Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-09

mother had not done so we'll by her that
Hlldegarde need regret very much not
treading in her footsteps.
True, she was to be married the fol-
lowing week to Sir Thomas Cairns, but
1T was marriage in which her heart
played no part. Sir Thomas was nearly
thirty years her senior, rather prosy,
only moderately rich, and not at all like
ly to ruin himself to humor her extrava-
CANT whims and fancies.
Still, after the series of disasters of the
hast two years, she thought, with her
mother, that to marry him was the best
way out of her difficulties, and she had
resigned herself to it, That unfortunate
holiday at st. Marie had cost them a
mdeous sum; then OH their return home
Lady Charters, to her horror, found that
the lamlly to whom she had let her house
furnished had vanished without paving
one penny of the promised high rent, and,
IN addition, left piles of unpaid accounts
behind them.
Servants, tradesmen, everything, every
where, had been engaged in her name, and
she had to pay the costs.
She received an offer of marriage from
Mr.. Korner, and accepted it, only to find
out at the last moment that he was n
sharper, fortune hunter of the most
pronounced type, and the marriage was
hurriedly broken off.
instead OF taking warning by previous
failures, her ladyship only plunged more
wildly INTO extravagances of all kinds.
Her house that season was one inces-
SAINT round of balls, parties, entertain
ments. She and Dot tasted pleasure of
every sort, yet the end of it found them
just as they had been at the commence
ment-that is, with Sir Thomas the only
eligible sutton for Dots hand, while their
fortune was terribly reduced
Hildegarde had kept entirely in the
background, partly at their wish, partly
at her own. She had enough common
sense to realize that they were running
race with ruin, and demonstrated with
them in vain. Besides, she considered
herself bound in honor to Richard Cum
beTland, and did not even desire admra-
ton from other men.
She knew that he had called at their
town house, after allowing a reasonable
time for her ladyship's animosity to sub
side, and tried earnestly to get hear
ing from her.
In vain, however, and when his letters
latter the first one) We're returned I'M
opened, he dropped out of their life, for a
time, and poor Hildegarde possessed her
heart with what patience she could. dur
ing miserable months, with uneongenial
companions, who saw life and the people
In it with quite different eyes to hers.
She found her chief comfort in watch
ing Richards career, his name at inter
walls in the daily papers, evidences of
rigid hard work and unhagging perse-
verance.
He would not forget; some day he
would come back to her, and she was
content to wait.
Then she came of age, and the storm
which had been slowly brewing ever since
her fathers death broke in fury over her
head, and Mr.. Simpson and Lady Char
teris fought a battle royal over her,
which would have ended most disas-
trously for her ladyship, owing to a de-
ficiency of some $4,000 in her step
daughters fortune, if the girl had not
generously refused to take any steps
against her, only STIMULATING that. for
the future, they must live within their
income.
This of course meant leaving the lux
urious house in Mayfair, with its staff
OF servants, male and female, two horse
brougham, victoria, and endless other ex-
travagances into which Lady Charters
had hurled herself directly her hands
clutched the money Sir Hilary left in her
care.
So she fatty refused to yield one inch
to her stepdaughter's wishes. After Dots
marriage, she meant to enjoy herself
more than ever. and quite reckoned on
making a brilliant marriage herself.
which would lift her out of her slough
of difficulties forever.
Directly, then, she had obtained a
signed document from her stepdaughter,
releasing her from all responsibilities,
and realized that Hildegarde fully meant
what she said about spending the inter-
est of her money only, her ladyship lost
her temper. and literally turned out of
doors-on the eve of Dots wedding, too!
though Hildegarde pleaded to be al
lowed to stay for that.
You tiresome, mercenary creature
mol" cried her stepmother fercely. go
and marry your penniless barrister: much
coed may it do you. | never want to
see your face again"
So poor Hildegarde went to tenn
porary home, offered her by Mr.. Simpson
with his wife and family at Richmond
strengthened only by the inward knowl-
edge that she had acted rightly, and quite
ready at some future time to offer her
stepmother a home with her when the
scales should fall from her eyes, and the
foolishness of living at so wild a rate
should be forcibly brought home to her.
Sir Thomas Cairns had no idea of the
actual state of affairs with the Char
terises. He had accepted in good faith
their statements of wealth, and Hide
garde realized that he was not the kind
OF man ever to quite forgive his mother
in-law the deception praaticed against
him.
Not that he was merceuarv, or desired
a fortune with his wife, but few men
forgive willful fraud, especially where
they place their greatest trust.
Dot he might forgive, on account of