Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-02-01

rleading with his whole heart lhat
VioIante Temple would become his
wife. Her reason and sound judgment.
her common sense and wOman's In
stinct. had done hard battle with her
love. but love had conquered. Only
six years since. and she was more
.peerlessly Leautiful now than she had
been in the early springtide OF her
youth: yet Lord Vivian had been
tempted often and often to wish that
he had thought more of her objec-
tons, for TO say the least of it. his
marriage had not been a success. Mat
.ters in his household had gradually
grown worse. People took different
sides. Some said Lady Selwyn was
not likely to be happy while her hus-
bands mother and Miss Leigh resided
under her husbands roof; others re
piled. that If Mrs. Selwyn ceased TO
superintend her sons house he might
as well close it, for Lady Violante was
incapable of filling the duties OF her
station; ami there was truth on both
sides.
She did her best. She fought against
her natural timidity; she studied the
laws OF etiquette and cerimonlal; she
tried hard to initiate the ways and
manners of the ladies around her; but
FOR the greater part it was all in vain.
She was naturally truthful. naturally
simple. honest and pure of heart
When she should have smiled swcetly.
and have told some well understood
social falsehoOd with airy grace o.
manner. she was apt 20 speak plain.
unvarnished truth. She had a lnack
OF being perfectly sincere. of calling
everything by its right name. of grow
ing pale and looking terribly shocked
when some scandal that amused the
world reached her ears: of expecting
all men TO be brave and true-all wOm-
en- to be pure and good. She could
never be brought to recognize evil in
any shape II Mrs. Selwyn said 10
her. We must invite Mr.. Dcbenham
this evening. because Lady RoXtOn is
coming" Lady Violante had way of
feeling and looking shocked that
married woman should take pleasure
in the devotion and attention OF a man
who was not her husband. She had
the habit. too. OF looking panied +
love and marriage. two subjects she
considered most holy. were spoken OF
in a light or fiippant manner; and
what business has any woman who
wishes TO keep herself unspotted from
the world &C mix in fashionable soci-
city at ali?
Lord Vivian was very patient. She
was very lovely. very gentle and do
cile. He said TO himself. that in a year
or two she would acquire the habits
and manners of those about her. But
as the years rolled on she shrank
more and more into herself. and he
was forced TO own that his marriage
had been a mistake. Not that he low
ed her less, but that he saw plainly
she would never accustom herself to
the position that. as his wife. she
ought 10 occupy. She was lovely
graceful. sDirituelle. refined. and OF
cultivated mind. yet Lord Vivian saw
on the faces of all his friends some
thing like pity.
He proposed 20 her once that his
mother and Miss Leigh should leave
them, and then. when forced by neces-
sity. she would learn TO take the gov
eminent OF her husbands home. But
the difficulties frightened her. and al
though Miss Leigh. in a perfectly lady
like manner, contrived to torture her
daily and hourly. Lady Violante plead
cd hard that Lord Vivian would never
propose such a thing TO his mother.
Lady Selwyn had made one wise re
ter how great the provocation. no mat
ter how great the provication. no mat
ter how deadly the insult. how cruel
the sheer. she Fever complained TO he
husband OF Miss Leigh. No enc
knows unless they experience IL how
one woman can torture another.
Beatrice Leigh was not a good WON
an. She was proud. ambitious. and ca
pable Of sacrificing a world to herself
Lady Violante had Unconsciously ro1.
bed her o. one thing she priced a00v
all others-the love Oh Lord Vivian
Sclwyn. Lady Violante unconsciously
held the place she had longed 10 hold:
therefore on the gentle. golden heal
Of her hapless rival she poured the
vials OF anger and scorn. Not 50
much before people as when they were
alone. She knew how TO sting with n
word. 10 stab with look She knew
how 20 infuse deadly poison into wha'
outsiders thought the kindest expires
sions; yet anOy. irTitate. grieve. sad
den her as she would. LADY Violaut
never complained TO her husband OF
Miss Leigh.
He had no idea OF the true state o.
things; he was not SO blind as 10
think there was any great attachment
between his wife and the beautiful
aristOcratic preiudices. and how little
sympathy she had for those who wcr"
not Of ''heT own class" as she ALWAYS
expressed il. ne thought she rather
looked down uUon his wife; yet agair
there were times when she seemed 50