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


House--as Mr.. James Dalton calls his
newIy-built country-seat, probably in
fond remembrance of Gresham street,
City--yawns gulf seemingly impass
able. Old and hoary, the Void stands,
with all the dignity OF three centuries
upon its stately shoulders. Pride
shines in the eyes OF It's latticed win
dows and frowns on It's massive stone
walls. The verest ignoramus In
such matters could not have looked
upon 1t without feeling that 1t was the
home Of one OF the old nobility, and
that II could harbor nothing "low.born
or base, or the gentle contrary"
II Is true that the house possesses
only a baronetcy, but what baronetcy
It Isl My Lady Letchford Is too
proud, in the noblesse oblige style, to
talk of the family antiquity; but the
country still tells how she put down
the wife of recently.made peer, who
ventured to naunt her newly.acquired
dignity before the stately old lady.
go you are peeress, my dear"
she said, with that quiet, well-bred
glitter OF the cold, gray eyes, half
shhouded by the thick, blue-velned
lids, of which Cairn spoke. well,
II is the least they could give your
husband; he has worked very hard,
has he not? Let me SEQ, my son,
Heron, told me That he had walked
across the HOuse--from the Conserya-
tive to the Liberal side. Oh, yes, It
was the least they could do for him!
It rs nice to be poeress--and
especially when one feels that 1t Is
the proper reward Of merit
True, we have had peerage Of
fered IL twice, but then, you see, 1t
was the old one which we held five
hundred years ago, and which they
took from US because we--woll, we
wouldn't walk across the house. so,
you see, having done nothing to de-
esrve SO great an honor, we can't con
scientiously accept It, and have to re.
main poor, simple baronets-but you
-" and, with tho sweetest, cruelest
smile tho old lady dropped tho Grim.
son, palpltating, brand-new countess
one of her stately old courtesies and
glided remorselessly away.
proud as Luclfer Betchfordl" Is n
Berkshire saying as old as the house
Itself and no one feels at all injured
by the family trait which makes itself
felt by high and low. and from the as
saults of which not even countess is
secure. In fact, II the Letchfords
are proud Of themselves, that part OF
the country Is proud of the Letchforda,
and Ia only too ready to bend lts head
in lowly submission to tho tall, prlm
old lady, who. clad in the stiff satin
and coffoe-colored robes OF n bygono
age rules the local society with hand
of iron not always covered by the
glove OF velvet,
The King rules all, and we rule the
King" Is an old Spanish proverb, and
very applicable to the state OF things
ut the Void Lady Letchlord rules
Oll-and her son, Sir Heron, rules
her, Not that he cares for ruling or
ia anything Of dospot. No one is
easier to please no one Is easier to
manage when you happen to have
learned that there are only two things
that will upset nina fuss and n
scene. These two things Sir Heron
detests and abhors with most religious
fervor and at the flrst sign OF either
makes himself conspicuous by his ab.
sence.
Sir Ralph, one Of the worst,tempered
and kindest,hearted OF men, having,
with great consideration, shutiled off
his mortal coil when his only son had
just reached his fifteenth year, Heron
had early become lord OF himself
that heritage of Woe" and had en-.
tered the world In possession of n
time.honored title and ten thousand n
year at an age when most young men
arc grinding Latin verses at Oxford, or
consuming cold toa and the midnight
oil In the pursuit OF mathematics at
never the race to do things by halves,
and Sir Heron set to work at that
hardest Of -ploasure-with an
intensity waich at one time threaten.
cd ~ knock tho ten thousand n year
down to n feeble two; but just ms the
wiseacres wer beginning to shake their
heads In grim prophecy, the young
bamnet pulled up in mid.career, and
with that calm immovahle serenity
which distinguished him, returned to
the house Of his fathers and his anxi.
GUS mother. The suite of rooms In
Piccadilly were given up. the horses
were sold n scant farewell was taken
Of baccarat and escarte tables, and he
came back to the old place rs calmly
as II he had only left II for month
or two instead OF for n matter Of
seven years.
And, Notwithstanding something like
thirty thousand pounds had taken
unto themselves wings during these
years, My Lady Letchford was sat,
isfied.
Might have done SO much worse
"a. how damon eaid ndy Wnn,.