The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1905-02-04

Of him. / let her think / was her dear
friend. as If she had known my true
feelings she would have sent me away.
Lord bennington was angry with
Percy for loving my mistress. and
don't wonder at il. low singing wom-
an. Percy had some money Of his
own, inherited from his mother, and
he proposed an elopement. He said
that Lord Darlington could not leave
the estates away from him and that
some day he would come in for the
title. She never lived to be Lady Der
rington. I was glad Of that.
"Well. they eloped. After singing at
q concert in ST. James hall he met her
outside and took her 10 Liverpool street
station. | was waiting there with the
luggage We went down 10 a place
called WargrOve in Essex. and the
very next day they were married in the
church Of that parish. | was furious,
but what could | do? Had l told Lord
| Darlington he might have stopped the
marriage, but Percy would never have
forgiven me. and / did not wish to lose
sight of him. AS Mrs. Nane's maid ]
| had chances of seeing him daily and
Of basking in the light Of his eyes. II
was weak of me, but | loved him 50
dearly that / would have done anything
simply to be in his presence. But l
wish now that / had prevented the
marriage. Since could not get him,
/ didn't see why she should bear off
the prize.
"Afterward we went to Paris, and
! from that place Percy wrote to tell his
grandfather that he was married ]
know he did not mention the place, for
the letter was given to me to post,
| and / opened it. l never gave it
thought at the moment but afterward
Percy's mistake in not telling where
the marriage had taken place did me
a lot of good. / should not now be
writing in this house but for that
lucky omission. Lord Darlington
would have nothing to do with his
son. and there was trouble with Mr..
| Lockwood.
81 lived with the two of them during
their married life. A son was born.
and she died. l was glad when she
died. and was sorry she left the boy.
Percy was wrapped up in the child and
| gave him to me to nurse. Mrs. Nane
was buried in Pere la Chaise, and then
Percy, with myself and the baby. went
to Monte Carlo. He gambled there in
| order 10 forget his grief, though /
| don't see what he had 10 moan over,
seeing what a silly fool his late wife
was. Percy lost money and wrote to
his father, who declined TO help him.
| Then he went to Italy and wandered
| about. Now that he was free / hoped
| to marry him. When not nursing that
horrid child l devoted myself TO study
so as TO be worthy of the time when
Percy would marry me. l knew that
the future Lady bennington would hold
| high rank. and | qualified myself to
fill the position gracefully. l did work.
/ learned arithmetic and French like
native. / got an old artist to teach me
to paint in water cOlOrs. and bought
book which taught the manners Of
good society. Percy saw the change in
me and congratulated me on the i'm
provement which had taken place In
me since leaving England.
LAS to that child, should have liked
to drown il or TO have given it TO gyp-
sizes As Lady Darlington | did not
wish TO be troubled with her brat Be
sides. Percy loved the boy so that he
used to make me envious the way he
nursed him. But had l got rid Of the
chiId-and / thought of a thousand
safe ways | could have done sol
should only have been sent away.
The end of it came in Milan. We
were stopping at the Hotel de Vile,
and there was waiter who fell in
love with me. He was an English boy
called George Rates. q horrid, scrubby,
red haired. nasty, pale faced creature,
who worried ME TO death. Besides, he
was younger than l was. and l wished
for husband To protect me. | should
have had to look after George Rates,
whereas Percy in the days 10 come
would look after me. Besides | felt
that it was an impertinence for low
waiter TO expect me 10 marry him, me.
who had done SO much 10 improve my
self AMI who looked forward 10 taking
proud rank among the British aristoc-
racy.
AT first ! laughed at him. but he
became such a nuisance that told him
plainly that would have nothing TO
do with him He then accused me OF
being in love with my master. l ac-
knowledced it proudly. Why should |
Lot: \ woman should glory in her
love. | did. told George Rates that
worShipcd the very ground Percy
walked on. | gave my passionate feel
!. inGs full vent and bore him to the
, ground under the storm of my indigna-
ton. He told the other servants, and
they insulted me. especially the Eng
liSh ones. as there were two or three IN
the hotel | was prosecuted, but l bore
} all for his dear sake. Then it came to
his ears Percy heard what had said
to George Rates. lie called me in. He
accused me OF making him ridiculous
of being out OF my mind. Of thousand
| and one cpuel things. l lost my head
I told him how | loved him. | knel-