Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-08-18

me-"
''Then you decidedly refuse me?''
he said.
Suddenly there came to her mind
the memory of the old earl kneeling
with outstretched hands, and crying
to her for help. Could she send this
only chance of help far from him.
"Stay, Mr.. Culross," she said,
hastily; '1et me ask you, in my
turn, can you not be generous, and
help my father without-without rel
erence to me?'
I NO." he replied, calmly, ''you ASH
what is beyond mel cannot.
''It is so like trader she cried,
proudly, ito ask a price even for his
virtues, to sell even his benevolence,
to wish to- purchase a wife whom he
can obtain on no other terms. A
man of birth would save my father
and scorn to make his daughter $
hand the price of his safety"
mot if he loved that daughter, .
said Herman Culross. Pardon NE,
man who loves a woman will try
| dill lie Cdu W Will uSl.
''That is plebeian love, Mr.. Cul-
rosa man of birth loves different
ly. He prefers the happiness of the
woman he loves to his own"
pardon me again if venture to
say that your notions are quite fan
ciful Lady Iantne. Will you let me
speak to you about what you are
pleased to call plebeian love-love
which, if you had seen it in man
whom you deemed noble, you would
| have considered exaLed chivalry."
II cannot prevent your telling me
what you choose, Mr.. Culross," she
said, with an air of resignation. 81
have no choice, save to listen"
MANY years ago." he began,
when I was quite boy, was in
vited to spend my holidays with my
fathers soAcitor in London; and it
SO happened that on our way thither,
business brought me to Croombe,
and ! came with him. | was only a
boy, Lady Ianthe, unframed, Uniform
ed, ignorant-a manufacturers son,
utterly, I grant, beneath the notice
OF Lady Care; but the ignorant boy
the manufacturers son, had, I, sup
pose, poets soul and an artists
mind-had something in him thar
raised him above a mere clod.
was boy; and, walking in this
grand old park of yours, where the
trees are centuries old, I saw what
seemed to my boyish eyes a vision
of perfect grace and bewildering
beauty bright young girl, who
passed me with her dropping eyes
She vouchsafed me one glance
proud, careless, indifferent-an
then went on her way and forgot
me; but my heart went with her
I was only boy, standing under the
light of the summer sky, blinded,
daZed, bewildered by the bright
vision-only boy-yet in that mo-
ment a mans passionate love came
to me, and l was boy no more.
How that fair proud, girlish face
haunted me afterward! Look where
/ would, I saw nothing but the
proud eyes and tender, naughty
haunted! I inquired, and found that
the fair vision was no other than
Lady Care. Then I said to myself
that I would study hard, that I
would work as man had never work
ed, that I would make for myself a
name that should be famous all over
the land, and then, if I could,
would win Lady Care. | was a boy
l when I made that resolve, but my
love grew with my growth; it shield
ed me in every temptation, it helped
me in every difficulty it spurred me
on to the dizziest heights of am.
bition; and now-now, Lady Ianthe,
has grown to be more to me than
life itself, bring it to you, and,
kneeling at your feet, offer it to you
The passion of his words touched
her-the handsome pleading face
touched her-but she drew back
coldly.
81 cannot take it, she said, "for l
can never return it."
eff I were what you call noble,
Lady Ianthe, would you be touched
by this great and constant lover"
eff you were of my ORDER" she
said, "I might learn to care for you
"And in one nobly born you would
say that was chivalrous love?'
YES" she replied, frankly, 81
should"
But, because 1 am a son Of the
people, a man whose father rose by
his own industry, you consider my
love an impertinence, and you re
fuse to accept it?"
Eyes," she answered, candidly.
Herman Culross stood for a few
minutes in silence; he did not know
how to contend with pride so bitter
SO great as this.
''Will you tell me one thing, Lady
Tanthe?" he asked. do you love
any one else?"
She did not answer at f1rst-the