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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1909-09-24, Page 3"You cannot blame me for asking the question," she said, coldly, "when you consider all the circumstances of our connection. Please understand that I do not revert to this matter in any feeling of anger such as I displayed that day at Moreham. I know that Lady Melrose .has your love, and that there is now no bar between you. I simply do not wish :to again enter into an engagement with , you, which Lady Melrose has it in her power to break." It was all said with the utmost pre- cision and coldness; but every word stung the earl; for each word carried a :reflection on his integrity. And yet what was he to answer, when down down in 'his heart lurked all the while the eager wish that Lady Gertrude would say no to his offer? "There is nothing between Lady Mel- rose and me," he said, coldly. "If you say you will bear my name, I shall take you at your word, and carry out my part of the agreement." "It is enough, then," she said, quietly. 'Further 'than this I merely wish to have :a full explanation with you. It is my right, however unusual the proceeding may be," "I beg you will fully discuss the mat- ter," he said. "Permit me to rehearse the events that led to the first engagement." "Whatever you please," he replied. "Before there was any thought of love 'between you and Erna March, you paid me such attention as gave pare the. right to believe that you wished a more inti- mate relation." "I did not so mean it; but I will ad. - mit that such a construction could fairly be placed on my conduct toward you." , "Afterward you met Erna March, and became infatuated with her. It is said you made her an offer of marriage and was rejected by her. I do not ask if it 3s true, for I have no right to ask any- thing of you." "Nevertheless," he answered, coldly, "I will answer. It is all true, as you have stated it." "After that," Lady Gertrude went on, are conducted on principles of republican spy hand, saying to hint in substance that it was your name, and that only, which you were offering, That is true, is It not ?" "Quite true; but I cannot see the use of going over these things which are past, and are better buried." "They shale he bar ie&?' i}e ,�replied• "but there is.oi`- ut 'aa�ae+3y"ilinri t/ do. The 11 , i....r <a5 awe,.. wth. ., �drng day came, and with it Erna March Lady Melrose then— with a message which took you from me. was angry—justifiably so, I think; though .it was in bad taste, and I should . never be so guilty again. I gave you back your liberty and left you. After- ward you followed Lady Melrose from the house, and had some conversation with her, which •I can only guess at. I presume that, for some reason good in Ler eyes, she again rejected you." The earl was at once pained and in- dignant. "You are partly right," he answered, warmly. "I did love Erna with all any heart and soul. I at that time begged her to hear my plea for her love. She answered me by pointing out my clear duty,;' A sneer curled the red lips of Lady Gertrude. "It is just as I thought, then. She gave you to me. You came back and re- newed your offer to my father. By that time I, too, understood the situa- tion better. I knew I should be a dis- credited woman in the eyes of the world If the engagement were not renewed." "I did all I could," the earl said, "to make your position what it should be." "Yes; but,, unfortunately, more than a mere engagement must be between us," she went on. "I must be your wife. And this is the end of my words. I must marry you, but I will not have any deception between us. I not only do act love you, but I hate you. I shall slot pretend to anything in public, and demand of you that only the most per- functory relations exist between us un- til we are married," The earl bit his lip. It was a situation he could not alter. Lady Gertrude had so presented the case that he was bound in honor to marry her; and yet his whole soul revolted against such a un- ion. "It is not a pleasing prospect," he said; "but I admit your right to make tuoh terms; and I agree to them. I supa- pose there is nothing more to be said.." "A very little," she answered, a gleam of triumph showing in her e9es. "I must take the unusual course of ask- ing you to fix a day for the wedding." "Perhaps you have a plan of your own," he said, ironically. ate could not treat her altogether as he would any other woman, after her plain words to him, "Yes," she answered. "Such an engage- ment as ours must necessarily be irk. some to both. I wish it to be short." "Do you overlook the death of my wife?"' he naked. f "Not at all. You will not be expected to maintain the usual forms in this ease; and not even the most captious n Would raise a voice against your mar- 1 riage with me," The earl knew it was true; but it w revolting to hear his future wife so t coolly eanvaasing it, «\/'bat day have you set?" he de- d rrdhde 1, "$fax the twentieth of next month," she replied, readily. "That will be in three weeks from to -day." He rose and bowed. "I will see that it is so armouneed. Dare I hope the wedding will be. a quiet one?" "Certainly not," she replied, with a scrt of brutal frankness. "How can you ask it. The utmost publicity should at- tend the wedding in such a case." He slightly shrugged his shoulders, and his lips curled scornfully. "It is for you to say, Lady Gertrude." He bowed and was gone. Lady Ger- trude watched him until he was out of the room. Then her face lighted up with a. fierce triumph and she hissed: "He will keep` his word; and I shall be revenged on him and on her!" CHAPTER XLI. It was the first time in all her 1' that Lady Rowley had missed a Londe season. But she would not leave Ern behind alone, though Erna b aged her go. "No," said Lady Romley, "it is' on habit, anyhow. I shall be better for rest from the dissipations of the city "But Lord Rowley," objected Erna. • "My dear, he hates society. Alvvay did. You 'aro doing him a great fav He will have the opportunity he h always : longed for of watching the pi and :the chickens." Erna was never able to notice trery strong agricultural. tendency •i Lord Romley; but she never disoovere that he actually hated pigs and chick ens. She was not very observant in thos days,. however, and would have passe unheeded more important things. She was more than ever an enigma t her kinswoman. Lady Romley coul make nothing of her. The old waywar Erna Was gone; and in her plaee wa the strong, self-reliant but diffide woman Lord Aubrey had. discovered • his last interview with her, The one thing which puzzled the o Iady more than any other was the re lation, or, to put it properly, the lack of relation between Erna and the Ea of Aubrey. There was no doubt whatever that Erna loved the earl, and still leas don that he loved her. Why, then, no that there were no obstacles of an sort, did not the earl come to claim her., The good lady had almost a min to write to the earl. The suddenly came the annoi ncemen of Tis , rengagement to Lady t!ertruiaaa ¢ ,�egether% with tat glances of surprise at each other, Lor statement that the wedding manila'take place on the twentieth of the next month. Lady Romley was only human. She wished to see how Erna would take this bit of news. She sought her in the library, where Erna spent a great deal of her time in the company of her books. "My dear," said the old lady, "here is something you may be interested in." "Yes?" said Erna, looking up with a smile, which had lost none of its charm and witchery; though it was not char- acterized by an utter lack of coquetry. "It is the announcement of the re en- gagement of Lord Aubrey and Lady Ger- trude Moreham." A light shadow passed over the beau- tiful face; but that was all Lady Rom - ley could see. "It could not have been otherwise," Erna said. The old lady pursed her lips. She understood what Erna meant; but she would have brushed away such foolish scruples. She forgot how she had in- terposed yet feebler objections in the days that were past. "The wedding is fixed for the twen- tieth of next month," said she. "It seems very soon; but it, too, is right," said Erna. "You puzzle me, Erna," said Lady Romley, a little asperity shoving in her tone, "I hardly puzzle myself any more," was the answer. "But you love the earl You know you do." "I do not love him any the less be- cause he 'does what honor demands," answered Erna, promptly, "Do you mean to say that if he were to come here and ask your hand you would refuse him?" "I certainly would. But he will never come for such a purpose," said Erna con-,.. fidently. Lady Romley understood less than ever; but she was determined to un- derstand more. She despatched Lordw Romley to ton, with imperative in- structions to meet the earl: to tell him explicitly that Erna was with them; and to ask him to run down at any time. 'We shall see," she muttered, "if he is as tied to an absurd notion of duty as Bina. I don't believe ho can be with her half an hour without going wild over her." When Lord Romley return,ed, after a week of solid enjoyment, she questioned :arm, It was the price . he had to pay or a week of London, "Well?" she demanded. "Well, Aubrey will be do*ii some time ext week without a doubt. His face ighted up the moment I spoke of Erna, don't comprehend ;that affair." Lady Romley stared at him in eon-. empt, "I should think not," she said, "I met understand it myself. How does e seem to get on with Lady Ger- trude;" tfe n a to ly a s or. as 1 any n d e d 0 d d s nn CO arCUR ° IN24H0 RS hard,'softn ora bleeding, remove Minn any Puteither am s • Corn Extractor. It never gums, leaves no scar, contains no acids; is harmless because composecj only of healing gums and balms. 'Piny years in use, Cure guaranteed. 8old ter all druggists 2ec. bottles. Refuse substitutes: PUTNAM'S PAINLESS CORN EXTRACTOR "That is the strangest part," answer- ed Lord Romley. "The earl puts up with more than many 'a milder man would. She treats him almost rudely in society; and her conductwith the young Earl of Rockingham is carried to the very verge of impropriety," "And Aubrey does not resent it?" "He does not seem to see it. lie bears himselfs with a sort of contemptuous coldness toward the world; while to- ward her he is always, courtesy itself." "But you think he will come down?" "He said he would come down and take dinner with us." "And then we shall find out some- thing; said Lady Romley. But in that she was mistaken. The earl did come down, and 'was given an opportunity to be alone with Erna. He did not hesitate toaccept it; and when they were alone he said.. hastily: "Erna, do not misunderstanding my coming. I was, ipvited by' Lord Romley, and came only • because I felt that I might for once indulge my eyes with a sight of your dear ,face. Don't start! I shall not say anything I should hot. I accepted your interpretation of my duty because I saw that it was the cor- rect one; but, ' oh, Erna, you cannot know what I have suffered." She looked up at him frankly and kindly. "I can know, for I have suffered, too. We both have done wrong, and both must suffer." He looked at her with a wild longing in his eyes; then he rose hastily, and cried out: - "I must not stay, Erna. I thought I could bear it; but I cannot. Tell Lady Romley that I have gone, and beg her forgiveness. I would be obliged to ex- plain if I saw her." And so he left, greatly to Lady Rom- Iey's indignation. A few days later the invitations to the wedding came; and there was one forthe dowager Mar- chioness of Melrose. "It is to be a cathedral wedding," said Lady Romley. "Shall you go, Erna?" But Erna was leaving the room, and did• not answer, CHAPTER XLIL Lord Romley's statement of the con- duct of Lady Gertrude was rather L cow than above the truth. She seemed as be trying by every means in her pour.:<r to provoke the earl to some e:tpressr.,v of disapproval. But if she hoped for such a t' ' she was disappointed. The earl fled himself with all his prideaid " all kis self-eontrot' Be wnti h an unmoved countenance while e. acted toward the .Earl of Rockingham d if he, instead of Aubrey, were .her of lanced husband. Those who looked on were estonished at his failure to remonstrate; and Lord Moreham on only one occasion .under- took to alter the conduct of his daugh- ter. "Gertrude," he said, "do you know that you are acting outrageously? If you are not careful you will drive the Earl of Aubrey away from you." "Papa," she answered, coldly, "you may save yoursefl the trouble of inter- fering with mer I shall not drive the Lydia E. Pinii khaii&s Vegetable Com pound Vienna, W. Va.—"I feel that Iowe the last ten years of my life to Lydia E. Pinkham's Vege- table Compound. Eleven years ago t was a walking shadow. 1 had been under the doctor's carebut gotno relief. • My husband per- suaded me to try -L�ydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com- pound and itworked like a charm. It re- lieved all my pains and misery. I advise all suffering women to take Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound." —Mels. Emus. WILtATON, Vienna, W. Va. Lydia E. Pinkham's 'Vegetable Com- pound, made from native roots and herbs, contains no narcotics or harm- ful drugs, and to -day holds the record for the largest number of actual cures of female diseases of any similar mull - eine in the country, and thousands of voluntary testimonials are on, ille , in the Pinkham laboratory at Lynn, Mass., from women who have been cured from almost every form . of female complaints, inflammation, ui- ceration,dlspiacernents,fibroid tumors, irregularities, periodic pains, backache, indigestion and nervous prostration. Every such suffering woman owes it to herself to give Lydia E. Pinkhara'a Vegetable.comppound a trial, If your would like special advice about your ease write a c4ldeln- ti,al letter to Mrs. rinkb:axry pt Lynn, Mass. bier advice IS free) and always helpful. earl away. I knows better than you what I aft- "If ff doing."' "But--,•_'�:" "If you persist in annoying me," she interrupted, "1 :shall 'only do worse things." Alter that hers ather watched her witli silent dismay, wishing twenty times in evening that therweddnig were well over, The Earl of Rockingham, in the mean- time, treated all the world as if he were perfectly satisfied with his lat. The truth was that the Nadi of Rock- ingham was a young peer whose rent -roll was enormous, but whose intelleetual balance was small. He had got the no- tion into his head that he was having no end of sport at the expense of the Earl of Aubrey, who was such a lion as to render such an achievement a very great matter to Rockingham' He had been naturally attracted by Lady Gertrude because of her beauty; and she had drawn him closer to her by all the little arts she had learned to use. ' He often tried to bring the conver- sations around to topics of love; but she had always skillfully avoided such a result, even while publicly treating him with marked favor, The young man speedily became thor- oughly infatuated, and permitted him- self to become an unconscious tool in her hands, which was precisely what Lady Gertrude had marked out for him. By and by it reached the pass with him that he believed he had a right to be jealous of Aubrey. He hinted such a thing once to Lady Gertrude, and she stared at him a mo- ment, and then seemed to check an out- burst only by a great effort: "Lard Rockingham," she said, in a stifled. tone, "you must never say such a thing to me again.' (To be continued.) CURIOSITIES OF OLD TEXT BOOKS. The change in school books in 70 years is as great as in any phase of American life. The automobile is no higher above the chaise of that day than is the geo- graphy above that of those times. The modern sewer system is no greater im- provement over that of 1840 than the ex- amples and problems are better than in those days. The electric light is no far- ther removed from the tallow dip than the best primers of to -day are from those of 70 years ago. In arithmetics, up to within 70 years, the problems were such as would not be tolerated to -day, writes A. E. Winship in the Journal of Education. Here are some taken at ran- dom from some old arithmetics, mostly in my own library, many of them in general use as late as the '40s: Examples on lotteries are common. If 9 cats have killed 8 birds, how many has, ,.;yah killed ? J� If a ca't divides 4 birit between 2 kittens, how many will each kitten have?' lilt Thbirereds are! corny problems of cats kill- A kink went intobarn, whi re 1,he "fotirdi frie.. r he:1'ud i 3 .T I another 5, and another 3; from each nest he ate 2 eggs. How many did • the skunk eat? It is an exceptional page that does not have problems on beer, ale, wine, rum, gin or brandy. Every child had to learn the table of "wine measure," al- so of "ale and beer measure." No other commodity was in such universal use in arthmetics as intoxicating liquors. REEKED WITH GORE. But the worst feature of the arithme- ties was the love of bloody incidents. There was agruesome fondness .for ghastliness with the school book mak- ers. An arthmetic first issued in 1831. and in use long after has most of these problems: One hundred and nineteen persons died from drunkenness in New York, and 137 ir. Philadelphia. How many in both? A man had 7 children; 2 of them were killed by the fall of a tree. How many had he left? Threescore and ten kings had their thumbs and their great toes cut off and gathered under the table of Adonibezek. How many thumbs and toes were under Adonibezek's table? A person was 17 years of age 29 years since, and suppose he will be drowned 23 years hence; pray, in what year of his ago will this happen? A human body, if baked until all the moisture is evaporated, is reduced in weight as 1 to 10. A body that weighs 100 pounds when living weighs how much when baked? HORRORS OF OLD GEOGRAPHIES. The geographies vied with the arith- metice in repulsiveness. Indian massa - ores are common. Selling female slaves is an attractive picture to authors. Slave catching in Africa is another delectable experience. Of course bull fights are a necessity. Persecutions of early Chris- tians with burnings at the stake are in order. Not only were the geographies until within 00 years filled with silly things to learn and horrible pictures to see, but the language was ridiculously grandilo- quent as, for instance: "Everything hi the universe is systematical, all is combination, affinity and connection. The beauty of the world is founded in the harmonious diversity of the beings that compose it in the number, the ex- tent and the quality of "their effects, and in the sum of happiness which it is capable of affording. I nut presenting herewith pictures taken at random from a sample geog- raphy in very general use less than 75 years ago. One figure represents' a widow prepar- ed to be burned on the funeral pyre of her late husband. This "geographical" fact seemed to need graphic, illustration. The other figura represents a .human being prepared for sacrifiee in commo- tion with a religious (?) service in a heathen country. Near by are piles of human skulls of former sacrifices, All these are merely suggestive of the taste in goon' b-'ek making 70 years ago and more, "Life a Perfect Burden" Untold Sufferings from Biliousness, • ifealdaches and indigestion. Cured by Dr. tlemiltori's Pills To produoe such striking evidence, such satisfying proof as Mrs. E, D. 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