Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-12-11
A Broken Wedding Ring

By Bertha NJ. Clay.

held, at which some fair young races
had been seen; but she knew that
none could have equalIed that of Leah
Hatton.
The duke had a grand old mansion
named Park View close to Hyde Park,
while the duchess had a villa which
she preferred to any other restor; 1t
was called the Reach It was situated
on the Thames, not far from Kew,
and nothing delighted her grace more
than to escape from the crowd and
spend few days on the banks Of the
/ river.
The duke and duchess went direct
to PARK View. Sir Arthur was invited
/ to meet them, and from their house
he was to take Leah home. He was
( impatient to see her. The duchess
had told him that she had changed
so completely he would hardly recog-
niZe her, He longed to see what
change had been effected; to his way
of thinking, she could not have grown
more beautiful.
He stood in the drawingroOm at
pictures, the CLEAN Of white statues,
the harmonious tints Of thick, SOFT
carpets, the brightness Of innumerable
flowers, the groups Of sweet violets
which porfumed the air; then, stand
ing before him. the handsome, stately
duchess, wi,n white, jewelled hands
held out In greeting to him; then
further away, near slender, 6hapeIy
palm, he discerned hgur" and face
so perfectly beautiful that he looked
In amaZement. 1t was his niece Leah.
The long absence had wonderfully inn
proved her. He grew pale as he went
up to her and kissed her in silence,
for his emotion was too great for
words.
The duchess had been right after
all Nothing but constant association
with an accomplished and refined
woman of the world could have given
such hIgh-brcd ease and grace to her.
My daughter and niece" he said,
you have been away little more than
a year, yet there is difference of
many years in you"
Are you satisfed?" asked the
duchess, softly, some time afterward,
when they found themselves alone
Il should be most ungrateful were |
anything else" he rcpued Il can
never thank you enough. | must con
foss myself overwhelmed with sur
prise"
II do not feel much inclined to let
my treasure pass out of my hands"
said the duchess, with u smile "If |
intrust her to you, you must promise
me that she shall not be seen until the
day Of the drawinE-Toom | want her
to take the gay world by surprise
She viii make sensation such as we
have not had for some time past,
DO You not agree with mo?"
with every word" replied the gen
cral. II feel myself almost in awe in
the presence of such perfect and peer
less loyeinoss,"
Mind, said the duchess, laughing
ly "Loah must make the best match
of the season. | shall not consider
any one under an earl or duke pro
Hcntablo. She might have been
princess while we were in Rome, but
she would not"
Il am glad of it," he declared.
There are no mon like Englishmcn.
| hope she viii marry-ir she marries
at all-somo one who will be kind to
her and mako her happy"
1t did not occur to him to add,
some ono whom she loves" Love
had never been necessity of life
with the old soldier.
Sir Arthur took his beautiful niece
homo that evening to Harbury House
40 you know why | gave this
house the name of HarLury?" he said
to her; and then he told her that 1t
was in arfoCtionatc remembrance of
the pretty town whore his father had
/ lived and died.
! Magnificent rs the house was it
was but a fitting shrine for the youns
beauty who had como to be mistress
of it, When they stood in the draw
! ingroom Sir Arthur regarded his
niece stll moro attontiycly.
Il should hardly have known you,
Leah he said, gently Among all
tho llattons | do not think we have
had one like you"
The exquisite face brightened
There are times, uncle" she said
when ! do not quite know myself
the change is Sc great to me
My dear Leah" he returned, in the
earnest simple manner which always
carried truth with it, you were born
for the station | hope to see you fin
1t would have been ten thousand pitics
to-leave you whore--you were"
That was the only allusion the gen
eral ever made to the past. and II
seemed to be wruug from him by tho
surprise of her marvellous lovelincss
ON that same night he showed .car
all over the maguitcent mansion that
he had made his own, with all lis
treasures of art and wealth
This win be yours when die
Leah he said and he was proud tc
sec that no flush of citation came L
her face Il wonder Leah" he said
suddenly, III you could bear i1l.fortuut
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