Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-03-14
larried a man I did not love-"

averred her SiSter-ln-law. am
good Judge of love, because | am So
y,s:ah in io%ss- .a3seH- -.asre~than yoa
have ever BEEN" she added, with a
wise little toss Of the head. For the
man love l could go through any
thing-fire and water. | would walk
to hini over red-hJS piowshares; /
would give my HE FOR him You
would not do so much for my brother.
know IT, You cannot even bear with
mamma for his sake. | look at you
when mamma IL what call awkward
or spiteful, as she is to you at times.
and | see that you do not love Ran
doiph well enough to bear it patiently
| for his sake. If might but even live
in the same town with my lover. J
would bear all that twenty mothers-in-
law could make me suffer"
Violet's beautiful eyes were fixed
upon her in untold wonder The two
girls had gone out together to feed the
peaco,ks, which were summing them
selves on the lawn. Violet had been
| at the Castle for three weeks now, and
they had certainly not been three
! weeks of bliss. To make matters
worse than they had been. the Earl Of
Lester was invited: and his motherin-
law took him into her confidence. and
told him all she thought and felt on
the subject of her sons wife.
But, when she coDfded to him her
| intense desire to annul the marriage,
If possible, even the Earl Of Lester
felt shocked.
Il do not think it possible" he said /;
and even if it We're, do not think 1t
would be right
There is no right or wrong in the
natter" cried the dowager, passion
ately. The whole affair is huge
mistake the sooner it is ended the
! better"
But on what ground can you seek
to annul the marriage?" asked the
Earl, almost as much surprised as
Lord RIVERS had been. You cannot
attempt to dissolve it because the girl
has no fortune and no position"
THAT is true. My objection would
be that he was not Of age when he
married. and could not marry legally
without my consent"
ut would not hold" replied the
Earl. IF you will take my advice.
Lady RIVERS, you will not attempt
anything of the kind You have no
chance of success. and your son will
never forgive you"
Il shall certainly try my best.
whether I succeed or fall she de-
clared.
And from that moment Violet had a
strong partisan in the young Earl.
Il cannot understand" he said to
his wife. why your mother makes
such terrible fuss She seems to
hate the girl. think she would do
her any and every possible injury.
She is, without doubt, one of the
most beautiful and charming girls I
have ever seen. do not as rule,
believe in unequal marriages; nor do
call this one Violet has beauty
enough and distinction enough to
make up for all deficiencies"
The Countess languidly opened her
eyes. It was something quite novel to
hear her husband speak so earnestly
you seem to have suddenly grown
very fond of your sister-in-law." she
said,
"And no wonder" rejoined the Earl
"She has more life and animation
than twenty ordinary women put to.
gether."
Il am very glad that am an ordin-
airy woman. and relieved from the
trouble of being so animated" observ-
the Countess.
my dear Marguerite" said the
Earl. you are perfection itself in your
ways. Animation would not suit your
imperial style"
The Countess Of Lester had never
been jealous-she had always been so
serenely confident of her own powers
of pleasing-but just the smallest
tinge of jealousy colored her thoughts.
and caused her to shun Violet more
than she had done before.
The Earl was most attentive to her.
They agreed and quarrelled, laughed
and disputed the whole day long.
Lord Lester was amused at her
notions. He called her a Democrat.
a Radical; and she, with all the
eloquence and earnestness Of her
nature, denounced him as an aristo
crat. He delighted in drawing her
out, IN rousing her. in debating with
her. and the result was that they be-
came the greatest of friends; and the
strongest ally Violet had in the house
was the Earl of Lester. He had no
patience with the dowager Lady
| RIVERS or with his wife. Why they
could not accept Violet as one Of their
own he could not think. More than
once the dowager had regretted send
ing for this son-in-iaw who had taken
the very opposite side TO the one she
intended him TO take
The family was pretty well divided
now, and as Monica said. there was
every chance of "a lively time" The
dowaRer Lady RIVERS and the Coun-