Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-11-11

dow.
She saw him stop, and she looked
more intently. Their eyes met, and
on the heart Of each was impressed
the memory Of a face which death
alone could eface.
What the man saw was a girl IN the
exquisite freshness of her wondrous
beauty, standing in the attitude which
the righteous indignation had in
spired, and which painter might
have gIoried in. What she saw was
the gtaIwart figure Of a man also in
the bloom of youth, but with some
thing of it's freshness gone. She
saw a face satiric yet delicate, two
soft, dark, yet searching eyes, brow
chiseled family with the lines OF
thought or intellect, and mouth as
delicately and softly nodded as an
Italians.
She took all this In at a glance
even more, noticed that the figure
was careIessly dressed in loose
weIl-worn black velvet jacket, and
that it was crowned by soft, foreign
looking hat.
There was no time for more; the
minute had passed, the stranger had
discovered that the pointed forefnger
was not intended as signal for him
and, with a droop, of the handsome
head, had gone on his way.
Infinitely wonderful is the human
heart. At that moment flashed
through the soul of the beautiful girl
one distinctly, softly feeting regret;
she might never see that face again!
She knew the fire had died out Of
her eyes, her body was 1.-the, and
languid, and she listened to wordy
remOnstrance of her mothers in al
most silence. At last Mrs. Newton con-
Guided:
Tell me, Stella, how many offers
of marriage have you had?'
q do not know" replied the girl,
YEARLY. 1.-TWO, three, five, ski do
not remember. Does it matter? I had
your commands to refuse all of them
Exactly" said the astute mamma.
and like an obedient girl you fol-
lowed your mothers advice. Wait pa
tiently, my dear Stella; the hour of
triumph will come. l know Lord Mar
mion has paid you some extraordin-
airy attentions and that he is serious
in them. The time will come, and 1
shall see you Countess of Dovewell!"
Stella arose, wearied, Disguised
with the subject.
Must l not dress now?" she asked.
Have we not a dinner party tOnight?"
"Of course. Have you forgotten it?'
you are, my dear Stella. Lord Mar
mion dimes with us tonight, and brings
that clever Sir Richard Wildfang with
him.
Does hep" said the girl, indiffer-
emily, as, with slow, graceful step, she
left the room. And who may Sir
Richard Wildfang be?"
Zone OF the richest and most influ-
entail men in London. am surprised
my dear, that you have never heard
of him. He is a most particular friend
of his lordship, and I hope, my dearest
Stella, you will not be so absent
minded as you sometimes are, but
will endeavOr to amuse him"
The proud girl smiled, alas, almost
bitterly.
"Amuse him." she repeated to her
rebelliOus heart, "amuse him! AS if
were an actor paid to kill time and
raise a laugh upon their cynical faces.
Oh, my mother, my mother! if you
were but a little less worldly and a
little more proud!'
1t was evening. The Iamplighters
were running from lamp to lamp,
knocking from their feet the snow
that lay like a white cloth in the road
and fOotway.
The dining room Of Mrs. NewtOns
house in Hyde Park Corner was filed
with the soft light of a hundred wax
candles; the fire streamed a rosy tint
upon the glittering mirrors, the tapes
tried walls, the varied ornaments OF
bronze, marble and gold. All was lux
ury, wealth and splendor.
The butler, ecclesiastical in appear
ance and magisterial in dignity, stood
looking at the artisticaIIy laid table
with feelings of supreme self-satisfac-
ton.
Scintillating glass, bright, shining
plate, snowy linen. 1t was all perfect,
delightful to the eye, anticipatory to
the palate.
It was a quarter to eight. The
guests were due.
In the drawing-room, as magnif1-
cent an apartment as the dining-room,
was seated the mistress.
Pride of the wrong sort was on her
face, proclaimed itself in the carriage
Of her thin. acute face, displayed it
self in the very folds of her ostenta-
tious dress. She glanced at the
clock with a frown of annoyance.
Stella had not made her appearance
yet. Lord Marmion and his friend
might arrive at any moment, and the
beautiful daughter would not be there
to receive them.
The rattle of a carriage, muffed by
the snow, a knock; the guests had ar
rived.
Lord Marmion entered first, bluff, |
frank, smiling and boyish.
MY dear Mrs. Newton, how do you
DO? May | introduce Sir Richard Wild |
fang?"
The matchmaking mother courte- |
sled low and with compressment to |
the richest and most influential man
n London.
Talking as they went they took up |
their position by the fire.