Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-02-08

The Queen OF Scots, hapless MaIiS
Antolnette, the woman have for
gotten her name-who watched by her
husband while he died upon the
rack"
"Ah. pray stop!" cried the countess,
with a shudder. English again-all
melancholy, all sad, all sorrowful. DO
YOU know no heroine who managed to
live and die happily"
Not in real fife" said Lady Selwyn;
only in books"
Then we will give up real life and
take TO books. Who are your fayorite
heroines in fiction?"
The shadow fell from Lady
Violante's face, and a beautiful light
glowed upon it.
u have so many" she said; Elsie,
in the Golden Legend; Ethel New
cCmbe:' Florence, i'm 'Dombey and
SOM Pcrtia, in The Merchant of
Venice 'Romola. that glorious
creation OF George Eliot; Violante,
in My Novel / cannot tell you,
Countess have so many, and l love
them all"
You have not chosen badly" said
: the countess How much you English
ladies read"
u have read to ill up my life, ="
said Lady Viclante. half sorrowfully.
Another English ideal" laughed the
countess. "A handsome devoted
young husband and a beautiful boy
ought to have fiied your life, as you
call it."
The fair face grew clouded, the
I golden head dropped. How little any
one dreamed of what her life in reality
was: so fair outside, so dreary
within
Il know so little of English litera-
ture myself" said the countess; Il
think we must have a Committee of
Taste. Miss Leigh and yourself, Lord
Selwyn and Prince Cesare. / will be
/ president. and we will discard the
English element of sadness altogether
We can all meet at my house this even
ing 10 discuss and select the scenes
that strike us most We must find
I one. though. in which we can appear
/ together. Prince Cesare likes Miss
Leigh. think"
Does he?" asked Lady Selwyn.
she is very beautiful and very gifted
! She seems 10 know everything by in
stinct. She always does the right
thing at the right time, and says the
very words she should say when they
ought to be said
you are very generous" cried
Countess Sitani. opening her lovely
eyes. Now. If I were you, | should
be horribly jealous of Miss Leigh"
"Why?" asked Lady Violante, calm
". but her heart beat as it had never
done before
4 cannot quite tell why" replied
the countess. with a shrug of the pref
" shoulders: "only that she seems so
often TO take your place"
Because / cannot take Il myself
interrupted Lady Selwyn.
Il would said the countess. No
woman. not even my own sister, should
d. in my house as Miss Leigh does in
yours. There. you made me speak,
7 am indiscreet-you must pardon
me-"
i have nothing to pardon" said
Lady ViOlante. DO others besides
you say and think the same. ccuntess?"
II was seldom that Countess Sitani
thought long on one subject.
Il do not know" she said. The
first time I visited here at the Villa
/ Pisani. TO tell you the truth-before
was introduced. OF course thought
/ Miss Leigh was Lady Selwyn. She
received the guests; did the honors
of the drawingroom. Il was to her
Lord Selwyu looked when he required
anything. You wish me to speak
pardon me If | say that ought not TO
/ be. Lady Selwyn; you should allow
no one tc take your place"
But I was a child-an ignorant, un-
informed child-when my husband
took me from home" she said. Il
could not do what Miss Leigh did fer
me-"
Then" said the countess. "if you
are content 10 share your throne, no
one ought TO say a word. | like you,
, LAZY Selwyn; we southern women are
AuAAh ~ AbNNs anu ADNE lAHhN MSAA-
liked you the first moment saw your
face will be your friend if you will
, let me-"
/ The white jeweled hands of the
dark-eyed Italian sough: those Of the
= fair. dropping woman by her side.
Il am capr .cious." said the coun-
ltess. Il love myself, / think, better
than any one " the word hut | love
you also, and IL you viii 81 ne. will
I speak TO you as though yon were a
sister of my own"
The sweet eyes that bieh,"ne1
under the miaence CT hcr linl words
touched her.
4 am not very wise" continued
i Countess Sitani. but / have Qnicll
instincts. and / forsee both danger and
unhappiness for you unless you mike
a great effort TO assert yourself.
/ Whose will rules your hOuse?-Miss