The Lamar register., 1901-07-24


prised every one. Her second cousin.
George Vernon,~a graceless. drinking
and diceing Oxford student. won the
treasure for which so many had longed
in vain. Won it almost without an
effort on his part-won 1t without
knowing of its value, or knowing how
to appreciate 1t.
When by the advice of dear friend
she knelt at her fathers feet and told
him of her love, the old man burst
into a storm of anger. threatened her
with the loss of home and friends |
threatened her also with his own
curse; but it was all in vain. She
was his own child. She inherited all
his pride and haughtiness. though
these qualities had been kept in the
background by the gentle teachings OF
her aunt; and when he attempted to
thwart her dearest wishes so openly
and determinedly, her pride and will
were aroused. and her soul opposed
| in all its native fierceness to his own.
That night she fed! The morning
brought letter from her, saying that
| she had chosen to share poverty with
her lover. rather than enjoy wealth
without him. At the same time she
prayed her father not to cast her ut
terly from his heart. but to think OF
her in kindness and mercy. for the
sake of the long and happy years they
had left behind them forever.
Marion was by no means one to be
discarded and forgotten where she had
once been loved. and though at hrst
her stern old father forbade all men
| l. thr.ao tor nod
disinherit her at once. her memory.
gentle. kind and loving as she had al
ways been till that fatal night grad
ually disarmed him, and by degrees
they came to speak of her again around
the home hearth. and to send many
loving wish and thought to follow her
in her wanderings.
1t may be that her father felt that
he had driven her to desperation by
his harshness, for as time softened the
first sting of agony he grew more kind
and gentle, and often encouraged his
faithful housekeeper to sit aud talk
for hours with him of her they had
both loved so well. At that time, if
she had returned. he would gladly
have welcomed and forgiven her. But
ah! as the poet says. "if only the dead
could know at what hour
ITO come back and be forgiven!"
They do not know, nor do the liv-
ing, till the appointed time has gone
by, and either the forgiveness or the
time for receiving 1t has passed away
No tidings came directly from Marion
her father did not even know the
exact place of her residence. flying
rumor reached him now and then;
but all was uncertain and mysterious;
and at last even this scanty informa-
ton ceased. and her name was spoken
softly and tenderly. as
"The household name
OF one whom God has taken"
Her father mourned for her silently.
but sincerely; and all could see by the
bending of the stately form and the
silver threads that glistened in his
jetty hair. how the estrangement. and
silence. and separation were eating his
very life away!
Her life should have been happy
gentleman who is supposed to be
mixed up with the affairs of mortals.
who must, I think. have laughed in
his sleeve when chance sent a young
, widow to dwell in the vicinity OF the
newly married pair.
I She was woman of good birth AMI
high family, though so reduced in cir
cumstances as to be obliged to add to
her scanty income by private tuition
in the more genteel families around
Banley. She was fine classical schol-
ar an artist. an authoress. and, in
addition, danced like n fairy. played
and sunk like an angel. and rode like
Die Vernon herself. Her tall. elegant
figure, her deep mourning, the easy
grace of her motions and The dignity
of her manners had already moved
George Vernon strangely. and though!
she was a brilliant rather than a beau
tiful women, with her wondrous smile.
her flashing eyes. her bewitchins
manners and easy grace. she placed
him where she had SO often placed
his betters-at her feet!
The dusky gentleman of whom
have already alluded, having his i'm
plements upon the ground. lost no time
in using them. Mr.. Vernon and the
governess met often. and it needed no
spoken word to tell the enchantress all
he was feeling. His words-his sighs
the long ardent glances of his hand
some hazel eyes, told the story only
too well, and smiling sometimes to
herself at this new proof of her power
of fascination. she gave him some
slight encouragement from time to
time. He did not love her. and yet.
at last, he walked up and down his
room at midnight. thinking. while she
was sleeping quietly and would have
laughed heartily at his employment
had she known II He was only doing