Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-29

been brought up ike a nun in a con
vent, spotless and uncc3 scious OF all
the deep mysteries Of life. she mes
tied closer as If for protection from
her own love.
Listen, he says, as he presses her
closer Il. him Il was younger than
you were when l first saw you, when
they came and told Tne that the grim
old man, my father, was dead, and
that ! was the Marquis OF Ferndale.
Up to that hour l had only vague
! idea ol the meaning and significance
OF my rank and power. Suddenly
\ realized that | was the pOssessOr OF
one Of the oldest and highest titles in
/ the land, thas waz the lord OF thou
/ sands Of acres, winch ] had never
! seen or heard cI, OF castles and houses
/ into which had never set 1907. OF
/ wealth which went beyond the dreams
! of avarice. Pleasure. they told me,
was hencefort.l to be ms handmade;
the world was at my feet So
found it. I tried pleasure; I launched
/ myself upon the charm Of life, and
! " ent madly upon my voyage. and il
| led me where? To Newton Regis,
| Jeanne disgust I'd with pleasure
which had founo bitter as Dead Sea
| fruit, weary OF the world which had
proved false and disuustful Of every
soul that approached me. / loathed
my title: my lord sounded in my
ears as a term Of reDroach--as the
preliminary to some falsehood. Friend
ship have tried In the balance and
found wanting, save in one instance.
1t was not the man they cared for.
| but the marquis But all this | could
| have borne with an easy contempt for
myself and my kind-but but,
Jeanne, all. Jeanne! how can / tell
you you who have had no loyer but
me. save poor Bell-poor Bell!"
Jeanne bushes and clings closer.
How can ! tell YOU he goes on;
you who have brought me a heart so
| fresh ard unstaiued. Of this dark,
mean passage in my history? Jearne,
tried to love"
Jeanne starts. and her face paIes.
My lord marquis, If You were a wise
man you would have stopped short
ere that word was said With all
Your knowledge of the human heart
You have failed to learn that where
| the passion oil love is. there also
turks, dormant aud asleep, maybe,
the dread demon Jealousy Jeanne
scarcely knows herself the meaning
/ OF the thrill Of wounded pride and
sharp pain which runs through her,
scarcely knows why she shrank lit
! tie way from the broad breast she has
! found so comfortable an abiding place
But Vane. much as he loves. has not
yet gagged the hidden depths Of the
nature OF the child-woman he has
made his wife Knows nothing or Ii
tie OF the intense pride. the intense in
dependence, for exac ting honesty
which beats in the breast of the girl
whose first maiden love he had won,
He hesitated a men
Jeanne" he says, here shall be
no shadow between u1, that | swear.
will tell all | tried to love. Among
the women who-shame be to them
hung about me-the marquis, mind,
not ne man-was one whom the
world had looked upon, and still
deems its purest. She was--yes, she
was beautiful. Not with your sweet.
fresh young beauty, my darling, but
with q loneliness that had dazaled
courts and made the world OF fashion
agape. She was OF nay own rank and
above the petty mercepary motives Of
mo of her sex, / wall give her that
credit. 1t was not my rank that she
coyeted-no. He pauses and alb
sently draws out his cigar case. 81
beg your pardon. darling he says,
arousing.
But Jeanne stops his hand ere It
can replace the case. and she takes
ont a cigarette and holds it out to
him He takes it, kissing the little,
soft hand as he does. and puffs quietly
| for minute or two,
JEANNE it did not last long
brought my whole heart and She
well. she had no heart to throw into
the bargain. It was all outside-a
lovely hollow shell. Some men would
have been satisfied. hollow as it was,
but not |. Jeanne. We parted with a
few quiet words ON both sides
asked what she could not give, and
she thought me unreasonable, a sac
sentimentaiist, and so on. Then
tired and d!sgusted, | determined to
throw aside tie rank which had
brought me nothing but disappoint.
ment and disillusio0 and came to
Newton Regis I'd my art-that
was enough for me. and | swo1e that
for that alone | wcu'1 live the rest OF