital, and there was nothing
but ruin for all the deluded share
holders
The Squire had received that letter
in the morning, and he had hardly
stirred since. For many hours he had
remained just as he was, trying to re-
aIize the utter, abject misery into
which he had fallen. His hanls folded,
his eyes closed, his life wrecked and
,ooO,,o v,;&oOv,c orb oO,1IJ JOo