Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-02-02


But as rumors Of her young and dis
! tant kinswoman's exquisite lovelinese
reached her, and people spoke of tao
young lady's manifold charms and ac
complishments, the old noblewoman
grew thoughtful.
Ordinary beauty was evidently pow
crless to produce any effect on Sir
Heron-perhaps the extraordinary and
manifold charms of Rose Vavasour
might move him.
She remembered that among Rose Is
/ brothers there was a certain Vane
whose name she had heard Sir Heron
mention as that Of one of his London
friends; and, with promptitude
which characterized her, she informed
Sir Heron that she meant to invite
night at the Void.
Sir HerOn--the were at breakfast
! looked up from his letters.
"Vane. Very well; he Is a good
sort of fellow. Tell him to bring his
gun; not that there Is much to shoot.
by the way, what have you done with
all the birds, mother?"
Left them to every poacher in
Crawford" said the old lady. "Y6u
are the most popular man in the
county,"
Sir Heron smiled-the smile was so
fine a reproduction of hers.
well, ask him to bring his gun.
And which Of the sisters shall you
ask"
81 thought OF Rose" she replied.
Rose! You are ambitious, good
mother. Are you aware that the high
and mighty ones Of the earth scheme
and plot to obtain her as their guest
and that she declares country houses
q mistaken"
Lady Letchford's nostrlls expand
ed.
Indeed! ! remember when an in.
vitation to spend day at the Wold
would have sent a Vavasour mad with
delight"
"Times have changed. A people
have arisen who know not Joseph.
Rose Vavagour is the queen of the
hour; but ask ner If you want her.
She may come. | remember she gave
me two fingers when ! saw her last,
and that Is more than she usually
gives my Lord Duke of Osmond. She
may come"
A faint pink tinged the old arlsto.
Gratis white face and the lace of her
bosom rustled ominously.
Eyes, ! think she will come" was all
she said, And Sir Heron's obvious
indifference pleased her. Dukes and
earls might bow down before the new
beauty, but her son Sir Heron Letch,
ford, one Of the Wold--had evidently
not done so and the proud mother was
satisfied.
The invitation was dispatched and
followed Miss Vayasour from one
nobleman's seat to another until 1t
found ner at the Earl of Storr's, where
she reigned paramount queen among
the pick Of the departed season
AT first the fashionable beauty nad
smiled-she never laughed-had smiI-
ed the invitation to scorn.
"The Wold," she said IL remember
1t. think papa took me there once
TO see tall, thin old woman in black
satin and lace, who looked at me I'M
der her eyelids rs If | were the dirt
under ner feet, Does she think am
dead and want to be buried? ! would
as soon go and stay in a vault"
But Vano Vavasour, her brother,
was at her side, and Vanc was no
fool.
"Let me look at the letter." he said.
"By joye, She wants you to GO Take
my advice and do So Rose. The
Letchford property is the finest in the
shire, and Heron is at home"
Heron" calculated the beauty.
yes, Heron. Come, don't be a fool,
REESE, All this is very well, but now
long will 1t last? Just until the next
beauty turns up. Let us be reason
able What good has all this done for
you? Nothing ut all The season
h'H SphN ~ anu NSu ulN 6Nlll-INOct
Navasour. Oh, yes, | know" he CON
tinued. waving his white hand-the
Navasour nand was famous-"but
you'll admit 1t hasn't made countess
Of You, nor baroness, even. Accept
the old woman's invitation and trust
To Providence"
And Rose Navasour, being too sem
sihle TO undcrvalue her brothers
worldly wisdom, had sat down there
and then and written most charming
letter of acCeptation.
She came 'rhc Letehford charabanc.
vast rs 1t was, was not large enough
to convey her impcrials from the sta
ton. She came, and Lady Latchford
will never forget that evening of her
arrival.
In the stitr satin and lace the old
patrician awaited her arrival in the
drawing room-iu the rooms which
Kings had honorod and sanctifed by
thoir preseucc-had awaited her a.
rival with III that stately old world
courtesy which had ever awed SO many