Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-08-10

Rose Vavasour, the mother and the af-
lanced wife Of one OF the mad Eng
lishmen" who are still interposing In
the quarrel in which they have no real
BUSINESS.
10 the naughty, stiffnecked old wo-
man the kilograms have on interest
paramount to all else the papers con-
tain.
She does not quite know where this
wilful, reckless son OF hers Is; no let
tiers have been received for weeks
past; he may be lying in six feet of
Asian soil, or languishing In a Russian
prison. At times she is inclined TO
give up all hopes, but Rose Vavasour
is still confident and reliant.
Never har the beauty heen more
popular or sought after. Her ap-
preaching marriage lends just the adj
dltional touch Of sentiment which was
wanted to keep her notorlety from
waning.
To be the beauty of the day Is some
thing, but to have refused the Marquis
Of Cornvale for a mere baronet. who
spends the interval between his be-
lrothal and marriage in fighting with
the Turks, Is to be surrounded by a
halo of romance that renders one, In
deed. the celebrity of the season.
Never has Rose Vavasour appeared
10 better advantage. 1t Is true that
there Is sometimes 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 were apt 10 doubt--a woman's
heart, and that the coming marriage Is
really one Of affection.
10 both Lady Ietchford and Vane
she is n bewllderlng enigma.
Vune, light-hearted Vane. even be-
gins to regard Heron's absence with an
underlined unoaslness.
"Confound IT," he says, over and
over again, whenever the subject
crops ND Mt the Rookery, Il don't un.
derBtand It, you know! Advised him
10 go? Yes, | know / did. He was
bound to get away or knock under alto
gether. Not one Of us could have
kept II up half 80 long as he did. |
advised him to 90, yes, but ! meant
lust Il little trip over to Paris or bit
of a fling at Vienna. didn't suppose
he was going to be such fool as to
Take any notice of that idiot Hamilton,
and join tho Turks. Why, bless my
soul. the lunatlc wrote and asked me
actually me--to go over and join
him; but that was no reason why 4
should be fool enough to go"
And where Ia Letchford now?'
some one was sure to ask.
Where" Nano always replied peev'
| IYhly. Heaven only knows! We
, haven't heard from him for weeks!
Knocked on the head by the Russians
perhaps, or shut up In one of those
bcastly forts, eating horsehesh and
sawdust bread And there's the es
tates gGing to the dogs, and the next
helr~-somc fellow whom nobody ever
heard seenting around and expect
Ing to walk In and take possession
Then Vano would leave the club and
! 30 around to Grosyonor Square to find
Lady Letchiord haggard and anxious
and they would condole together un
til Rose appeared, to laugh their fears
to scorn.
Dead, nonscnse," she would ex
claim, the hectic flush arising to her
fair face, her eyes flashing detiantly
why should he he dead? Heron
never did like letterwriting-you have
said SO yourself \ hundred times. No
he Is not dead No man is more able
to take care Of himself than Heron
Besides, you cont know that he Is In
the war"
THE last letter we received was
from the seat of war" the old lady
would say with long sigh
Tho last that's over SO long ago,
the beauty would retort with laugh
Since then no has had time TO be al
the othsr end Of Europe! No! am
quite sure nothing has happened; no
body shall make me believe II. He will
come back In time for the wedding II
II Is only n day beforehand"
And never for one hour I'D she lie
lay the preparations, The dress
makers were as hard at work as II the
bridegroom WAS close al 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 noble army
OF carpenters and upholsterers; the
wedding cake even was ordered; ana
to every one who mentioned her absent
lover the beauty Responded with 4
smile:
"1le Is away for the benefit Of his
health, We do not expect him back
till the last minute"
nut though she carried It OF sc
hravely In public, there were moments
when the proud spirit throw off Its
mask and grappled with the crue