Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1893-3-16, Page 2THE VICAR'S ••••DAUGHTER. ••••••••••••,, Venesee wavers for en instant ; then the gays, with ill-thethieleal agitation : "?lease, Enie, don't prese nie I should periiculerly dislike to meet hen." Se Edith goes ewey elope without =other Word, end Vinle8Sa site trembling, her heart throbeing violently, every uerve quivering einxionsly andpeinfully, her bends twisted, and working one in the other. But she is quite pertheded still that all her love, all her power of feeling it, is buret Braedotin gmve, Edith limn Lord Ravenhold looking EBB hatic180100 as debonair, as fesciaeting as ever. Thine is no suspicion of the humility and aharnefacedut as of the returned pi odigal about hip; he does nob look meek and penitent ;alt she sees in his expreetion is it shade of wellmontheled disappointment at her entrance alone. He greets her very cheerily all the same. " I heard you were here," he says, "and, as I wee not very far off, I rode over." Be does not thialt it necessary to tell her what brouelit hen into the neighborhood. She is very welcome to guess. Of course she replies it is very good of him to come, She Is BO very sorry that be- ing alone hire, the cennot oiler him any hospitelity. And he rejoins that he only rode over ou the chenee of having half an hour's ohah " It math be widely dull for you, here all alone, is it not ?" he asks, whereupon Edith answers him according to the desire expressed in his eye. I am not at ell dull," she says ; "Mrs. Brandon is eminently with me." Then all his face lights up. "1 called at the Vicarage on my way here' and they told me Mrs. Brandon Was withyou.' "She is in the earthen," answers Edith. "Shall we go aud Luther?" This young lady perfectly understands that Lord. Rtvenhold has come for the ex- press porprse of meeting Mrs. Brannon. She thinks it more thau probable that he is here with the intention of proposing, or leading. up to a propos' to makes Vanessa Lady Ravenhold, and she considers the marriage, in spite of his lordship's vaga- ries, an eminently suitable and desirable One. Ravenhold starts up with joyous alacrity, and they go oat of the French windows together, and take their way to the old kitchen garden. But when they arrive at the spot where Elith left Mrs. Brandon the bird is flown. Edith stands still and looks round, in the hope of catching sight of her friend walking in one of the alleys, " What can have become of her ?" abe utters, in a vexed tone. "1 left her here." B,avenhol.d's face fella • a sense of write- this spot,'' he says. And then the tow* of tion steals across him. 'The pest comes flying back. When did Mrs. Brandon ever her hands, which he still holds, softens and makes him humble. do anything but vex and thwart him? "I love you with all my soul," he says, The gardens at the hall are so large that it is somewhat of a forlorn quest to hunt any one there who wishes to conceal him- self, bat Edith has a good deal of resolution in her character. So she conducts Raven - hold to such places as she thinks it possible Vanessa may have secreted herself in, feel- ing all the time anything but pleased at that young lady's perversity, and sym- pathizing heartily with her companion's ill- dignished disappointment. Having unauo- heard, yo (woefully questioned severe]. gardeuere, she aud u will not believe the truth if I tell it you. ' oomes upon one who is able to give tidings No, ailment Vanessa, coldly, "1 do of the fugitive. He has just seen Mrs. not think a woman can underatand that Brandon sitting in the arbor near the °ram sort of thing. And you forget, Lord Raven - mental water. Unconsciously, Ravenhold hold, thet you are insulting me by profess- quickene his pace so much that Edith can ing to have had any such. feeling for me scarcely keep up with him. And when at whilst my dear, dear husbaod was alive." last he comes face to face with. the beautiful Ravenhold turns away from her, and and adored woman of his dreams, his eyes stands looking at the water and trees be - seeing him could entertein a moment'light up with a look of such joy that no one, yond, feeling perhaps more bitterly deep- s doubt about hie feelings for her. Vanessa bluelies ; her heart beats fast, and then, suddenly, according to an unaccountable with heertfele fervor ; end, needieg no teemed biddirig, heretrathe his eagee etops with it beating heart to where he left the only woman who exists for him. Vanessa, meantime, has suffered the sharpest pangs of remote°. She hail learned In those ittAr 010111011t$ that the power of Lovtug ia pot dead in her heart ; the eight of Renamed hes stirred eieunge emotion in her, mid now she feels ail if some beanie impulse lied made her voluetarily reject the greatest bliss life holds. For all thee the moment his eagec, onto face appears in the doorway, the seine imeellse rearms with tenfold, force, and causes her to greet hen with a look of chill aerprise, as though he were an unweloome inteuder. He breaks at once into his confemion, un - warned by her look and meaner. "1 have come all this way to see you. I could not leave you so, and go away wretched. I want you, at least, to know the truth." "Pray, Lord Ravenhold, say nothing about it," Answers Vanessa, in a voice so cold that she scarcely recognizes it au her own, "Your affairs can have no possible interest for me, and I searcely think they would bear discussing." He stands leaning against the side of the entrance, his head thrown back, his mouth quivering visibly under his mustache ; one might almost fancy a suspicion of teare in hie handsome eyes. "1 suppose,' he nye presently, with an effort, "it is alwage to be the same, You never had a kind word for me yet. You never did anything but wound and hurt "1 think you are a little unreasonable," returns Venom, touched, but unwilling to show it. "1 am not the keeper of your conscience, and," with renewed coldness, '4 there are certain subjects which I think you know I never oared to disease." I knew you were alwaye very pharisaical," answers the young man, bitterly, 'and never made allowances for any one. "Perhaps in that wee," says VESUCS3(4, piqued, "you had better drop the sub- ject." "No," cries Ravenhold, passionately, "1 will not. I shall tell you the truth. Why do you always stir up my angry feelings and make me look an ill -Pampered brute ? Since almost the first day I ever knew you yoa have taken a delight in bringing out the worst part of me; only, I suppose, to show your power over me." "I do nob understand you, Lord Raven - hold," sews Vanessa, rising and looking angry in her turn. He takes her by both heads in spite of her resistance. There is a masterful, passionate look in his eyes, which half daunts, half pleases this capricious young lady. "You shell uoderstand me before I leave in a voice full s f emotion. "11 it was a orirne to telt you so before, it is nob one now. Oh, my love, I love you 1" Vanessa draws her hands away. "You love me," the utters, scornfully. "Indeed, I feel much flattered by coming after your other loves. Such loves t"—with bitter emphasis. "Von mean that miserable India,naffeir," he ores. "1 do not know what you have pointed than he has ever done In hus "1 suppose," he says, after a long pause, "that 1 mast be a most egregious ass. Yon always hated me. I ought to have known impulse only known to her sex, she freezes it, xi I had not wilfully shut my eyes; and herself up in a wall of ice, and looks at and yet I have been building and. building upon behaves to Lord Revenhold with an indiffer- the thought of seeing you again, and—and mice which weal& be somewhat wanting in what might come of it—and now—oh, my politeness to an utter stranger. If he ad- God! how shall I bear ib" dresses her, she iron answers him, but she His breast is rent by a bitter groan; he leaves the brunt of the cornier anion to her hides his face with his arm. Vanessa site staring at him, her heart beating, her red lips half parted. Yet she does not speak. Presently he tuna, all his fae.e distorted by pain. e cuss to leave them, and, seeing a eareenev "God -bye 1" he says, in a husky, in - at a little distance, is about to interview distinct voice. him, when Vanessa, detecting her intention, And he holder out hie hand, with one last look of agonizingappeal. friend, who ts having as disagreeable a time as a third person generally does when one, a least, of the other pair is a lover. Miss Vaughsai racks her brain for an ex - rine also, putting her hand through Edith's WM. "I shall not be a moment," says Edith, nnocently—" I want to speak to Jenkins." "My dear," returns Vanessa, calmly, "it an be nothing which will not keep for half n hour." "Yes, it in" smiles Edith. " Then we will come, too," replies Vanessa, provokingly. "But it is a secret," says Edith. " That decides the matter,'' answers Vanessa. "I could not think of allowing you and Jenkins to have a secret. Could I, Lord Ravenhold?" with a touch of the old malice. But Ravenhold is too piqued and angry to answer. His faee wears a flush of anger ; he bites his nether lip and viciously does to death a spider with his riding winp, So, perforce, Edith remains, and ries her very best to make conversation. But Mrs. Brandon does not second her, mad Lord Ravenhold is distinctly sulky. At Iasi, in sheer deeper, he rises to take his leave. Bat, since he has 00M0 all the way from London to see tide perverse beauty, he feels it impoesible to go back there without any more Benefaction than he has already got. So, holding oat his hind in farewell to her, he is tyn in a tone half wrathful, half pleading : "May 1 call epee you at the Vicarage?" and she animas, calmly : "Von are very kind, Lord Ravenhold, but we never rective visitors now." He bows etifily. Tbe mournful em- phasis on the "now" exasperates him in- tensely. It says, as it is intended to say, "Now that I have lost the only man I could ever. by an v possibility have oared for." He se peke s ay toward the house by Edith's siee in utter eilence, and she feels too sorry for him to autemp.. arnithitig COM, monplace. When they me quite out of ear- shot of the arbor, he stands suddenly still and look e heseechlegly at her "I know you are sympethetio," he thysen a troubled voine "1 am °Wales, distreesed at the way in Mra Theihrlon bait e eived Me. I came alt th e wee from toWn to see her. I Ike% meal telling you. I meat speak to her I suppose the thinks me r, heickgriere ; 00,1 me she earinot know the tenth of t wee:oiled miserable story. eng ri4 , t., ro ellwie to it before' yee, bet renew, e t'Ltt 412 eptleb and tinheppy And tie mass het Mimi Ana meet her 0130 Of t1.14)C,0 1,sotte Not .0"1 trra ‘.17 ',Oen leave been able to witlitentil Me a (weever, the ammo dm rer, hve wee Odh reeve, am imperil for a:Imp o .r o v. ry hendsorne you' own who e to.o4 he does oot deie pertotiall e, ienesers, ranges berme Min -ham (1' tee nee meye, with the eireitet, wore ''Melt 1-,'P time " ems. 1 ' atime Revenholdt "Good-bye , utters Vanessa quite calmly. And thus he gosh CHAPTER XXVI. Bitter indeed at heart ie Ravenhold, as he walks acmes the greensward toward the house to take leave of Edith and to confess his defeat. He scarcely knew before how much he had built on the result of an ia- terview with Vanessa; he had. bided his time with, for him, superhuman patience, until a more than decent interval from her husband's death had elapsed, and until that other wretched affair had had time to blow over. How disproportionate are re- wards to puniannenis in this world 1 he thinks, bitterly. Tnere are some Ioves for whioh the world might be counted well lest; loves which have held so touch of de- light thab come what will efterwerd, one ratty be reconciled to the isoet of the joy by the memory of ita rapture; but the &Stir which he can never etigmatize by other names than "wretched," " miserable " ; into which he had simply allowed himself to drift from a sort of weary disappoint- ment; what anguish and torment ib bad cost him 1 It had dragged his name through the dirt ; it had exiled him for months from his own country; it had injured him in the eyes of the one woman with whom he was madly anxious to stand well; io had forever, perbaps, killed his chances of happ'ness. For the only idea of happiness that presented itself to his mind was the possession of Vanessa. The mettais ueltindly mayhem, of their 11%1)0, ruses, She was shooed, when Itevenhold walked in at the window alone, and with an ex- pression on hie face thee meek any question needless. "1 have got my conge," he sags, e so I ha4 better go at once, May I order my horse ?" Edith rings the bell, a,nol until the servant haft come and departed neither 'speaks, Theo she says beentily : '1 am sorry." " Thanker" %remote the yoeng mem Inc eyes softening. "You have been very good and kiwi, Yoe heve done all you could for me." , ' " Are you emu it is hopeleso Ie mks Eeith, gently. "Qaite euro. I was a fool to imagine she had the slighteat thoughb of me. She doers not care two straws about me—that is perfectly certain now." " Don't you think, perha,pa, that time ..—....---" He 'shakes his head impatiently. "1 believe/she hates me," he aye, for, to n lover, there is nothing betweet extremesi "Ob, no, no, I am sure she doea not. If I were you I would not despeir." Then Lord Revenholds horse is an- t:mewed, and the two young people take leave very kindly of each other. Ravenhold walks his horse all the way down the drive, his feelings being rather of the nature of a ditildespair than of thepeasionate disappoint - meat which makes a men want to ride to the devil. When he la nearing the lodge gates he sees a tall, gracefal figure in black ahead of him. His heart beats to suffocetion as Vanessa turns and cornea toward him. He pulls up, and ia out of his saddle in e second. There is a lovely blush on her face; her eyes look soft and melting. "I am sorry that I was unkind to you," she murmurs. All the blood rashes madly to the young fellow's head. If he had not hie bridle iu his hand, if there were not two children taming at theiodge gates in sight of them, sf, oh, cursed word that prevente and limits every pleasure the world holds! how he would catch his darling to his heart ! But stay, my lord, not too fast 1 As soon as Mrs. Brandon observes his exoitement and the threatening of his eyes, she retires swiftly into her shell again. "Do not misunderstand me 1" she ex- claims, almost before he has time to speak. "1 thought I had been unkind, wadi wanted to say I was sorry—that is all." He is nob to be daunted so soon this time. "That is not all ! l' he sap, catching her hand with kindling eyes. 'I swear it shall not be all!' "Let go my hand ! " says Vanessa, with a warning glance at the infant spectators. "The children be—blessed!" cries his lordship, gayly. "Let me walk with you to the Vicarage—darling !" If Vanessa thinks she never heard that charming word so tenderly or delightfully pronounced before, she does not permit her lover to read her thoughbs. "Von must nob say that, Lord Hasten - hold," she utters reprovingly. "And I aro going back to Edith at once. She will be looking for me." " Yon shall not go, I swear!" he cried passionately, "until you have given me some little gleam of hope." "Hope of whet?" she says innocently, turning her wonderful eyee upon him. Agaia the horse and the children inter- fere to protect Mrs. Brandon from Lord Revenhold's incatnetion to demonstrative - nese. "Von know quite well," he cries. But Vanessa only says, irrelevantly: "-1 must be gotog. Good-bye. Lord Ravenhold, you hutt mel Lst me go, I desire 1" The last in quite a different tone. "1 will not 1' he replies, very resolutely, the color and passion rising sbnultaneously In hie face, " until you tell me when I may see you &pie. May I come to the Vicarage to-morrow—to-morrow morning? "But you have seen me to -day," she re- plies, perversely. "1 dare Bey we shell meet in London in the autumn." "By the autumn," he says, and finishes the sentence with his eyes, which, from the swift change of her color, it would seem Mu. Brandon understands. "Do nob be silly," she murmurs. "And now, please let me go." "Shall I come to -morrow ?" he asks again. "N If you like." Anclo,h—ayevinsi regained undivided possession of her hand, she sets her face to ward the Hall. "Good-bye." "Till to -morrow, my sweet hive 1" he utters, joyously. He stands looking after her. Once she turns, smiles, and makes a gracefal little gesture with her hand. Then he mounts his horse and rides away with heaven in his heart, whilst Vanessa walks with winged feet toward the gerden. How glad the is she acted on that impulse! The moment he left her in the arbor she repeated. She told herself that this time he had accepted his dismissal ; thet in all probability she would never aee him apace She had thrown away the chance of immense happiness, had wantonly condemned herself to a lonely, loveless life—had sent him away, doubtless, to Lady Mildred. The last thouebt broke down her pride, and she went swiftly oat of 16 side door in the garden toward the drive, where she must intercept him if ahe were in time. And if, instead of walking his horse moodily along, Lord Ravenhold had put him to a trot, most unquestionably Vaaesse would have been too late, and, it is more than possible, would never have had another chance of melting her amende. A minute sooner or later'tr. seemingly accidental meeting, some trifling inoident, and the whole course of our lives is changed. Truly the dice of Fate are loaded with trifles. When Vaneese loxes Lord Ravenhold, she betakes herself back to the gardens, and meets Edith, who is looking for her, quite innocently, and as though nothing had happened. Editla is highly displeased with "wretched affair" had cob him, besides, her, and makes no went of her indignation. terrible hearthurninge, for though he was (4 Rosily, Vo ' ,nease I hav,t no patience indifferent, the other factor in it loved him with you. You are too provoking 1" madly, and had threetened to destroy her- " flow ?" reeks Mrs. Brandon, decatzrely. elf if he refuted to marry her, and he had " What have I done ? " halted some time between what is meted " You have sent that poor boy away "a sense of honor " and bhe veiling of his , wretched. He came all the way from Lon - life. It had coat hirn a great deal of t don to see you, and then you treat him in thui shameful and cruel manner." " It will do him good," obeervcaVe,nessa, unfeelingly. " I think it is quite wrong for every One to receive returned prodigalo society whish is extremely reedy to ley 'with open arms as though they were eleven the law about what other people ', heroes." might to do, arid which chosei to thy he had 'f You have sent him awe), heart - behaved beelly in nob marrying the unfose i brokeu 1' exclaims Edith, "1 dare say he tunate women, The mute set, however, , will do something desperate," would heve lakets Very- gaga care to threw k " Oh, no, my love," returns Vanessa, the " untoresermie women" that AO WOel A liatitty—" men don't do desperate things perish keel site ventaree myelitis, e neer , for ewe in these &VB. Itle will drink a their ellen-owl eirele oven ee: 1.,4(iy R IMAI2 i glass or two more wine for dinner, smoke an hnldi extra einem cigarettes, and will feel (mite eiriith wee Hitting in the dreetiog-rtesm beppy and comfortable efterward.." money as well, but that wase Very aecon.d- ary censidete,tion, although he was extrieta- gent and not very rich—it heel cost hirn the good opinion of a certain eection of Idled bed exotme is better than uone,' I suppose? Why hers. Brandon should behave with thi deplwity I tIUI tumble to conjecture, but she te quite euccessful rn ihitileading her friend. "1 have no patieece with you 1" cries Edith, angrily. " I don't understand you in the very learn. Yoe thinplaus of beiog lonely and. wretched, of your life being over, and here you get o ehenee of a happy and bri hant future, end you toss it away tie if there were fifty better ones waning for You, Wheb on earth would you bave ? A elan who adores you, who is as handsome and charmipg as a man can be, who hite everything else to recommend him, and yeti treat him with aa much contempt as if you were a grand duchthe amd he were—mw Here Edith pewee, uneble to find a suib- a ble "11 will do him good," says Vanessa again, in the suane heartless, flippent nianner. "It will most likely send him off to Leder Mildred," returns Edith. " There will be no ciuestion as to how she will receive him," Vanessa, miles in a manner which pro- vokes her friend inexpressibly. Edith's last remark has pleased her extremely, by convincing her how wise she hue been in not letting Ravenhold go away in despair. She is so cheerful an bright in her manner all the evening that &Leh is peeled into saying : " After all, women are gains ae heartless as men ! Indeed, I hardly think any man would gloat over the idea, of having made a woman thoroughly wretched and unhappy." " Is that meant for me ?" asks Vanessa, smiling. My dear child, I would stake everything I pewees that at this moment Lord Ravenhold is nob the lewd bit un- happy" " don't love you," says Edith, as she bide Mrs. Brandon good -night. "1 am disappointed in you. No I don't want to kiss you." " Yes,you do," returns Vaneisa, sweetly, embracing her. "It is you who are unrea- sonable, and I who am consistent. You know all that you have said about placing confidence in men, and yet the find one who comes, juat because" (with feigned contempt) "he is handsome and has petty mennere, you range yourself on his side and are ready to quarrel with me for not rush- ing into his armee" • There is a difference between rushing into his arms and treating him in the ehameful manner you did to -day," remarks Edith. "And I think they would be very nice arms to rush into." "Do you V" says Vanessa, with a faese and wicked little gesture of distaste. "Good-bye," utters Edith, in a melan- choly tone. "You do not deserve to be happy. And some day you will be very sorry for this." "Shall I?" asks Vanessa, still in the same smiling, flighty mood, which displeases her friend. "We shall see." But when she is alone in her room at the Vicarage the smile leaves her mouth, and she looks intensely serious. Her heart beats fast -' a sense of rapture at the thought of the future steals over her, but mingling with it is a feeling of remorse. Is this her promised devotion to the memory of her -dead husband? How dare she think of love, and peesion, and a new life whilab he is lying cold and lonely in hie narrow grave? tut love of the living is e stronger motive power than fealty to the dead, and Van- thates first thougbt on waking in the morn- ing ie one of delight that Ravenhold is com- ing to her to -day. She is unusually care- ful over her toilet. She fastens& blush -rose in her bosom; she puts on her smallest and newest shoe. She is almosb shocked to catch herself humming& waltz tune whilst she dresses. Somehow, this morning she finds it im- possible to settle to anything. Her nerves are in a state of the highest irritability; she starts at every sound; she (mimeo work, or read, or play. She BiGS for ten minims in the roae-bower, and returns to the house thinking she has been there at least an hour. eine wanders up and down'rearranges every flower in the big china bowl, eyes herself in the old-fashioned mirror, glances out of the window, takes countless hears at the chiming clock. When at last she hears the loud summoner of the bell, her heart beats to suffocation ; the crimson blood rushee manning to her cheeks. For all that, when Lord Ravenhold is ushered in by the shrewdly smiting Susan, who is perfectly satisfied with the way in which she has my - lorded the visitor to -day, he finds Mrs. Brandon calmly engaged upon a piece of needlework, as thougb she had been placidly sitting there for tbe last hour 1 His face was flushed, eager, joyful ; he scarcely waits for the door to close behind him when he utters a word of strong endear- ment, and possesses himself of bothVanessan hands. "No, no, Lord Rsvenhold, indeed you must not 1" utters that laeiy, trying, not very successfully, to look dignified and dis- pleased. He draws a low chair in front of her, for, to get near her, he must either kneel or sit, and wooing kneeling ie quite an exploded f ashion. "Do not let us have any more misunder- standings 1" he says, impetuously, devour. in her with his eyes, "Now that we are ioung, that all is smooth before es, let us be happy." He tone sinks to entreaty; he has taken one of her hands; his eyes speak volumes. The worde are minutely .ple.asing to her, but with the intuitive cenviction of those of her sex who know mankind that it is a fatal error to yield too easily to their blandish. meths, she tries to withdraw her hand and says: "1 shell be very elect to be your friend. Yoe moat not expect anything more of me." "D. you mean to say," he cries, raising his voice again, "that you do not, that you will not care for me ?" "I could not care for anyone," she gnawers, turning her eyes away, but acutely conscioue of the absurdity and hypocrisy of her words Apparently Revenbolclea keen eyes pierce through the pretended tneek. "Could you not ?" he says, in an exultant, masterful mace. " But I awear you shall 1" And with that, he thaws both arms round her, whether she will or nob and pressers his eager lips to hers. "Let me go, Lord Ravenhold, "You hurt me 1 I am very angry. I do not like you," He smiles; he does not care, he cloth not believe her ; he is wildly triumphant, madly happy. "Do not be angry," he thee, oaressiogly. " Why should you? How can I help it ? I only wonder how I kept my hands off you before." "1)') hob trek like that 1" she exclaim, peeketieg her pretty, smooth brow. 00j is wrong send ib is silly," He is nob to be abarshed. " Every thing nice is wrorie, most things protendine to Wad. She heel given the pair " 1 ceull never have believed you were th at least, end if it. is I should like to go an hour, perhere two home, to rnak. Ut hearth:an" toner Edith, moreangry tears on eine e fool fortieth. ' thur dufereee ir, 11,0d }1/Xel .,001.,-1 10 tee eon- i ever. " And I thiek you owe hire some- Vena as,girdled in spite of hertelf. clueloo that there (wield he re; preeible ; thing ivie n you wore the cattle ' of his get- " You ans jimelike a great spoilt child," objeetion st oder the oircturietenthe to aektog ting lpto thet wrelehed entangletneut, tte the semi, Lord tveribeld to stay end (lino . Every told me so." nitth this he stows Oita trerieue. now awl time a greet sigh peered bee " lt ie veil/ (way for hen to say 110, 1110% " Do not let tn4 Petit' he Penh, again tak- breath the felt envies' e !hough ey no it?'myt Vaneasa. "Oa the prinorple Ing her Mend ; "tight or wtougi I have worshipped you ever since I first set eyee on "'lo, you -have not," interrupte Vanesea When you first knew lmte YOU worshipped Lady Mildred." Lady Retired 1" he repeats, with im- petient disMete, "Yes, it is quite true. You *now ib," repliers Vauessa. " And now she is free," adds the young lady, cruelly. Hia eyes bike 1111 expression of such deep reproach that she ought to feel pepitent Hut the does not "Po not let us waste time and wombs op her," he says, "If I cared for her once, eon knote well enough that it is long eine* over." "Von have owed for so many people since," remarks Vanessa., unkindly, "Po you mean to twit me with that mis- erable affair in India ?'' cries Reveuheld, pessiouately. " For Heaven's sake lot me tell von the whole story, and blien—" "No, no," interrupts Vanesea. "1 do not want to hear it." But he ineiste. It is not eltogether an easy story to MU, became, although his ob- ject ie to prove his own utter elanselessneas to his mistress, the code of honor (poor enough, Heaven knows, though it is) of our day prevents a IWIR slating the fault ao en- rirely and fiankty on the woman as his first progenitor did. When, however, a woman desires to condone and forgive, she is not proms to look very critioally into the ;story it pleases her hivesr to tell her. Vanessa, therefore, effects to accept and to be satisfied with his explanations. He clearly clemonatratee that love, not forgetfulness of her, wars the cause of this !epee in his morels, and diet what he had sought as an anodyne had proved a bitter and usemeoue drug. And although Vanessa positively forbids him to allude to his sentiments at a time when ahe considers theta to have been dishonoring to her, he only replies sturdily: "111 is God's truth ! L worshipped you then, right or wrong. as I do now. Who could be with you and not adore you ? " And then Ravenhold comes to the point abeat which he is so eager? When will she make him happy? Hue Venessa is obstinately coy; she Will not entertain the idea of marriage—no, not for ages, not for two years --certainly not For a year at the very earliest. It would be an indecency—it would be a slight to the memory of the man who had been so good to her ; to whom she had been so devoted. Vainly Ravenhold tries to shake her resolution by the tenderest, moth urgent entreaties—she is inflexible. Then, sud- denly, with a passionate gesture, he pushes back his chair, strides to the end of the room, and, returning, confronts her with a white face. "11 is the old story," he says, in a hard, rough voice. " From the first moment I knew you it haa always been your pleasure to vex and thwart and try me. 1 toll you frankly, I cannot, I will not, wait a year for you—I should be in my grave. So, if you insist, I will go away and ery to forget you. Oh, love !' he cries, his voice sud- denly changing to extreme tenderness, as he bends over her, "where is your heart! Why will you fling away laappiness ? Who knows what may happen in a year? Now we are both in the zealots of our youth and life, we have all the divine aummer before us, and there is nothing but your perverse will to prevent our being the two happiest creature° on God's earth.' And Vanessmseeing that he is so mightily in earnest, allows her scruples to be van- quished. THE END. KEGS OF GOLD. Mow the Preview; Metal le rocked for .Skipmene Abroad. Gold is usually packed for shipping in kegs. Each keg holds $50,000 and will weigh in the neighborhood of 200 pounds. Such a keg is about a foot and a half in diameter. Mr. Shay's kegs are made of the best white oak staves, held in place by four thick metal bands. Two smell pieces of pink tape are stretched acroas one of the beads. To these pieces of tape the banker/a seal is affixed when the keit is ready for shipping. The other head is held in place by a few nails until the keg is ready to be filled. After the keg has been packed the head is replathd and sealed in the same manner as the other. It is very interesting to compare the sizes of a $50,000 gold keg and a cask that will contain $5,000 in silver dollars. One of the latter appears to be many times the height of a gold keg, and proportionately broader. There is bat one size made and these are always packed with Mexican ailver dollars, Wition are used in foreign exchange. The dollars are divided into bags each containing $1,000. —New York World. Learning to Walk. People sometimes ask: At what age can we set a child in a ohair ? when put him on his legs? how old must he be before we teach him to walk? The answers are easy. He musb not be made tosit till he has spon- taneously sat up in his bed and has been able to hold his seat. This sometimes hap- pens in the sixth or seventh month, some- times later. The sitting position is not without danger, even when he takes to it himself; imposed pre- ineturely upon him, it tires the backbone and may interfere with the growth. So the child should never be taught to stand or walk. That is his affair, not, ours. Place bit 00 a carpet in a laealthy room or in the open air, and let him play in freedom, roll, try to go mimed on his hands and feet, or go backward, which he will do more succesefully at first— it all gradually strengthens and hardens him. Some day he will menage to get upon his knees, another day to go forward upon them, and then to ram himself up aguinst the chairs. He thus learns to do all he earn as fast as he can, and no mere. But, they say, he will be longer in keening to walk if he is left to go on his knees or his hands and feet indefinitely. What difference does it make if, exploring the world in this way, he becomes ac- quainted with things, learns to estimate distances, strengthens his lege and back ; prepares himself, in short, to walk better when he gets to walking? The important thing is, not whether he walks now or then, but that he loathe to guide himself, to help himself, and to have confidence in him- self. iLoninal Otago. Mary Ann—I am afraidJulian you are tired holding me on your lap. Snlitis—Oh, never mind., all; still. 1 watt tired a while ago, but it oloweet hurt now-- i'm numb. Cork is about the morstbuoyant aubstence there is, but there are poiats beyond which even cork cannot, go. A cork mink 1100 feat deep in the ocean will not riee again to thb Hvinsen, owing to the er.Kt, pressu to. of the 0121.t0r. At any less dist auth front the aur - tame however, it will gr %dually twork ite way back to light, once tear e. 42 Pepik, VOer4t3 is a reeeption? "A receptive, my son, ins a rosiel fanetion where you have a eleshee t steak to emery oue but your hosteee rat,' Client—Judges, eta pm tell Inc tbe quicken way totot diva& co in Chicago? Chicago udgo—Yet, andeon; get, mareied. • PAWS IS IN 'norm, EDO Ferret Sleeves ere go More, end Viola GOWILOASO leelethee. A dressmaker juin returued from ;testae tweet ie the ?at t eluded that dels fashionable ladies there are • alt clad ia purple. Purple ve' ils too, are quite .genew eed the latest mIllinery novelty ia the Napoleon hat. Purple is creed in conjunction with all, manner of ahadea for evening wear. Thtue, a dance dress of pelt pink ',Migraine hre4. a bodice of pimple velvet edged round tem top with a lace frill and sleeves of pink. The Ant was trimmed round the hem with a puffing 9f velvet drawn through narrow loops of pink cord. A wonderful dress whiter fashioneble lady had made specially to he photogrePheet in us of yellow crepon with eleeves ot purple velvet, and a white velvet pelerine bodice embroidered with silver. It has yellow epaulettes piped with purplreand the back of the bodice is finished at the waist with re bow of the same color. A novel theatre jeoket was of purglis silk with black sleeves and trinirrauge a black lace. In Paris velvet sleeves went out with the old year. The newesb gowns have volveb bodices, but sleeves of the same material as the skirt. Every really dressy gown now must have a pelerine on the bodice, whicta may be detachable or a part of the dress, according to the wearer's taste. One of the moat remarkable devises of thin kind yet seen was of black figured clothe with a bodice of purple velvet, finished. km front with a sort of cascade edged with. mink, and sleeves of black with a band of velvet and fur at the wrist. The skirt Wile enormously full an& stiffened with a, horsehair lining, but the greater part of the fullnets was confine& to the baelc. It had a fairly deep border of velvet round the h.em, on which wan placed a band of mink, and had no dartst at the top, bub was " easied" into the waist. The bodioe had detaclushie pelerine of the black cloth edged with fur, and. arranged with much Minns on the shoulders. norsatune Lees for Salt. Concerning the usefulness of salt, there is much to be said. It la one of the mese effeotive remedies for many ills. If used persistently enough, it will cure tang catarrh. A weak brine should be made same snuffed up the nose, allowiug it to rundown: the throat. One of the most effective remedies known for a siok headache is to place a pinch of salt on the tongue and allow it to dissolve slowly. In about ten minutes it may be followed by a drink of water. There is nothing better for the relief of tired or weak eyes than to bathe them with a strong solution of salt and water, applied. as hot as it can be borne. Seals most excellent for cleansing the teeth. It hardens the gams and sweeten& the breath. A fresh inketain on a carpet may be re- moved by immediately applying a layer of salt. The ink will be ebsorbed, and whoa the salt is black it should be removed an& another layer applied, repeating the opera. tion until all the ink is removed and the searpethetteued to its former pleasing apeek pearance. Salt enters into the composition of a sure. cure for a felon. Take COMMOIl cock salt and dry it thoroughly in the oven, pulverhie it, and mix with an equal,quantity of spirits of turpentine. Keep a rag saturated witia this eolution applied to the affected part for 21 hours, and at the end of thet time the felon will have disappeared. The colored Japanese straw mattings which are so generally used as floor cover- ings lately, are best ke,pt sweet and clean. by washing them witha solution of oaten& water after the weekly sweeping. Thin treatment has the other advantage of ;keep- ing them soft and preventing theatendency to grow brittle and creek in the pla.ces.most weed. ,Salt rubbed on the black spots on elishen will remove them, and salt placed over a, fresh claret stain on the table linen will assist it to disappear when washed. New Figures ta aka German. Among the pretty and, original &gum danced at a recent dion.er germane' wan that of the mainning wheel. A pretty girl eat spinning at a wheel decorated with two bowa, one of pink and one of green. Two rivals come to her, one with a pink favor on hie cost and one with a favor ot green. -The wheel is set in motion, and as it any stops ita revolutions the color on top de— cedes which man is to dance with the spinner. In another figure the middens all. sit in a row with aprons, hats and parasols of tissue paper at their feet. At si signal by the leader as may men as there are maidens, and one more, rusk for- ward, array themselves in the hata and aprons and open the parasate. The man who finishes his toilet last is left without a partner. Another figure at the same cotitlon was a seb of hurdle miens. The ladies in this figure wore jockey caps of gay -colored sake, and eaclt drove threes mea wine bright -colored ribbons for rebre Each man earried in his hand a, wooden bell that he was expected to keep le ins place when he jamped the hurdle. At the dinner that preceded the dance the dining -room was irghted by tr. large electric star., and on the table beneath wets second great star of holly and mistletoe. Ropes of laurel, brighteaed by clusters of scarlet berries, were festoomed on thes wens and from the centre of the ceding to the cornerz of the room. The favors for this revel were silver stars, wands of diver, Santa Claus spoons and the aeW Columbian: seuvenir coina. filtieezed Ins Eland. In Sir Arthur Gordon's sketch of his father, lord Aberdeen, in the series of beat gre.phies of the Prime Ministers of Qaeem. Victoria, he gives an extract from hia father's dewy containing an account of how he was made a "Knight of the Garter." Ae a pert of the ceremony it is net:weary to kith the Queues hand, which is usually held out in a lifeless, perfunctory manner, "To, my surprise," stye Lord Aberdeen, "wheel I took hold of it to lift it to my lips eke squeezed my hand with a strong and signin &cant pressure." The Queen also desired that he keep the green ribbon, for which: there had been two precedents in the prey lows MO years. This was about 1855, when the Qtreen MLR 0.1010 11h VO0.4% old.—New York, World. A bust of Harriet Beecher Stowe to lari. plaeted in the Hartford, public library, lieu been completed by Mine Anna Whitney, off Bream., The $1:,00e to pty foe the work was raised by the penny contributions of Connecticut seheol children. Leay (to Mamie —Noe shall nob give you anything. You look among and kemety end Wetl ith)e te nock. Tramp—Ab, nature yoanhoulditet, judge pe,;pie by their looke. thought, pm looked a 'koad-herietkie, oluorrit- able lady, hub I find 'yea a ett. Sreisehow or other the man who, is Muer- tog mit of time in thee itbtle. Gamine baud 0.11/1'058 get L/15 10 be the nate Who has Giza womb winds