Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-10-02
Lady button'e Ward
BY BERrA M CLAY.
Continued.
BY BHsTMA M. CLAY.

graceful, iovely hostess, whose smiles
had a magical charm, whose elegant |
winning manner made every one fee.
at home and at ease. or Barbara
Earle. with her stately figure and
nor,e, soul-lit face, her eloquent
words and grand thoughts There
could be little outdoor amusements,
except shooting and hunting for the
gentlemen. but no one could be duiI
or want amusement where Hilda and
Barbara presided BERTHE was host
in himself. and the evenings at Bay
neharu Castle were found too short in
stead 4 too long.
One night was given to charades-
BERTHE being stage manager, and
thoroughly well did he accomplish his
task. He had what he called mag
nifcent materials and he knew how
to use them.
Il have a grand idea, said BERTHE
one morning to Lord Bayneham.
"They spoke Of having some tabeaux
xivants tonight. | consider that We
hvae amongst us the three most per-
feet types of beauty. We could man
age a autiful picture-The Golden
Apple You may be Paris; Miss
Earle would make a magnificent Min
erve, Miss Deverney is a perfect Juno,
and Lady Hilda would represent the
golden-haired Aphrodite' as few
others could What do you think,
Claude"
Let us have a rehearsal at once. .
replied Lord Bayneham charmed with
the idea. IF the ladies' are willing"
When the curtain was drawn up it
was acknowledged by all that Bertie's
,dea was a brilliant success. 1t would
have been dimcult to have found
three woman more beautiful, or differ
ing more decidedly in their style OF
beauty.
Miss Deverney-tall and majestic.
with a figure and carriage full OF
dignity, a face of the purest Grecian
type, straight brows, and dark hair
was Juno. in all her majestic beauty.
BERTHE declared the wonderful tissue
Of her robe must have beeo woven
OF moonbeams. Barbara Earle's
pure. eloquent face, the calm serenity
Of eye and brow, the expression so
full OF intellect and feeling, fitted her
well for the part OF Minerva, the wise,
beautiful, serene daughter of the gods
Between them stood Aphrodite, fair,
lovely face, bright as a morning sun
beam, profusion of golden hair FALL.
ing over the white shining robe.
Lord Bayneham had refused the
part of Paris so BERTHE took 1t, and
he stood before the beautiful Aphro-
dite, just offering to her the golden
apple he held in his hands.
1t was a beautiful picture, SO perfect
in it's details that there was a univer-
sal demand for a second opportunity
of seeing it.
Berthe had enjoyed the rehearsaIs,
for he made an invariabie rule, the
moment they were finished, of offering
the apple to Barbara. telling her he
was a second Paris, with far better
judgment than his predecessor.
There were many guests at the
brilliant evening festival who never
s0rgot Lady Hilda as she stood be-
tween her fair rivals who remem-
bered the bright loneliness Of the
faeS the roseate flush of baeuty and
triumph, the light in the violet eyes,
and the sheen Of the golden hair,
long after the ciead Of sorrow and
suffering had dImmed the beauty then
so radiant
There was another tablsau that
evening, as much admired as Berries
The Farewell before the Battle"
A Hnight, belted and spurred, ready
for the fray, had just taken farewell
OF his young wife. He turns once
more TO look at her, and she returns
mis- gaze. The beauty Of the picture
la in the expression of both faces
the stern beauty of the knight, look.
ing his last upon his wife. her wistfui,
sad face, trying vaInly to smile last
adieu, while the lips we're pale and
the eyes full Of tears.
Hllda and Lord Bayneham rendered
the idea perfectly: there had been
some difficulty in teaching the lady
OF Bayneham Castle to look sad or
fearful.
Il cannot do It," she said wht =
BERTHE for the twentieth time foun
fault; Il cannot do it. have never
learned to look sad Tell me what
am to think about"
Fancy that Lord Bayneham Is go
ing to leave you, and you viii never
see him again replied Bertie; how
would you look them"
Il cannot do that for play said
Hilda but even the passing thought
brought a rapt expression of grief
that made a perfect and beautiful
picture.
You must forgive me, Lady Hilda, !"
said BERTHE that have been the
arst to teach you to look sad can
only hope the look may never be
more real than now"
That evening, when Barbara Earle,
tired and exhausted reached her
room, she saw small packet al
dressed to her, lying on the toilette
table. She broke the seal and found
a small box, When that was opened,
flying in a soft nest of white velvet.
vyas most beautiful little golden