Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-10-09
Lady button'e Ward
BY BERTHA NJ. CLAY.


be buried where you can come at times
to see my grave, but the story Of my
life must not be told. Hildc, swear TO
me that you will never reveal what
sou now know
Standing by her mothers death-bed
keep her secret faithfully and truely,
and never to reveal one word OF what
had passed.
You are very beautiful" said Mag
dalen Hurst fondly. as her hand lin
gered on tn, golden curls; tell me,
are you very happy, darling-does
Lord Bayneham love you much?'
Eilda told the simple story Of her
love, told it with sweet shy bushes
that gladdened the weary woman who
gazed upon them.
HAS he ever asked who your par
ents were?" she said.
His mother did replied Hilda;
but all that seems, to be forgotten
now"
Let it be So said Magdelen Hurst;
no good could come of telling the
story, only bitter shame and sorrow
to you. gave you that ring, Hilda,
on the day / left you. meant to
keep my word and never see you
again, but could not My heart
seemed to burn with the thought Of
you When reached England, after
that long absence, [ took no rest until
I had discovered all about Lady Hut
TONS ward. l heard that Lady Hutton
was dead, and that you were married
to Lord Bayneham. l had but little
money; | walked from London to your
home here, and watched for three
whole days at the lodge gate until
/ saw you The wild rush of joy comes
back to me now. I saw lady with
lovely face and golden hair; my
heart gave one bound, then a solemn
silence fell ever me. It was you-my
little Hilda, no longer a child whom
could clasp in my arms, but grown a
beautiful, stately lady. When you
came near l saw that your face was
like what mine was when the world
called me fair. l longed for one
word. You gave me flower: see. all
these months have kept 1t. Your
sweet eyes smiled on me, your voice
pierced my heart and I wonder now
that Joy did not kill me- have
seen you since. l could not leave the
place where you lived. took this
room, and two months since I fell i'll
here. have waited impatientIy for
death, knowing that when my last
hour came, I should ask for you and
you would come"
How you have loved me, motherl"
| said Lady Hilda. why did you not
send for me before
1T is better so darling" said Magda.
len. You might have betrayed the
secret If you had known. Before the sun
sets l shall have gone to rest and no
one but you will ever know whc sleeps
in the nameless grave you mutt ~,
vide for me. l should like to tell you
now OF your father Let me rest nv
head upon you awhile"
For the last time Lady HiIda pill
lowed the drooplng head upon ner
arm.
4 loved him, said Magdalen, all
my life; love him now. All is clear
at the hour of death; / understand
him at last. I thought he was a hero.
Hilda--a grand, noble. brave gentle
man; he was simply handsome. good
natured man. / worshiped him. and
he knew it. If he had married some
one with sense enough to have seen
his faults, and have helped him to
mind them, life might have been
different to him He married me for
my beauty, Hiida. I think he loved
me, My poor father and mother we're
proud Of my grand match. Lady Hut
ton tried everything in her power to
persuade me to break it off. She told
me that | should be wretched, and /
have been rightly punished for my
answer was that l would sooner be
miserable with Stephen Hurst than
happy with any one else.
Il need not tell you the story of my
married life" she continued; L need
not dwell upon your fathers sin. He
broke the laws, and met with his pun.
ishment. The tragedy of my life began
after he left England. His sentence
was transportation for ten years. At
first he seemed eart-broken, and
wrote continually, begging me to join |
him. had no money and no friends. /
Heaven keep you, my child from ever
feeling a grief like mine when Lady /
Hutton offered me money to go to my
husband, If would leave you with her. /
left you who knows what it cost me. I
You were three years old then, and !
lovely as q fairy went that long
lonely journey with an aching heart. /
True, | was going to my husband: but
| had left my child Hilda, at night / !
used to so crazy with grief. night |
brought you back to me In my dreams.
AT last l reached the place where
my husband was. Many suns have ris. /,
en- and set since then, but the old pain !
comes back to me as strong and sha.p
as ever. had left you for him, but
he was not pleased to see me, He had
written, pressing me 10 come. but the
very sight of my pale face seemed to
veX him His first question was not
Of my child or my journey, but what I