Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-07-23
MRS. ALEXANDER
60
CHAPTER II.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT excitement
m Mrs. Saville. Her keen eyes shone
with hard glitter as she thought that
her son was probably saved from com
hitting some dangerous folly, and
launched afresh on career which
nromised honor and promotion. In
truth. Mrs. Saville's hopes and amb1-
fiOns were conferred on her second son.
Her eldest was an apathetic, wellbred,
briefess barrister of dilettante tastes
given to writing elegantly-expressed
oaDers in the more exalted periodicals
on obscure passages in Shakespeare,
and Iatterly in Browning, on the deri-
walton of obsolete words, and other
such topics, in which ordinary mortals
took not the slightest interest.
Mrs Saville was the only child and
sole heiress of an exceedingly wealthy
Sheffield manufacturer. She had mar
ried the accomplished, amiable, dlstin-
guished-looking younger brother Of the
Earl Of Everton, an impecunious peer
whose sole means of existence was de-
rived from the rent Of the family man
sion and domains. Mrs. Saville was
an extremely ambitiouns woman; she
had a keen desire for personal disttnc
ton, and in her own mind had re-
solved that as her eldest son must in
the order Of things succeed his uncle
and become Earl of Everton, so Hugh
must marry woman of rank and for
tune, and thus she would be free to
give The bulk of her belongings to
support the title which would devolve
upon her eldest son. He was a stead"
irreproachable young man, but her
heart, her pride, centered in her Ben
iamin.
Mrs Saville's love was a somewhat
,onerous obligation; she had a very
tough, inexorable will, and profound
belief that she could manage every
ones affairs considerably better than
they could themselves-a doctrine in
which her younger son rarely agreed
His mothers greed for power was
greatly developed by her early widow
hood though the deceased Honorable
her husband was a peace-lOving soul
who rarely contradicted her. Such was
the condition of things at the begin
ming of this narrative.
Receiving no reply to her telegram,
Mrs. Saville sat up late on the follow
ing Wednesday, hoping her son might
arrive, and retired to rest weary with
unfulfilIed expectation.
When her maid brought her early
Op h0 Go iro oh
announced that MIR. Hugh arrived
about half an hour ago, and has gone
to his room"
Whereupon Mrs. Saville ordered her
breakfast to be brought to her in her
own apartment, that she might not de-
lay her sons refreshment, and pre-
pared leisurely to meet him in her
morning-room. She was already there
to greet him when he came up-sta irs.
We'll, my dear Hugh! 1 am glad
to see you. My best congratulations.
Have you read the Secretary's letter?
told Atkins to give 1t to you"
Yes, he did," said Hugh, shortly;
then he kissed his mothers brow and
stood looking at her with a troubled
expression.
He was fair, sunburnt man Of per
haps six or systematically, rather
above middle height, broad-shouIdered,
and seeming shorter than he really
was. His features were good, and a
pair of large handsome brown eyes
lighted up his face, which was square
and strong; his hair and thick nous
taches were light brown, with a red
dish tinge.
Why, Hugh you are looking i'll and
worn. You do not seem like yourself,
Why did you not arrive last night?"
L came as quickly as I could; the
trains at this season are inconveni
cnt," he returned, still in an absent
tone, He had a pleasant, deep-chested
voice, and, though ne had never given
much time to It's cultivation, could
sing a good second.
If you had started on Monday night
after you had my telegram, you might
have been here yesterday"
Il could not, mother" And he be-
gan to pace the room in quarterback
style
"Why?" persisted Mrs. Saville, with
vague uneasiness.
Because I had a rather particular
i engagement on Tuesday morning"
What do you mean?"
4 had arranged to be married on
Tuesday morning, and l could not dis
appoint the parson and the consul, to
say nothing of my iancee," he return
ed. with a grim smile, and pausing in
MS walk opposite his mother,
Married." she repeated growing
white and grasping the arms Of her
chair Hugh, this is supid, vulgar
Jest"
1t is not, mother. l am married
as fast as church and state can bind
me- If look haggard and seedy you
need not wonder, for it isn't pleasant
to leave your bride almost at the
church door, can tell you"
''Ma6ma0fb oh biccad fhrourh her