Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-01-11

of a sharp sword.
Il wish, Vlolante," said Lord Vivian,
when he was alone with his wife,
that you would try to initiate the self
possession, the aplomb, the savoir
vivre of Miss Leigh"
you might as well ask a violet TO
take the perfume of rose" she re-
Piled looking wistfully at his hand
some face.
you must really make an effort, F"
continued her husband. "The draw
ing-room is-let me see-next Tues
day, and Lady Selwyn, of Selwyn
Castle, must not look as though she
had never worn a diamond tiara be-
fore. Try to wear it as Miss Leigh
does"
1T seems to me-" said Violante, half
pettishly, that / ought to be Miss
Leigh, or that Miss Leigh ought to be
in my place. If am to initiate her so
closely, / shall soon cease to be myself,
and become a mere copy of Miss
Leigh"
He laughed at the pettish words. and
the pettish tone.
may my darling" he said, "you are
a million times better as you are" and
yet, for the second time in his life,
Lord Vivian sighed, and wished his
wife were more like Beatrice Leigh.
All this discussion arose from the
fact that Lord Vivian Selwyn, with
the ladies of his household, had come
up to London to spend the season
there, and it had been decided that
Lady Selwyn and Miss Leigh should be
presented at the drawing-room to be
held on the fourth of June.
Lady Selwyn had been loath to leave
Selwyn Castle; the chestnut trees
were all in bloom, the lines were in
flower, every tree in the grand old
park seemed to thrill with fresh life,
the mavis sung in the woods, the ring
doves cooed in the trees, the flowers
were all springing, the air full of
breath, and hope, and promise; she
was unwilling to leave all these for
the turmoil and glare of London life.
Above all, she was unwilling to leave
the baby. Mrs. Selwyn had said it
would be so much better for little Ru-
pert to remain at the castle while they
went to London, for his nurse, Mrs.
Peters. would take the best possible
care of him, and Beatrice Leigh had
agreed with her, so that when Lady
Violsnte whispered a few words to
her husban that she did not like leav-
ing her baby, with a prayer that he
might accompany them, Lord Vivian
only smiled, and said:
my mother understands this kind of
thing best, Violante; we must give in
to her. London would not do for little
Rupert"
There was pride underlying the ten
der nature, and Lady Violante made no
reply. She was beginning to under
stand that when Mrs. Selwyn and Miss
Leigh said anything, all appeals from
her were useless. She turned from
her husband with a sad face-that he
did not notice-and never named the
subject again. He even wondered
that she never murmured at leaving
the child she loved so dearly, but he
suspected why.
II was with a sad, sorrOwful heart
the young mother quilted the baby
and the home where she had begun to
feel more at ease. What was she
going to face? Beatrice talked of pre-
Sc tations, of drawing-rooms, of balls,
soirees, operas, as though they were
everyday matters while they filled
Lady Violante with vague, dread
alarms. How was she to learn the
etiquette necessary for all these cere-
monies ?-who was to teach her? How
ian would he displeased-wOuld per-
haps regret that he had married an
Uniformed schoolgirl instead of wom-
an OF the world She babe farewell to
the blOssoming vines and the odorous
lilies, wishing with all her heart that
she could remain amongst them. and
never be troubled by hearing of Lon
don again The plain truth was, she
did not feel equal to her position, and,
disguise the fact either to herself or TO
others as she would, it was so.
She had but few days respite. A
week after they came to London it was
decided that they should be presented
at the drawing-room to be held in the
Of June.
From that time Lady Violante knew
no rest. Miss Leigh was delighted.
She would have given all she had to
have been spared the ordeal; but it
had to be gone through. The drawing
room was expected to be a most bril-
liant one. The great heiress, Lady
Cairns, was to be presented; the beau
tiful sisters, Blanche and Rose Glen
Grvon, said TO be the finest women in
England; the pretty bride, the Count
ess of Herefeld, and many others, ali
noted for rank, wealth, or beauty, were
to be presented; and Lord Vivian re-
solved that his wife should not only be
fairest of the fair, but that no lady
should outshine her in jewels or in