Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-02-21
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

wife. Lady RIVERS would fain have
kept it from them If she could. Her
one idea was to keep it secret from all
the world. In spite of all that con-
science said about the matter, she was
quite resolved that, if it were possible
to find a flaw in the marriage, it
should be annulled.
How keenly she suffered, no one
could guess. She had been SO proud
of her son; she had been so contempt
uously ptiful to other mothers whose
children had made wretched mar
riages. In a perfectly refined AMI
well-bred maner she had boosted of
her son, and she had been much
courted for his sake. There was no
doubt that Randolph, Lord RIVERS,
was one of the best matches in Eng
land. His mother knew it. On the
Strength of it she had patronized
duchesses with large families OF
daughters. True, she was a very
popular member of society on her own
account, but she was doubly so on ac-
count of her son. Pincess Saxon, who
had four plain daughters all unmar-
ried, never ceased to court her. The
Duches of Inverary one of the most
exclusive queens of society, eagerly
sought Lady RIVERS, and said openly
how much she should like an alliance
between the two houses; and Gwen
doline Mari. the most beautiful and
wealthy heiress of the day, had more
than once shown her preference for
him.
Not only were all these triumphs
ended, but series of terrible mortif-
cations mad begun. How should she
face the world when the pride of her
life was gone? How could she bear
the sneers of those ladies at whom she
had sneereG, and who would not in
their turn spare her? She knew ex-
actly the tone of affected commisera.
ton in which they would address her.
She knew how they would sting her
; under the guise of plying words.
"He might have married any one -
she cried "and he has brought me to
this, that l shall be ashamed to show
my face where, until now, have been
an honored guest! l can just imagine
Princess Saxon, with the sweet Ian
/ guild smile of hers, saying. What is
this story about your sons marriage
: dear Lady RIVERS? l have not be
- lieved one word of it; and shall have
to own that it is all true"
. For the time the proud lady almost
; hated her son; and she hated with
double bitterness the girl he had mar
J. ried
Seven o'clock had struck, and every
1 minute she expected the carriage. II
had been sent to Ryversdale railway
y station, and the three ladies awaited
its return. Lady RIVERS would not
y have owned such thing for the world
: she would have called it theatrical
Il and ill-bred-but she had chosen the
> great drawing-room in which to re
u ceive Randolph's wife, hoping the
sight Of its grandeur would annihllate
7, her. For the same reason she had
II chosen her richest dress of black
velvet, her finest point-lace and some
IL of her most superb diamonds. She
i looked majestic and magnificent. vel
= in her heart she half despised herself
What did it matter. after all, whether
a creature so uttely insignificant were
crushed or not? Lady Lester looked
e beautiful as a dream She wore 9
dress of pale amber brocade. will
l. some fine rubies. Monica wore white
s with blue hyacinths.
a 81 don't know how | shall meet
IS them" said Lady RIVERS. Il hav,
n never felt that II was impossible to b.
civil hAfApA bo4 10
II do? My sense and tact fail me-"
With half closed eyes Marguerite
n Countess of Lester. lay back in he
W chair. She held a richly jeweled far
II in her hands; and the family crisis. a
n Monica irreverently called it, had no
d troubled her. When Lady RIVER.
II spoke, the elder daughter opened hel
t. magnificent dark eyes.
ii do not trouble, mamma" she said
o. Let me use one of Moniea's plati
tudes-what is to be will be. Yo,
II have anticipated the worst 1t is JUS
1t possible that We may have an agree
h able surprise"
r. MY dear Marguerite" cried Lad,
II RIVERS, Il must kiss her. If do not
lie Randolph win be mortaily offended
Il Yet how can |? l wish they were
here. and II was all over"
" Mamma. shall you so into the hal
to meet them?" Monica asked, a shor
o time afterward, when the sound oil
e. carriage-wheels was heard.
e Certainly not" replied her lady
% ship. why should I? That is Ran
n dolphs voice. Oh, Marguerite how
" my heart beats! II has not beaten 81
u quickly for years"
n In the agitation of the moment tn,
h three ladies drew together They
formed a striking group. The doc
q was opened-they never knew how or
p by whom-and Randolph entered
If the room. They saw the tall fgur,
and the bronzed handsome face; they
d saw that he led by the hand a graceful
d girl. whose face was hidden by
traveling-veil. II seemed for a mo
ment as though they were all para
lyzcd: then the rich. cherry voic,
broke the spell