Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-04-11
CHAPTER XXXVIi.

Lord RIVERS had made a resolve.
He could not be wanting in courtesy
to his mother; he could not, after her
long reign in the house, ask her alb
cuptly to leave it; but he would take
his wife away. In his heart there was
deep resentment against his parent,
but he was too wellbred a gentleman
and too good a son to put it into
words.
He was sorely disappointed He
had no thought that his mother would
hold out in this fashion-in fact, his
love had been so great he had thought
Of nothing else. And now the whole
world seemed to lie in ruins about
MIN, and the only certainty he felt
was that his beautiful young wife was
miserable. This state Of things could
not last; ne must put an end to it;
and, if he did not like to ask his
mother to go, he must take his wife
away himself. He had made up his
mind to this; but Fate forestalled him.
1t so happened that one chill after
aeon Lord RIVERS feeling vexId and
grieved that those he loved best did
not love each other, went out on the
terrace to sOlace himself with cigar.
While he was walking there, looking
with admiring eyes at a copper
beech on which the sunshine lay, Lord
lester Joined him.
Randolph, he said, abruptly, IF
Violet were my wife, | should not feel
happy about her. She has lost her
beautiful bloom, she is growing thin
ner and paler. she does not LOOK
happy. | repeat. if she were my WIFI.
I should be anxious about her"
She is not happy" returned Lord
Ryvers. Il see it plainly enough, a Id
/ am puzzled what to do I want my
mother to like her; but am beginning
70 fear she never will"
Never" declared the Earl. "The
prejudices on both sides are too
strong. The only thing you can do is
TO keep them apart"
I fear so; but that seems hard on
my mother, who has been mistress
here all her life"
ut is useless to speak of the past, ;
said Lord Lester. 1T was a quiX0tic
{asiness from the first to the la St
FORGIVE my saying so, but you ought
30 have married in your own sphere,
These Quixotic love-affairs never an
swer. You have virtually separated
yourself from your mother by your
marriage; your first care now must be
your wife"
The words haunted Lord RIVERS.
With all his passionate worship of
Violet, was it possible that he hal
committed a blunder in bringing her
nome to his mother, and in trying to
make them friends?
He went in search of her when Lord
Lester sauntered away to join his
Countess, who was growing tired Ct
FAMILY battles and quarrels. He
found her at the fountain.
Lord RIVERS face frightened when
ne saw her. Was there ever a woman
so fair? She stood Watching the
falling spray, rich draperies of gray
velvet and silver fur falling round her
Der beautiful face Swallowed by hal
with sweeping plume But it was
not the face of a happy woman; the
conviction of that went home to him
She was beautiful beyond COMPARE
more statuesque in the full deveIop
ment of her magnificent womanhood:
but this was not the girl who has
made him captive on the mornin.
when he had sung of "June's palac,
paved with gold" There was ;
mournfui look in her eyes, a dee,
shadow on her face, lines of pail
were round her sweet mouth. AS
Wild bird pines in a cage, so sh
plned IN the midst of the splendor
which surrounded her Oh, to be free
TO stand once more in the old garde
at nome. to breath the odor of til
plne-woods, even with Aunt Alic
scoldlng in the distance. She hate
this gilded splendor, she disliked i!
this retinue of servants, she deteste
the ways of the fine ladies about he,
and she longed with all her soul fo
freedom.
He found her in this mood Omit
unconsciously, in her own mind.
certain resentment was CROWN
against her husband. 1t was he VIII
had brought her hither, who ha