Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-03-28

Violet, my life is full of pain, one Ions
torture of suspense, | have no hope
Mamma will never relent, never Goa
sent to my marriage with Paul. Onl!
enc thing could be Of any use to us
but it will never happen. If some
one would die and leave Paul a large
fortune, she would withdraw hel
veto at once. A year ago Paul wrote
to me and suggested that we should
get married at once; he said that
when it was done and beyond recall
my mother would forgive us; but how
could I say Yes and spoil his career.
How could be keep a wife who would
not bring him one shilling, he who has
difficulty enough to keep himself?
His father has little money to spare;
he can help him only every now and
then. Do you not see, Violet, l should
be only a drag and a burden? In fact
wish.
II have no money of my own,
| Monica went on plaintively; mamma
had ali. She can either leave me a
| fortune or deprive me Of one. She
would not of course, give me one
! shilling if I married Paul. For myself
, | do not mind poverty at ALL but
cannot drag him down into the
| depths. 1t would be selfish, and I
| love him better than myself"
cit seems sad story" said Violet,
''and I do not see what can be done to
help YOU"
Nothing can be DONE" Monica an
swered. ut is doubly hard for me.
Just because want no lovers and do
not want mamma to think of matri-
1nony in connection with me, am
! overwhelmed with offers; even our
! beautiful Marguerite never had so
many as I have had; and every fresh
offer makes my mother so angry.
| Only last week that tiresome old Sir
Thomas Macintosh, who is said to be
! one of the richest men in England,
wrote to mamma and told her-oh,
Violet, l have not patience to repeat
it, | have not indeed told her that
he wanted to marry me, and that he
was so anxious to make me his wife
he would settle half his fortune on me
if I would consent. Mamma implored
of me to say Yes and in some way.
| cannot tell how, Paul has heard of it.,
and has written to me. He knows I
shall be true to him. If ever a girl
means to be true to Aar love, and is
true, | am that girl. l shall write to
Paul today. But he seems so dis
heartened. He hears these rumors
of my lovers, he hears rumors of his
regiment going abroad, and he seems
half distracted
Write him a long, cheerful love
letter. suggested Violet.
Have you ever written a love
letter in your life?" asked Monica.
Violet answered mo"
eff you had said the girl, simply,
''you would know that it would be the
most difficult thing in the world to
write cheerful one in circumstances
like mine"
ut does not seem to me-" said
Monica RIVERS to her sister-in-law,
that you will ever feel quite at home
here" For Monica, suddenly entering
one of the pretty drawing-rooms IN
ordinary use, found Violet idly seated
there, and locking very Respondent
Il do not think I SHALL" she an
swered-"the place is so large, so
different from anything to which I
have been accustomed; and I have
nothing to occupy me. I was much
happier in my aunt's little house.
And, oh, Monica, if I had but
garden."
"a garden." cried Monica, in won
der. Why, my dear Violet, you have
one of the largest in England. The
Ryversdale gardens are unique"
$50 they may be; but they are not
NINE said Violet.
Ihey are your own, inaSmuch as
they belong to Randolph said
Monica
1T is very different" returned
Violet. AT my old home the garden
was my own, as it were"
AS she spoke, a memory of the
handsome face and love-laden eyes
that had haunted the garden came
back to her; and she knew in her
heart that she loved Randolph far
better in those days than in these.
He had seemed nearer to her, on
perfect equality with her. Now that
she was won, magnificent as they
, were, she hated all his surroundings.
she disliked most of his relatives and
friends. Only Monica RIVERS and
Lord Lester did she tolerate; they
were always kind and affectionate.
| Monica indeed loved her. The
dowager Violet most cordially dis
liked; she received no kindness from
her. And Lady Lester was a person
| whom she completely failed to under
stand.
So gradually a shadow fell be-
tween herself and her husband, cold
ness that was far more fatal than a
lovers quarrel.
CHAPTER xxxV.
In every little fracas, that took
place between Violet and the dowager
Lady RIVERS, Randolph tried to make
peace. His mother was hurt. think
Ing he ought to take her side; his
wife was angry, feeling quite sure
that he ought to fight her battles; he
himself felt hurt because Violet. for
lis sake, would not yield more. So
the shadow deepened, the coldness in.
creased. Not that Randolph loved
his wife less-if possible, he loved her
more-but he felt grieved because
she did not try to conciliate those
around her and to accommodate bo.