Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-01-14
CHAPTER XVI.
Impossible to tell which Is fairest;
Easiest to know the best

Impossible to tell which Is fairest
Easiest to know the best"
The morning of the day Lady VIC.
lante had dreaded 40 long dawned at
last. bright, beautiful, with sunshine
that reminded one of the scent Of
roses and mIgnonette--war and In.
MIGRATING. The sky was clear and
blue as the heaven that smiles on
sunny italy Lady VIolante awoke
with u sigh; the day she had feared
had dawned, and must somehow be got
through.
last, and Vivian, as he looked ON the
two ladies before him, felt proud as he
had never done before, Mrs, Selwyn
had declined going, and her grace the
Duchess Of Roxmlnster was to pre-.
sent Lady Selwyn to our most gracious
liege lady the queen, They were
dressed now, and waiting. Lady VIC
lnnte looked, In her delicate lovelfness,
like the queen OF the lilies; +" her dress
of what Lord Vivian called May sun
beams and her tiara of diamonds,
with the white plumes, suited her to
perfection She had tried to reassurc
herself but the small jeweled hands
trembled and the sweet lips half quiv.
cred as they smiled.
Court dress suited the imperial
beauty of Beatrice Leigh as no other
did, Mrs. Selwyn had presented her
with magnificent suite of diamonds
and rubles, Her dress was OF maize
colored velvet, and the rich. sweeping
train was no trouble To her One
could see at glance that she was at
home and well at ease. The white
waving plumes added to her patriciar
beauty. She was herself we'll satisfied
when she saw VIvian's eyes rest ad
mirIngly on her.
A drive through the sunlit streets
and then they reached the palace, Car
rage after carriage was drawn NJ
there, lovely faces, waving plumes
shining jewels, exquisite dresses. Lady
Violante was bewildered.
Il did NOT think" she said. naively
to Lord Vivian, that there were Sc
many fine ladies IN England, How
beautiful they are, oh, Vivian, whel
YOU lived amongst such ms these, VIII,
did you come to Oakside to seek me?'
There Is not one amongst them /,
be compared to you, he said, LOOKING
at the fair young face Il am s,
proud of my Wife, | know she will dc
credit to my choice"
He said the words partly To reassur,
her. for he saw the rose-leaf colo
coming and going They stood at las
in one OF the ante,rooms, and Their
her grace Of RoNminster was WAITING
for IN introduction to them Mis-
Leigh had known the duchess to
some time, To Lady Solwyn she was
complete stranger There had bee
one or two appointments made for al
introduction hut her graees engage
ments had prevented the keeping q
them
Remomhor that Lady Niolante In,
lived all her sweet simple life at Oak
side, and that she knew no more Of L
haute noblessc than she did of Greek
At Selwyn Castle their ncighbors an,
guests had been people of simpl
habits, When She Lady Violante Sc
wyn, stood face to face with the Ouch
ess of Roxminstcr Il was with grea
difficulty she reprossed the cry q
astonishment that rose to her lips.
An old woman of sixty dressed lik
q hlushing girl Of eighteen excossiv,
~ decollette; diamond nocklac
round Il thin, withered neck a dis
mond bracelet round n shrunken arm
false hair, wreathed with Jewels an
nlumes false teeth cleaning whit
through thin lips; painted checks an
pencilea eyebrows Lady Niolant
inyoluntarilv wondered what was falls
and what vas not
An old woman Of sixty who ha