Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-03-03


one-that he is miserable at homer"
No said the prince, slowly, paying
all heed now. NO madame, have
not discovered that"
But it is so, indeed" continued
Mrs. Rochester; AL Florence knows
it. They say he came abroad because
he was not comfortable in England"
Il do not understand why" said her
companion, slowly; Ibis wife, Lady
Selwyn, is one of the sweetest and
fairest women | have ever seen"
"Ah, pardon me, bu, you gentlemen
are blind--so blind. Do you not see,
prince, that with all her beauty she is
not de nos autres-she does not Lelong
to the same class as her husband; she
is far beneath him.
Il cannot believe it" was the slow.
grave response.
1T is true" cintinued madame, with
nod of her vain, empty. pretty head.
Il remember hearing Of it in England
People say it is the first mesalliance
the Selwyns have ever made"
Il suppose Lord Selwyn loved the
lady, and so married herr" said Prince
Cesare.
Undoubtedly 1t was a love match.
and they seldom turn out we'll. | did
hear that he was engaged for years to
Miss Leigh | wonder he could for
sake her for an inane, insipid, merely
pretty woman like Lady Selwyn"
Lady Selwyn is something more
than that Mrs. Rochester" replied the
prince.
The lady laughed; she closed her
fan and began to play with the sprigs
Of orange blossoms growing near her.
you are very charitable to think
So" she said. For my part, am real
ly sorry for Lord Selwyn The girls
father was an attorney. I am told;
without doubt my lord was deceived
and entrapped"
I do net think Lady Selwyn capable
OF setting a trap" said the prince; and
his companion could not help seeing
row great was his annoyance.
"Gou are a great partisan Of Lady
Selwyn's," laughed Mrs. Rochester,:
nevertheless even you cannot alter
Facts Rely upon it. what the world
says is true. Lord SeIwyn is unhap-
Ply, and mosr Utterly regrets his mar
age. Miss Lorgh ousht 70 have been
his wife"
He pleased himself ! suppose?"
"aiG the prince, growing angry at last.
He pleased his fancy for the mo-
msnt and has lifetime to repent of it
in was the Sailing response Every
one says what pity it IS that he did
not marry Miss Leigh. I really do
think" she continued, that the wisest
thing left for Lady Selwyn would be to
die then Lo"G Se1wy, could marry
Miss Leigh. aud everything go on
comfortably"
Prince Cesare looked, as he felt,
disguised.
II crave pardon, Mrs Rochester" he
said, haughtily; Il dc not smile in a
Iady's face. enjoy her hospitality. and
calculate upon her death. Allow me
to suggest a change of conversation;
T. for one admire and esteem Lady
Selwyn."
gossiping. foolish chatter of the silly
woman. who thought she was being
very witty and clever had struck the
foolish, tender heart a deathblow
Down. lower and lower. amid the odor-
Gus leaves and the crushed blossoms,
fen the white face-down until it
rested on the ground. and a merciful
oblivion stole over her All uncon-
scious Of who was near. Mrs. Roches-
ter and her companion rose and walk
ed toward the house. the prince in
wardly raging, inwardly vowing that
nothing should induce him to speak
again to the foolish woman by his side
"Ah, those women" he thought, with
a grave shake of his handsome head;
how they hate each other; how they
delight in speaking evil of one another
Poor, gentle Lady Violante"
Quite still and unconscious for some
time lay the unhappy lady The moon
shone full upon her, the stars came
out with their brilliant light. the night
wind played around her. the leaves
and flowers fell upon her: but Heaven
had Leen merciful, and for a time she
ceased to suffer The dew fell upon
her, and the bright nearly drops shono
on the golden hair while from the
villa came the sound of music, laugh
ter and song.
How long she lay there Lady Vto
lante never knew The chill Of the
night air and the dew restored her
She opened her eyes. forgetting in that
first moment the mortal sorrow that
had flung her there II came back
70 her, slowly at first, then like a
rushing wave. forcing from her lips a
passionate cry that rose to the very
hoayens-a cry that was drowned in
the sweet, dreamy music of German
waltz.
II all came back to her-the long
dreary years; the scorn the insults
the thousand singing sarcasms heap
cd upon her by imperial Beatrice