Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-02-13

For a girl it means being surrounded
by all the admiring men and being
made much of by all the envious
women. The former declared her to
be perfect and altogether lovely; the
latter found fault with her nose, and
her manner of speaking. and her
style generally.
Norah ought to have been happy,
for there is nothing more delightful
to the female breast, as we know,
than to be admired by men and en-
We'd by women; but somehow she
was not.
She missed Cyri!, with his hand
some face and his frank. honest eyes.
Where had he gone? Why had he not
sent one word to her?
All the country was running over in
Rhapsody about Lord ArTpwdale's
daughter, lady Norah. declaring her
to be the most beautiful and most
charming woman this season or any
season had produced, and Norah her
self was thinking only of the poor art
list who had won her heart and stolen
! her troth, and then disappeared.
Lady Ferndale was delighted with
Norah's popularity.
| Il told you she would be a success,
she remarked, triumphantly to the
earl You men don't know what
that means, but we women do She
may. and probably win, marry a duke,
and whoever he is, Norah win be too
good for him.
And Lord Arrowdale had bowed and
smiled, and waved his white, scented
handkerchief camplacently. 1t seem
ed to Ia only right and natural that
daughter of his should bear away
the palm from the daughters of ali
other men. He was pleased, but not
surprised.
| The day of the festivities at Fern
dale Park drew near, and still Norah
had heard nothing from Cyril.
All day she thought of linn. and at
night she looked from her window at
the stars and seemed to ask them
what had become of him.
For many a night she lay sleepless,
trying to account for his absence.
his silence, but she could not solve the
problem. He had left her with his
love vows ringing in her ears, left he.'
without a word about his ensuing alb
sence, and her heart ached. Ached
daily and nightly, so that the young
men who played tennis with her won.
| dered why she looked so distraught,
and why she answered so absently
All her Thoughts, sleeping or wax
ing, were of Uyril, of her lover who
had poured out his heart to her, and
won her heart in return. and then
just left her
If he had only written one nne.
had sent her one word by way of mes
sage, she would have been content;
but no word came from him.
She grew pale so pale that Lady
Ferndale noticed it, and suggested
change of air to the earl.
! Change of air?" he said raising
| his eyebrows "Santleigh is the pur-
est air in England my dear Lady
Ferndale Why should she want
change of air?"
At last came the fourteenth. tle day
of the Ferndale fete Hartman al
Becca South had been engaged n
| days past upon dress for Norah, and
though it was only of plain nuns veil
ing with violet smoking as The
latest feminine fad is called, they mad
put their hearts into it.
And on the morning OF the four
teanth Norah was, if Hartman md
Becca were to be believed, Irresistible
The dress suited her 10 perfection.
You lock lovely. my lady"
But Norah only sighed as SIZE
thanked them. What was the use cf
looking lovely if Cyril would not be
there to see her?
Even the earl nodded his approval
as he surveyed her through his gold
| eyeglasses. 1t fiattered his vanity that
his daughter should be the admired Of
all observers.
| When Lord Ferndale undertook any
thing. he carried it through con spirito,
and this much talked Of fet1 was lust
the kind of thing he and Lady Fern
dale excelled in.
As the Santleigh carriage drove into
the avenue. Norah saw a throng Of
people, gentle and simple, peer and
peasant, strolling about the lawns.
which were dotted with tents and r.ar-
quees all bright with flowers A mill
tary band discoursed sweet music,
and some Of the sports were already
in progress. The day. singular to say,
was fine, and everybody seemed TO lie
in the best possible humor.
Norahs face Frightened for the
first time since Cyrifs absence and
Us she looked out of the window. She
said:
How happy every one seems, papa,
DO you hear them laughing?7
| Il do, indeed replied the supernne
earl, with kind of gToan. And !
anticipate hot and noisy day, sup
pose it will be possible to escape b..
fore one is quite exhausted
oh, hope YOU will not be too IT, ed
to stay Ii the end" said Norah. n
sinking at the heart
At any rate" he said. You may
remain. Perhaps Lady Ferndale can
| find room for Won tonight "