Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-05-29

Continued.
He never said an unnecessary WORD
to her. When he was dining with US,
he did the honors of the table. If, on
asking her to partake of any dish, she
declined, he did not press her. He
never repeated the invitation. When
a bow or gesture of any kind could
take the place Of words, it was made
to do so. Any little act of politeness,
such as placing a chair or a footstool
for her, was performed with formal
ity and GOODNESS that made matters far
worse than if he had ommitted IT, He
never went out with her. He went his
way, she went hers. He never inter
fered with her arrangements. II Lady
GILMORE asked him question, he re-
piled to it as briefly as possible. He
never offered any command, any sug-
gestion; in fact, between them a gulf
lay wide and deep as the grave. But
Lady Culmore, / could see, had a wild,
passionate alteration for her husband.
She loved him SO well that she trem-
blcd at the sound of footsteps, at the
sound Of his voice. Her eyes were al
ways full of entreaty, full of pain and
passion. She suffered terribly when
he was absent; she suffered even more
when he was present. In one case it
was an agony of longing, in the other
an agony of pain 1t was the
strangest household, surely, into which
any one ever entered. Sir Rudolph
occupied the west wing. His rooms
were all there-his study, dressing
ROOM bedroom gun-room-and over
looked the park. Lady Culmore's rooms
were in the east wing. The great
drawing-room and the din1ng-room
with cne or two handsomely furnished
eception-rooms, were in the center of
the building
There they met on neutral ground, as
1t were, but nowhere else. No mes
sages ever passed between them. They
lived as perfect strangers, barely in
terchanging the ordinary civilities of
life. Strange husband and wife truly.
And the gloom that surrounded them
seemed to spread to others. On the
faces of the servants there was never
a smile. They went about with a
hushed. subdued air and movement, as
though they too felt the weight of the
mystery.
Only on Sunday morning did we all
take breakfast together; and a most
solemn and funereal affair it was.
During the week Sir Rudolph and Lady
Cnlmore never met until night, when
we dined. He spent the day in study
and sport She-well, it seemed to
me that her hours were spent in fe-
vered dream. [ shudder now when I
think of them. She was never at ease.
at rest, for five minutes together. She
would ask me to play and sing to or
with her, and then in a few minutes
would rise and cry out that it was
enough, that she did not care for it.
She would begin to translate some
foreign work, and, before she had
written many lines, it would follow the
fate of the music.
Come out with me, Miss Forster. /"
sne would say. Il cannot bear the
house; 1t stiles me-"
We would go out, and perhaps before
we had reached the park gates, she
would say, with a dreary sigh
Let us go back again. / cannot
bear the park"
On the beautiful restless face I never
saw for one moment an expression of
peace.
The evenings were perhaps the most
dreary part of the life at Ulylamere.
Sir Rudolph never spent them with us.
When dinner was ended, he went to
his room, and we saw no more of him.
But one evening-ah me. what a
might that was!-a most terrible storm
ragged The snow was all washed
away, the rain fell in torrents. It beat
against the windows AS though it would
snatter them. The wind was some
thing APPALLING in its violence. We could
hardly hear each other speak: trees
were torn up by the roots; the doors
and windows ratified Once or twice
the great bell in the stable rang with
out rhythm or measure. The dogs
hoWied,i the servants were pale with
fear.
As usual. Sir Rudolph rose to quit
the dSning-room. This time she did not
touch him, she did not lay her hand
upon NE arm, but she looked up At
him with the most despairing eyes 7
over beheid.
'sSfr Rudolph" she said-and her
voice trembled with passion of her
earnestness-"I pray you, remain with
2S% ! am frightened. Heaven is angry
tonight and I am sorely afraid. Stay
WIN us.a
For a moment his eyes flashed Are.
Then. looking at the white face, with
its quivering lips and frightened eyes,
the fire died out, and profoundest pity
took its place
[ thought my prayer added to hers
might have effect, and said:
THE wind and the rain would make
any one afraid"
He hesitated half a minute He did
not look at his wife again, but glanced
ut me.
Are you really alarmed. Miss
Forster" he asked.
Il should be glad if you would re-
main" | replied; and the relief on her
face was beautiful to see.
| could not understand why she
cared SO much for his presence. He
never spoke to her nor looked at her.
never went near her. If she made a
remark to me, he was studiously silent;
yet fancied that he listened with