Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-12-15
5E3gS NV
A Broken Wedding Ring

By Bertha ". Clay.

to London at once. 1t was then the
very end Of April, and the season had
begun. A drawing-room had been
held, at which some fair young faces
had been seen; but she knew that
none could have equalled that OF Leah
Hatton.
The duke had a grand old mansion
named Park View close to Hyde Park,
while the duchess had villa which
she preferred to any other restor; it
was called the Reach. 1t was situated
on the Thames, not far from Kew,
and nothing delighted her grace more
than to escape from the crowd and
spend a 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 drawing-room at
Park View. At first he saw only the
pictures, the CLEAN of white statues,
the harmonious tints Of thick, soft
carpets, the brightness of innumerable
flowers, the groups Of sweet violets
which perfumed the air; then, stand
ing before him, the handsome, stately
duchess, Will white, jewelled hands
held out in greeting to him; then
further away, near slender, shapely
palm, he discerned figure and face
so perfectly beautiful that he looked
in amazement. 1t was his niece Leah.
The long absence had wonderfully i'm
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-bred 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.
81 should be most ungrateful were
anything else," he repned. 'I can
never thank you enough. must con-
fess myself overwhelmed with sur
PRISE
Il do not feel much inclined to let
my treasure pass out Of my hands"
said the duchess, with a smile. IF
intrust her to you, you must promise
me that she shall not be seen until the.
day of the drawing I want her
to take the gay world by surprise.
She will make a sensation such as we
have not had for some time past.
Do you not agree with me?"
with every word" replied the gen
eral. II feel myself almost in awe in
the presence of such perfect and peer
less loneliness"
Mind" said the duchess, laughing
ly, ''Leah must make the best match
of the season. | shall not consider
any one under an earl or duke pre-
sentable. She might have been a
princess while we were in Rome, but
she would not"
81 am glad of it," he declared
F|There are no men like Englishmen.
hope she will marry-if she marries
at all-some one who will be kind to
her and make her happy"
1t did not occur to him to add,
''some one whom she loves" Love
had never been a necessity of life
with the old soldier.
Sir Arthur took his beautiful niece
home that evening to Harbury House.
''Do you know why I gave this
house the name of Harbury?" he said
to her; and then he told her that it
was in affectionate remembrance Of
the pretty town where his father had
lived and died.
Magnificent as the house was,, it
was but fitting shrine for the young
beauty who had come to be mistress
of it. When they stood in the draw
ing-room, Sir Arthur regarded his
niece still more attentively.
Il should hardly have known you,
Leah" he said, gently. Among all
the Hattons 1 do not think we have
had one like you
The exquisite face frightened.
''There are times, uncle she said
when do not quite know myself
the change is so 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 fill.
1t would have been ten thousand pities
to-leave you where-you were"
That was the only allusion the gen
eral ever made to the past, and it
seemed to be wrung from him by the
surprise of her marvellous loneliness.
On that same night he showed Leah
all over the magnificent mansion that
| he had made his own, with all its
| treasures of art and wealth.
""This will be yours when I die,