Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-07-27
FATE OR CHANCE +?

Don IOOh Ut ne IKE lnal. say some
thing
Lady Someryille bent a little nearer her
niece, who stood before her with tightly
clasped hands and trembling lips.
Don't you think, Celia, that what l
have to say is better left unsaid?"
Aunt
Surely, you don't expect me to be de
lighted-to gush congratulations?
Il know; but Jack
Jack, as you both know, is his own
master. / have, of course, no word to
say as to whom he should or should not
marry, yet"
She paused with slight but infinite
Inexpensive shrug of her shoulders, and
the action sent the blood in Celia Win
ter's cheeks.
After all, 1 am your own niece" she
said, sharply.
Yes, Jack might have chosen ballet
girl, or someone equally impOssible-th
is what you mean, isn't it?'
Il oh, you are very hard. |
thought knew that you would not care
for the engagement; but
Naturally. The but was not insur-
mountable from your point of view Graf
itude goes to the wall when interest
speaks. l suppose it is only human ma
ture."
You don't believe thar, Aunt Kate.
You know that | am not the sort of girl
to marry from interest"
My dear, does anyone know a girl :?
Does any girl ever show herself quite
as she is, especially to her pastors, mas
tiers and such like? Very we'll If it
pleases you, / will admit that YOU and
my son Jack are devoted to each other.
| suppose the fact that you will be Lady
Somerville does not exactly detract from
the charm, does it? But, honestly. now.
and in the name of common sense, do
you think it possible that | should be so
very gratlhed to know that you, the
daughter Of"
The daughter of your sister. Why
VIII you remember anything else eX-
claimed the girl, piteously.
Because everyone else will-hecause
l want you TO understand, before this
goes any further. what you yourself will
have to face. Here, in my house. Miss
Celia Winter, by dint of much thought
and an Infinite amount of tact, has
grown TO be quietly accepted. Everyone
likes you: you are pretty, not a fool, and
yet not clever enough to be unpleasant;
and SO you have taken fairly well. Still
with your sense and your experience
for your twenty-five years are equal to
another girls thirty-has it never oc-
Cured to You, my dear Celia. that with
all these points in your favor you have
Never, until poor Jack throws himself
into breach. has any man asked you to
be his wife. The fact is significant.
People have long memories, my dear, and
the sins of the fathers are always visited
upon the children. 1t is perhaps the one
divine maxim that society religiOusly OBJ
serves"
And you think the whole story will
be raked Aforementioned?
Il am sure of it"
still, Jack knows everything"
1T is one thing to know ones self; quite
another to have it forced upon you that
other people know too. | can't pretend
that | shall enjoy hearing the fats ct
gestcs of my late unlamented brother
in-law dragged back into the daylight.
And, after all. one can't exactly he quite
made responsible for ones RELATIONSHIP
law. 1t is really more yourself l pity
than anyone else. Then, too, there is
Your charming brother"
You know that we have not heard Of
Frank for FIVE years; the probabilities
are -"
That he will turn up one of these
days and possibly expect you to kill the
fatted calf. What set. 1t is almost a
pity for YOU, Celia. that you did not hap
pen to be like them; YOU might have had
quite brilliant career. AS it is, taking
after your mother. YOU settle quietly
down TO responsibility and a title Not
50 bad, after air.
Miss Winter had turned away her
mead. and was crying silently. Lady
Someryille watched her for a moment
and then put her hand on the girls arm.
There, DON'T cry. Celia. | don't think
sc ever been unkind to you--
You've been Kindness itself" ex-
claimed the girl, impulsivey, as she
caught her aunt's hand.
I've always tried to do my best for
Yen and to make things easy for YOU,
ana Shan't rejoice all my dear friends
by giving myself en- spectacle now. I'm
net pleased that you are 10 be my daugh-
ter-in-law; but | have not the least in
tehuon of publishing it on the houstopS.
or even whispering it in anyOneS ear.
winch would be even more effective and
carry further. No, wen make the best
OF It, and give the crowd a touching IL
lusiration of family sentiment"
Inc tone Of the last sentences chilled
'le girl. who had been Soothed by her
aunt first words; nevertheless she kissed
Lady Somerville and thanked her hearth
y.
1t was like man. for Jack to send
you to break the news, remarked Lord
Nomerville'S mother. a Celia closed the
DOOR behind her. Il suppose | ought to
nave foreseen this but it's just the very
lAIhgo that everyone else expects that al
ways atoniShes che so when they hap
pen"
And with this philosophical expression
Lady Somerville attempted to put her
own annoyance aside and calmly review
Jne situation, III order to decide exactly
what face to put on the matter to friends
ana acquaintances.
1t really was not n very pretty story,
tae story Of Lady Somerville's sister :
marriage and its sequel.
Maggie jefferson had been q beauty.
{he beauty of her season, indeed, and had
Mortified her family, who expected grea-
tAlngs Of her, by declaring her intention
s3 marry Lionel Winter or turn Roman
al and enter a convent.
:, II really seemed to the family council
tlat there was not much to choose be-
tWeen the alternatives; the change of
Ildlth and the corycut were depl0rable.
PUT the man lionel Winter-v1s abso-
luteiy ineligible. He was the younger
s1h Of country squire. without fortune
~ influence; he was a captain in q line
ItSiment; he was. in fact. altogether i'm
F'Sslble-or he should have been tn anv
-isht-nnnded gTl. they declared. Unfor-