Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-04-04
} 1horns and Orange Blossoms.
4 BY THE AUTHOR
ROMANCE OF YOUNG GIRL
&s9N&S2S32S36SS0@,s S2a@S0eoSoSD
Continued,


sumo? 1t is quite new thing for the
ladies of Ryversdale to work on theil
own land"
How bitterly you speak, mother!
cried Randolph; while Monica looked
away with a shrug of her shoulder;
that was far more expressive thar
words.
- Npeak truthfully. l say that it is
a I -isfortune when the mistress of 9
| house like this has such excessively
plebeian tastes; it is more unfortunate
| still when the husband encourages
them"
4 do not see how you can call the
| cultivation of flowers a plebian taste,
said Lord RIVERS. why. mother, !
have seen you yourself busy in the
conservatory-busy, too, amongst
your favorite roses,''
you have never seen me stain my
hands with gathering fruit or soil
them by wedding" said Lady RIVERS
| IF your wife intends to work in a gar
| den as she seems to have done, she
will never be pr >entable. 1t is quite
new idea to me. l thought only
peasant-women used the spade and
the hoe"
you wilfully misunderstood, moth
en-" declared Randolph, angrily. IF
either of my sisters had expressed
such a wish, you would most cheer
fully have acceded to it,
1T has nothing to do with me-
said the dowager, sharply. THE
land, the grounds, the house and all
belonging to it, are yours. It does
not concern me in the least. You can
do what you like with your own. I
merely warn you that your wife's
tastes are plebeian, and that, if you be-
gin to yield to them, you viii not
know where to stop. I advise you to
refuse to crafty them, and to try to
elevate them"
you are not fair, you are not just,
mother-indeed you are not" re-
turned the young husband, gravely.
'FYou look with prejudiced eyes at
everything that Violet wants and
Wishes
|'Violet would have been much
better left where you found her." said
Lady RIVERS, contemptuously. "You
might as we'll attempt to graft cab
bages on rose-trees as to make a lady
of a person who has been accustomed
to work in gardens and dairies."
Randolph rose hastily from his
seat. This was more than he could
bear. He felt that his indignation
was rapidly mastering him, and that
words might be said which nothing
could recall
"Stay, Randolph" cried her lady,
ship, in voice of authority "You
are going, of course, to select a piece
of ground to crafty this absurd whim
of your wife"
Most certainly, mother" he replied.
ANY wish Of Violet's shall be gratified
so far as | am concerned"
| The dowager rose from her chair,
with gesture of proud intolerance
which struck dismay into the heart of
her son.
mot while I am here" she cried
81 am staying at your request; your
sisters are staying by my request in
order that, by association with the
person you have brought here as your
wife, we may civilize her, if possible
myself do not think it possible; she
is more obstinate even than she IS
| ignorant. I beg you to wait until
have left Ryversdale The grounds
and gardens of Ryversdale Castle
have been my pride all my life.
could not endure to see them cut up
or even disturbed, to crafty the whin
of an ignorant and vulgar woman"
Mother" said Randolph, trying tc
speak calmly, you must know thai
this is intolerable to me- You may
not like Violet-Heaven knows why!
but you do not think her either
ignorant or vulgar; you merely say
it to annoy me. My wife must be re
spected."
Then do not let me be annoyed by
seeing any nonsense of the kind pro
posed If it must be done, let it b.
when I have left the CASTLE"
Monica glanced at her brother.
LET it be Randolph" she said, "fol
a short time. l am very sorry that
spoke or interfered. Mamma will ex
cuse me; had forgotten her preju
dices."
SDo what you will to Ryversdale
when l have left it," said her lady
ship; 'but for the present, for the few
weeks that | am here, let everythins
remain as it isl
And in her heart she vowed again
that she would do all that was posi-
BILE to annul this horrible marriage
If Violet had been docile, yielding
deferential, it might have been more
bearable; but this girl was proud as
any Ryvers ever born.
Long after Randolph had quilted thu
room the dowager sat broodins
angrily over her bitter disappoint
ment. If her son had but married
Gwendoline Mari, she would have
been willing to have seen the RIVERS
dale grounds undergo a complete
change; but no change should be
wrought to please Violet; not one
plant should be removed to CRAFTY
her. If possible, Violet herself should
be removed; and she longed heartily
for that day to come.
CHAPTER XXIVI.
Ryversdale looked very beautiful in
its autumn dress. The chrysan
themums were all in flower, the Castle
gardens being famous for them
| ono hafora fhair I1oo1o