Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-08-02

Z
deed, the celebrity of the season,
Never has Rose Vavasour appeared
10 better advantage. 1t Is true that
there is sometimes IA hectic flush on
the oval, pale face, and an occasional
restless, wistful look in the bright
blue eyes, but these outward and
visible signs Of an inward sentiment
only so to prove that she has-what
many We're apt to doubt--a woman's
heart, ami that the coming marriage is
really one of affection.
To both Lady Letehford ami vane
she is bewildering enigma.
Nane hght-hearted Vane even be.
I gins to regard Herons absence with an
underlined uneasiness.
Comic, ID it," ne says, over and
over again. whenever the subject
! crops mp at the Rookery, q don't I'M
derstand it, you know Advised him
to go? Yes, know l did. He was
bound TO get away or knock under alto
gether Not one of us could have
kept il up half so long as he did
advised him to go, yes, but | meant
Just a little trip over to Paris or a bit
Of fling at Vienna. | didn't suppose
he was going to be such fool as to
take any notice of that idiot Hamilton
and join the Turks. Why, bless my
soul, the lunatic wrote ami asked me
actually me-to go over and Join
him; but that was no reason why
should be fool enough to go"
And wnere is Letchford now?'
some one was sure to ask.
''Where?" Nane always replied peev
ishly Heaven only knows! We
haven't heard from him for weeks
Knocked on the head by the Russians
perhaps, o. smut up in one of those
beastly forts, eating horsefesh and
sawdust bread And there's the cs
tates going to the dogs, and the next
heil-some fellow whom nobody ever
heard dissenting around and expect
ing TO walk in and take possession"
Then Vane would leave the club and
so around to Grosyenor Square TO find
Lady Letchford haggard and anxious
and they would condole together un.
til Rose appeared, to laugh their fears
to scorn.
Dead! nonsense" she would ex-
claim, the hectic flush arising to her
fair face, her eyes flashing defiantly
why should he be dead? Heron
never did like letter-writing-you have
said so yourself a hundred times. No,
he is not dead No man is more able
to take care Of himself than Heron.
Besides, you dort know that he is in
the war"
The last letter we received was
from the seat of war; the old lady
would say with a long sigh.
The last.-that's ever so long ago, $
the beauty would retort with a laugh,
Since then he has had time to be at
the other end of Europe! No! l am
quite sure nothing Las happened; no
body SHALL make me believe it. He will
come back in time for the wedding if
ii is only Il day beforehand
And never fer one hour lid she de-
lay the preparations. The dress
makers were as hard at work as if the
bridegroom was close at hand; the
house in Wiltshire, from which Heron
had been returning when he found
May leaning over the gate in Marley
lane, was still filled with a noble army
Of carpenters and upholsterers; the
wedding cake even was oriered; and
to every one who mentioned her absent
lover the beauty responded with a
smile:
He is away for the benefit OF his
health We do not expect n1m back
til the last minute"
But though she carried it off so
/ bravely in public, there were moments
when the proud spirit threw off its
mask and grappled with the cruel
facts
Not even her maid who brushed out
the long tresses Of golden hair had any
suspicion of the paroxysms of doubt
Iaad jealous love that wrung the proud
heart of the popular beauty, AMI
+ caused her to t1ss to and fro through
the wakeful night,
For through it all she kner- with a
certainty beyond all doubt. that she
aid not hold his heart-that he still
loved the brown-eyed girl whom they
by treachery and falsehood hal sup
planted
But, like the Spartan boy who hid
the fox under his robe and let it gnaw
! his vitals rather than confess his theft,
she hij her love and her doubts, ami
appeared before the world smiling and
triumphant.
And after all, she did not doubt
let him come back to me" she
thought, proudly conscious of her
power, ami all VIII be well, Let him
come back. and can hold aim against
the world "
! And so the preparations went on,
| the stern old mother sitting silent and
lsorrowful amazed at the confidence
Of the girl who refused to believe that
anything i'll had happened Heron.
you will sect" said the beauty, with
brilliant smile and the hectic flush
that so frequently glowed in her
cheeks. He will come back. and
YOU VIII have had all your anxiety for
nothing"
"All right" said Vane gloomily one
night when he dropped in at Grosve-
Inor Square after hal at which the
beauty had carried off the laG? els. Il
don't want IN DISCOURAGE Won. i,,.f |