The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-11

1t was the source OF 1ndescriDaDle
bitterness to her; and when Clarence
Stanley, a young collegian, had called
on her sister Bess to deliver some
slight message from his brother, Lord
Appleby, and had either purposely or
accidently mistaken the old-maid
sister for his brothers pretty sweet
heart, he had, in one moment and
forever, won the heart Of Miss Fair
fax. She had never before really
loved any one and never expected to
give her heart second time.
When Clarence Stanley had said
goodbye forever to his native land,
and had called to see Milicent and
actually kissed her faded cheek, the
ioy and sorrow combined OF that
parting moment had nearly killed her.
But she didn't die. She lived that
she might remember, during every
moment of her future life, that this
brilliant young man had really kissed
her, ard that she might, the first
thing when she awoke in the morning
and the last when her eyes closed at
night, look at his face, that held for
her the glory of the world. She had
never seen him again; she had almost
ceased to hope that she ever night
and when Olive Gage came to Win
dermere House as guest, Miss Fair
fax gave to her love as peculiar and
as deep as she had flung at the feet,of
Clarence. 1t began by Olive Gaye
treating the old maid with playful
freedom and. lack of ceremony, such
as is only observed toward young
people; and having thus won Mill
cents heart she followed up the con-
quest by listening to the story OF her
admiration for young Clarence Stan
ley and declaring his picture "just
too handsome for anything" From
that moment Miss Fairfax would have
died for her; and when she called her
"Toddlekins," in playful allusion to
her duck-like walk, declaring that
Milicent was to call her "Nollikens"
in return, as q synonym for "Olive,"
the old maid was ready to yield up
her soul to follow where her heart had
gone before.
"She loves Clarence" thought
Olive, bringing her long reverie to a
close. ''She loves Clarence, and to
the eye of love there is no disguise.
But stop! She loves me, too, and for
me she will do anything-anythin
She would even throw dust in the eyes
of love itself. Yes-if there should
even be the disguise Issuspect, md
her eyes should penetrate it, I can yet
manage that tough knot! And now to
read her letter.. ~+a@Ha,. &sS (:
- .'WINDERMEaK HOUSE,
nEERTs, ENGLAND, May =, 1892.
"D5A0ssT NoLLzKENs: send Lyouzthe
Photograph; copy would not bethe same,
belt1es which, could not letit out otsny
enough to have it copied. | ri =
"Sending it is like passing 1t from my
left hand to my right still feel that 1t is
with me. And am Rlad, dear, that Jon
should have 1t for while, because we are
in such trouble here, and you may be the
means Of helping US. Lord Appleby is
doomed-the doctor says his 'daye are
numbere,l-and the little heir must 30, too.
Who could have thought itr One short
year ago, both OF them the picture Of
health as they then lookedp The myster-
ious malady that is killing them they in.
herit from Lord Appleby's mother, the late
countess. She had it from her mother,
and 30 on, I don't know how many genera
tions back; and no ply sician has ever been
able to understand the malady, or even to
give 1t name. They say 1t is no disease
at all, but curse. The countess came OF
Il Spanish family named Mendoza, and an
old ancestor centuries ago wronged some
Indian princess in America. That Mendoza
had two wives, Spanish wife and an In
dian wife, and both left descendants. It
Is said that the Indian woman left her
curse on every Mendoza who dtdn'r law
fully marry one Of her own descendants
and though that Is mere superstition
and I don't believe word Of it-there Is
something peculiar about it, for as far as
I can find out anything about it-and since
7 got your letter, dearest, I have taken
pains to find out everything I could about
tho Countess OF Windermere's family, and
it Is certainly remarkable how many Of
them have died mysteriously from some
unknown malady or else by accident or
violence.
"The case of poor Lbrd Appleby and his
little boy brings 1t home very close to US,
and although I wouldn't let myself believe
in this superstition can't but think this
malady that is killing Lord Appleby and
the child very awful and mysterious. That
brings me to the old earl. He is still rs
much in love with you, NolIie, as everl All,
what thousand pities heisn't his own son,
and then you could marry him and be
Countess OF Windermere. He is in despair
at the condition OF his son and grandson
such despair that even the return OF our
Clarence (thouGh his father has always
hated him) would be welcomed. The earl,
who married his wife from bitter feeling
OF revenge because she had twice refused
him, grew at last to hate her bitterly; and
this feeling was increased by the fact OF
her hopeless attachment to cousin Of her
own, who was also the heir-at.law OF the
Wlndermere estates II the present earl
should die childless. 1t appears to be o
law OF nature that men always hate the
heir ut law; and in the case OF the earl. his
hate wns increased by knowing the heir-at
law to be his rival, for whose sake he had
been twice refused, and when his second
son was born, tho image of his mother and
bearing the fatal Mendoza birthmark on his
temple, the old curl transferred his hate OF
the heir-at- law to his own son; and poor
| Clarence thus became the pet and darling
Of his mother.
From the time when Clarence left us
until now no one has ever dared to name
him to the earl; bat now, as I have already
said, think the earl would even welcome
this detested son as an heir to Windermere.
The original helr-ut-law, his rival and the
favored leys5 0ts sthssaepatess, is long since
dead; but hs has left two eEiESep, one
son, Harold, and daughter, Cohstance'
The son is, of course, the present ber-at-
law, and it was his sister to whom CLARENCE
was engaged; another reason for the HattS
girl, believe, though 1 hare never seen
her. But am ready to love any one who
cared for Clarence and for whom be cared.
Only tho serious thing in this matter is