Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-21
CHAPTER xI.
he smallest Incident

Will change the current of a life.
Neither Mrs. Selwyn nor Beatrice
Leigh would have owned to themselves
that they were unkind to Lady Vio'
lante. Unconsciously even to herself,
Mrs. Selwyn always spoke to her as
she would have done to a child, who
required constant direction and con
slant attention. Miss Leigh was never
openly sarcastic but the numerous
shafts and arrows that flew daily
round her golden head would have
pierced a stronger helrt than Lady
Selwyn's
Beatrice had a quiet way, that no
one but herself understood, of direct
ing i'm some vague manner Vivian
attention to all his wife's deficiencies,
sometimes by few seemingly most
kind words of advice or caution, again
by what she called a timely hint; and
vivian. who could have led a forlorn
hope, and gained a victory easily on
a battlefield. positively believed his
wife had no better friend, no truer
well-wisher. than Beatrice Leigh.
The Christmas Of that year was a
very gay one at the Castle. Lord Sci
wyn declared himself to be greatly in
arrears over hi f)itallty-he had given
neither parry nor fete worth naming
since his accession to the title; all
that must be altered now that he had
a lovely young wife to please and con-
suit.
So that Selwyn Castle became the
very center of gayety. Large relays
of guests came from London. and once
there liked TO remain. There were
dinner parties, fetes, balls. charades
and tableaux; the whole neighborhood
seemed to be aroused. and one family
We'd with another as TO who should
be gayest.
II was a new world for Lady Vio-
lante-a world she would have enjoyed
excessively had she been a spectator
instead of a leader. She was very
much admired, and much liked by all
the guests. They thought her grace
full and lovely; yet in some vague way
she never seemed to be the real mis-
tress of the brilliant revels. III one
nut a question about the charades, the
tableaux. the music, or dresses, she
had a way of raising her shy, sweet
eyes, and saying:
Il do not know; pray ask Mrs. Sell
wyn or Miss Leigh"
And one day Lord Vivian overheard
this little speech. Lord Calders. a
young nobleman, who had been his
chosen college friend, came up to Lady
Violante. She was arranging with eX-
quisite taste some fern leaves round a
white marble statuette.
Lady Selwyn," he said, "will you
please come and settle dispute? In
stead of rehearsing for this evening
we are all -uarreling. Lady Talmis
declares the part of Marie Antoinette'
in the third tableau, was given to her.
and Miss Dene says the same thing.
They are both beauties-our CHER
belles-and il must be settled without
offending either. Do pray come and
arrange il.
She clasped her little hands in dis
NAV. and raised two beautiful, fright
ened eyes TO his.
q" she cried, settle a dispute be-
tween two ladies'! Indeed, Lord Cal
ders. I cannot. Ask Mrs. Selwyn or
Miss Leigh
Pray pardon me-" he said, good
humoredly. eff | do neither. You are
our queen and liege lady. l shall APP
peal to no other"
But. indeed" she cried, i'm great
distress, Il should not know what 10
say! They would not take the least
notice of me. They know l do not I'M
derstand such matters"
There is nothing much TO say" said
Lord Calders. "Only few diplomatic
words. Compliment both ladies, and
tell Lady Talmis she is right; give
Miss Dene an extra compliment"
Her dark eyes opened wide, the
dimpled lips grew pale.
Il could not frame what you call
few diplomatic words to save my
life" she replied. IF go near shall
Only make matters worse. | should be
sure to say, Dear ladies, pray be
friends. and do not quarrel"
That would not do at ALL he
replied.
mo: I am quite sure it is beyond
me. Do pray ask Miss Leigh!
To be Continued.