Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-12-24

THE SQUIRE'S DARLING.

BY BERTHA III. CLAY.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Unkindness and cruelty did their
worst; neglect and Indifference, taunts
and insults were added to them, and
Sybil Ayrton learned the great lesson,
taught in such eloquent words: ITO
live, and live bravely; to bear, and be
bold"
Letters from England, the constant
kindness of Irene and Sir Rupert, her
fathers loving messages, were the only
CLEANS of sunlight the poor child ever
knew. But the time was coming when
her troubles seemed to be ending, and
the dark cloud to show it's silver lin
ing at last.
Sybil Ayrton, the spirited daughter
of spirited race, was not of the Span
ish order of women-she could not
love the cowardly hand that struck
her; it was not in her to love anything
mean or sordid. When she found out
what her husband really was, when
stripped pare, all love died in her
heart, ard died so completely that
nothing could ever bring it to life
again. She did her duty; she buried
his faults and her misery in the depths
of her own heart,-too loyal and true
for aught else. Only her Maker knew
what Sybil Ayrton suffered; she never
told it to human ears, least of all to
those who loved her so well.
One morning, when Lyster had been
at home for a week-perhaps the most
miserable of her wretched life-he
told her he was about joining an ex-
petition up the country, and should
not return, probably, for some months.
s re knew che men he was going with
James Slater and Frank Hunt, two
comrades with whom, of late, he had
passed most of his time. She liked to
remember afterward that, as he was
and raised her fair, patient face to his,
praying, God bless him and bring him
safely home" She liked to remember
that he had kissed her as he had not
done for long years, with something of
the old, gay, graceful Lyster about
him, so that she set about her work
cheerfully; not hoping-for she had
ceased to hope-but thinking that per-
haps, in years to come, life might be
little more endurable than it was
now.
He was gone many weeks, and she
never heard of or from him; but one
morning, as she sat busily at work,
thinking of Glynn and the old life that
lay so far behind her, James Slater.
her husbands friend, came to the
house and asked to see her.
She guessed his errand when she
saw his face, and she was not wrong,
for he came to tell her that her hus-
band, Lyster Ayrton, had been slain in
a fight with the natives, long miles
away.
The man looked shocked and sorry.
He told her how it all happened. They
were going peaceably enough to
place called the Golden Valley, when
they were attacked. There was
sharp, short fight; Lyster Ayrton was
killed, and lay under the stunted
bushes.
ct grieved me-" the man said, that
[ could not give even heathen's bur-
ial to my old friend but I was taken
prisoner, and had to leave him lying
where he. was. | only made my es-
cape two weeks ago, and | came
straight to tell you. He fell dead, Mrs.
Ayrton without word; there was not
even time for cry"
She was glad to remember, in that
hour, that her last words had been
blessing and a prayer.
The next day the story Of the MUIR
der of Lyster Ayrton was told in the
Witana "Gazette;" then all memory of
the man, save in her loyal heart died
away.