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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1903-12-25, Page 7;r 4.40 441424.47- -641e, er.„ crtw41.6 - eA04t: "dei' ,_ _ i „ lolel's He went Yn eolmpl.iance 'with her ?wish. What request of hers could he have refused? And Violet Haye stood 'alone in the home that her lover ficeight, to make hers. She stood there, „dainty and bewitching; she looked ironed. The rooms were very pretty ; lobe tried to imagine herself' mie- xess there ; she tried to picture her - :self living there, going in and out, }Waiting for Felix, giving orders. 'She tried to realize what life would !be like when she was married and 'lived there. ''.`there would be no fu - It u e to look forward to, no sweet, 'bright po,ssdbilities. "I should know 11 my life then," she thought ; "It Svould hold nothing brighter than /this;" and the dainty little foot tap- ;red, the floor. "Here it would all begin and end; there would be no (more dreaming"—and the haid ;dreamed wildly of a. different life tram this. Still she loved Felix. "I wonder," said the dainty young 'beauty to herself, "in what I dif- lfer' from other girls). I know ,not one, 'bot many, who would- gladly change ,their fate for mine, who would marry !F•elis Lonstclale and be happy in his ;love, who would think this pretty ',house a. palace and would find the ,contentment and true happiness of la life -time within ate walls; why ,cannot I do the same? What is it ;tlealt I am always looking far, hop- ing for, expecting ? What more do ;I want ? I cannot understand myself "nodi I am ousel no one else can under - Wand urea" The violet eyes glanced wistfully ' round the pretty rooms ; why was she not content ? • "I love F;elix," ,she told herself ; "and it seems to ree that if I made an effort I could be happy and con- t't.ente3 here. 'What is the effort that, I 1aavo to melee ? I love Felix ; nota- ting on earth can make me alter that ! factal i Yet she•did not feel quite at ease. !There was a vague, shadowy feeling ,df somcithing 'wanting that she hat3 not yet roma. Frelix amused her with his raptures }when he returned. It was so novel, too delightful to see her there ; and 'the day was novel forgotten by him 'bemuse the had been gracious to him upon it. , CHAPTER V. The inhabitants of Lliford were !pleased at Darcy Lonsdale's good !fortune. .He deserved it, they said; ' his honest, honorable, iudustrious tlifo had been spent among them; they had known him as .boy and ;man; they had been interested in lhis marriages, in la's children, in his business; he was one of them- selves; they had been interested In his joys and sorrows and in his 'welfare, and now they were pleas- ed at his good fortune. With this sudden and unexpected gleam of prosperity came other Tgleams; his business increased—and !Darcy hLonsdele owned himself e va,s amostfortunate man /He removed with pais household to Vale 1 -louse; and Felix began to think that he aright induce Violet to marry him before the end of the year. He did not even speak to her of their marriage, for it was a difficult task; she would evade I the question in a hundred different !Ways; she would laugh', yet look ' charming—do anything, in fact, I but reply to his inquiry as to ;when they should the united. He went to Mlle Limes one lovely summer evening quite resolved upon not coming away withut a definite answer. Violet was looking even A SENSIBL>NI i91Oralr:IL When little ones are all. the sensible mother no longer doses tliem with' naune-us, grip ng purgatives, nor puts them to (steep with the so-called "soothing" preparations, which al- Ways contain harmful opiates. Baby's Own Tablets; have been used by then- sands of mothers ivao cheerfully tes- tify that they are gentle in their action, absolutely safe, and make Ilt- Me epee sleeks soundly and naturally, because they remove the trouble that made baby irritable and wakeful. On this point Mrs.. 'la Watson, SarsTield, Ont., says: "I have used Baby's Own T,ablete, and find them a very valu- able medicine for young children. ',When baby is cross or fretful I give her a Tablet, and it anon puts her These Tablets cure all the minor ailments of little ones, They are good for children from birth! on- !Ward. n-{wlasd. Sold by mediclee dealers or isent by mail at tri cents a box by welting the Dr. Williti,ms' Medicine Co., Brockville, Ont. i I , r 1 more chariuing than usual; she wore a white dress with •blush roses and her fair, girlis) face was like a sweet flower. He persuaded .her to come out with: him, beguiling her on. to the lawn under the pretext of showing paler the gorgeoous west- ern Egro I 1 1 ''1 i't !i al IM "I do not care for euneetr, 1'ielix," ehe said. "I cannot go into raptures over them. I see the eun set in some fashion or other every evening." But he w,ais so determined that she thought it less trouble to accede to his wish. T,lie sight of the glorious eky made her thoughtful; then, when she was in a frame of mind proper for listening, he turned to her. How dazzlingly beautiful her face was in the sunlight ! "Violet," he said, "I want to quote a couple of lines from a. familiar bal- lad to you. Can you geese what it Is?" "'No, 1 cannot ; I do not .care for familiar ballads," she replied. "What is it ? "You know 'My Pretty Jane,'" be staid. "Ther lines I want to quote to you see these: 'Name the day, the wedding -day, And I will buy the ring.' Now, sweet Violet, that is just what I want you to oo—tell me when that happy day will dawn for me. Do not let the summer sunshine and the flowers all die be- fore you are my wife." She turned her startled face to his. 'You' are cruel, Felix," she said. "You always spoil these lovely sunny days by talking about mar - ria ge." "My heart is full or it," he replied —at least it is full of you. I do not wish to startle you, Violet, but give me one kind worcl to dream about now. I am always wondering, 'When will our marriage take place ? When will my darling consent ? When will the end come to all my uncertainties, doubts and fears ? When shall I be able to say to myself :, On, such a caw I will bring home me wife ?' " She answered, half impatiently "You make so terribly sure of everything, Felix." "Have I not the right to do so In this case ?" ia'e asked, laughing half sadly` ' at her. "I did not quite promise, you know, Felix." "Perhaps not in so many words, Violet, but in honor 'you are bound to bo my wife." "I am willing to be your wife, Felix; but let me enjoy my youth a little longer.r I am only 19 -there is no hurry." "You forget," he interrupted, "how dearly I love you, Violet, and holwl I long for thought 'you did not love nae, Violet, I would not urge my request—I would go far away, and occupy my life as well as I could—nay, I would rather. die than make you unhappy. If you do not love me T will not hold you pledged to me, Violet." "But Ida love you," she said, look- leg up at him with sweet, perplexed eyes; "still, Felix, it seems so sud- den—" ' Hardly Sudden, darling," he inter- rupted, "when I have loved you since you were seven years old. You will bo just as happy when you are my wife as you are now—will you not ?" " I cannot tell," she replied, If the had spoken the real truth she would have told ham that she was unwilling to lay down her sover- eignty ; that the homage and admira- tion she received were very precious to her ; that she enjoyed them ; that she liked to know she was the queen of tiie country -side. All that, of course, would end when she was mar- ried. The married ladies she knew led dull lives—or dull they seemed to her —went in the routine of duty. They superintended their hausehalds,nursed their children, directed their servants. It eeemed dreary,', work to her —a, life that held little. She had hoped for more than this ; her brilliant beauty ought to bring her a brighter fate than that whbch these plain- faced matrons bad met. While she eat musing with these thoughts plainly) written on her^ face, .'1;'elix was looking earnestly at leer. "Let me rsa'y,! September, Violet," fro pleaded ; "that to a glorious month and the house will be quite ready. My' darling, gladden my, heart with Ono word 1" 1 But he was never quite sure whe- !ther ebe had spoken that word or not ; ber eyes were 'dim with tears, and oho murmured oomething to the effect that elle laved him—had al- w,ay;is loved him —while something of ebmollse seemed to tinge her manner.' Tier eingens tbrltled hien with their eat toucb ; her -lovely; lips; ugivered as sine talked to him but be could never toll whether ,she had whispered the' word he wanted. That evening, when he ' reached bomC, Evelynn Lester was there, and a sense Of rest came over him ea the first glance at her sweet face, She 'went u -p to him with the gentle gIaco and dignity) that characterized. "Felix, I have heard good news— you are favored in fortune and In lore. Is it all true ?" " Yes"—ho told ber It was all true; be bad' been spending the evening at The Limes—be had just left Violet. Ile walked tome with Evelyn, and he was struck with the strange sense of rest that came over him. She was not beautiful, but th.e sweet face was very fair and very tender, her voice musical and full of .sympathy ; she spoke of kindly, of beautiful Violet, she praised her se generously, and warmly, elle spoke with such real enthusiasm of her loveliness, of the admiration she excited, of her bril- liancy, 'that his heart warmed to her. She listened with such sweet sym- pathy to all that he had ,to say—. to his, history of the vottag'e, and of the pretty furniture and pictures he hoped; to place therein. She was Interested in it all. He said to him- self that it was strange whet per- fect rest he found with her—a some- thing which he could not describe, a sense of deep tranquility and, re- pese. " I think,. Evelyn," he said, as he stood at the hall door of Outlands, "Haat no man was ever so blessed. I have the truest and fairest of loves, and the truest and warmest of friends." • The moon was shining brightly, and Eve Mood in silence for a, few min- utes watching,. him. "You will need a friend," she thought—"and when you do, you shall tot fail to find one." , 'e CH.;.A.P;11ER VI. "That young man ought to be sat - felled with his lot in life," said Jane Lester, as her niece told her of Felix Lon;sdale's success. . "He is quite satisfied, auntie," Eve- lyn returned; gently. , "The worst thing that any man Dan do is to marry, a girl with a pretty, face," said the aunt. "Pretty, girls .are a mistake—thee think themselves too good for anything. Felix Lonsdale has acted foolishly! — Violet Haye will never make him a good wife." "She is young, and she loves him very dearly," remarked Evelyn. "Youth and love—would any with Jean build his .house en such founda- tions?' said ber aunt. "1 tell you Eve- lyn, it is a mistake, and Lansdale will find it tea. I ;cee,d a eheractcr quickly, anrd I have read Violet Haye'e." "She loves hint," repeated Evelyn, who could Imagine nothing more un- answerable. • "Love --we know what a, lasting sentiment that is," sneered Miss Les- ter. "If he married a, eens'ible woman With a nice little fortunes I should have 'some hope ; but the very curl of that girl's hair shows what she is." Evelyn laughed as she thought of the glorious golden hair that had al- way,s been 'Violet'; glory. "Tbcre is no other hair in Lilford like it, auntie," she reeked; "It is a very good thing," wap the retort, "I am no friend of nonsense." No unfriendly criticisms reached Felix Lonsdalo's ears — none could lame 'hurt him. He had, now the ono great prize of his life; he. was happy beyond all power of word to tell. It ploa,se: him, too, that all his friends and neighbors took such kindly inter- est in )aim ; it was pleasant to meet with congratulations and good washes — to see life lying so fair and clear before him —to feel his 'youth and his strength —to feel his happiness thrilling every vein. He felt that he had nothing left in life to wish) for; heaven had been good to him. and had granted him his heart's de- sire. He would have felt a :little happier, perhaps, had Violet . been less coy. But that very coyness had a charm of its own ; it suited her ; he could not imagine her other than coy; and. as for doubt or fear, or mistrust, such shadows never darkened his mind. The hea- ven or his love was clear and cloud- less. Violet would ro wless• coy In time; it ,was bcttea; for her to be slay and reserved as she was than lay herself out for admira- tion. RA some did. lie had sottleo in his own mind that ire would persuade her to be- come his wife before the chill Oc- tober killed the flowers q,nd strip- ped the trees. So he thought and hoped and dreamed, while a cloud was rising in the distance no larg- er than a man's Nand. One day Darcy Lonsdale return- ed with a perplexed 'look on his face to his new house. His wife, wondering at it, asked him: "What is the matter, Darcy ?" After thinking for a few, minutes, he answered: • " Nothing ; my brain seems to be full of foolish. fancies," The next time he returned home it was evening, and the pleasant tea - table, the happy circle" of bright faces, might have gladdened any man's least; but 1)n,rcy; 'Lonsdaio' looked dull. Again hiss wife asked What was wrong, and he laughed un- etia lly, she thought. "The very air seems thick with ramie's," he answered. "I saw- three Of my best friends this morning et;anding in a group in Castle street, and when I joined them I knew by the embarrassed expression .on each man's face that they had been talk - nig about mer." 1 "Wd• ty hao d abort youat ?coul" n4sked. they "veIt tw,as alayt fancy, Darcysca." "No; I am,rel they were 'speaking 01 me. 1 Went to the bank this 'Morn- ing, and its T wee entering the door I cllstinetly beard the manager say. Mistaken in •Lorteeialea !;card the wordis as plainly ea you hear them labor, Ile was talkine to one of the p'ertnerrs„ end they were both cool, I thought, in their manner," fate threw her arms ground his neck and kissed hip anxious face. "Why should any one talk' about you or be coo], to you, dear ? You have done no .wrong." "No; but there is something — I am quite sure there is something, Kate—in tho minds of people about me, I can not imagine what it is," Ii:ate tried to cheer lahn ; she laughed at the notion. What could there be ? She knew that there was no one like him. No one could accuse him of a mean action ; his life had always been fair, open, loyal, and transparent. It was ab- surd, He must be out of health!; .he sh'oulcl go away and rest him- self for a time. People cool to him Indeed! She would like to see any one treat him with less res- pect and honor than he deserved. The kind, tender face flushed, the kind eyes filled w,tth tears, She would have done battle for him with the whole world. There was nothing In what lie said, she felt sure, but failing health!. Yet she waited anxiously for him the next day. She was somewhat surprised, for there 'head been a perfect deluge of tradesmen's bills an occurrence that bad never hap- pened before. The baker had sent .in his bill, and the butcher wanted ready money; the upholsterers who had furnished Vale House pressed for a settlement in consequence of u-nlooked far losses. Kate showed the bills to bier husband. "What does it mean 2" she asked, 'wonderingly,. "It means, my dear, that there is some subtle agency, at work against us—I can not tell what. It means also that the tradespeople must be paid at once. Indeed, Kate, we would have been wise had we .waited till the legacy, had bee paid to us before we came here." "But it is certain," said Kate, h little anxiously,. "As certain as fate," lie replied ; and then they talked a little more cheerfully' about what they would do when the money, was at their com- mand. That same evening Felix came home looking slightly preoccupied. Ho had seen one of their oldest clients go into George Malcolm's office, and the vicar of the parish, the Bev. Daniel Hunter, had passed bine with the coldest of bows. He also had an Impression that there was something wrong. He could tell neither what it was nor why tai was. Felix thought that there would be time to walk over to The Limes. He had a very beautiful book that he had bought for Violet, and he want- ed to give it to her. It struck him, when he entered the drawing -room at The Limes, that the three assembled there had been epoaki,ng of bin, their greeting was ea awkward, so constrained, so uniako the genial, kindly reception that had always baenn given to him hitherto. Mrs. Hayti held out her hand to him, but her eyee fell, and her husband's half-mureaured words were inaudible; Violet looked embarrassed; and for the first time under that hospitable roof the young lover felt 111 at ea,sc. When he laid the volume on the table, Mr. Ila,ye took it up. "'This must have cost something," he 'said, "for it is very handsome. It would b' better to knave money than to spend it—we none of us know whey the evil day may come." "I do not fear evil days," remarekd Pelle. with all the sanguine hope of a young man. Thin wisest among us may exr.ect thom," said lir. 1-layr>, briefly. 73tiell the conversation lan- guished, and Felix grew so un- oomfortable thalt hlcl decided upon r'e'turning louse. Ile had no misgiving —he thought' lie had call- ed at an alnauspicious moment— he grad perhaps interrupted some do- mestic conference. Ile cared only' to see Violet. If she would go to the gate with him, so that ho would have time for a. few words, all would be well. But when be had said good -night to the two seniors, and asked Vio- let if she would walk to the gate with him, Mrs. Hay° interposed. "It is too cold," she said. "Violet hue been complaining of headache all day; s'he renal not go out." And the tone was so decided, so tern, that Felix ^'could not opposer Mre. H'alye. Ere 114314 .Violet's hand one minute in his; he tried to look into the depths of her beautiful eyes, but they dropped from his, and he could not eve them, Tie left her with a. few whispered words, feeling more un{ happy; than lie had ever felt before.' (To l e Continued.) , THE CHURCH DEBT MORE THAN PAID.' a..0.4®lit®®t®a,es®seareapo49'osr® Ai mortgage Of $3,000 upon, the; First Baptist Church', says a des -'j patch from Macon, Moe Was pub..1 Holy burned at a jubilee service4 last week.. The lion's share of thel glory for paying off this debt goes to the .women of the church. .When the, undertook the Work they started to collect, not castb, but ideas. They reasoned that if they provided ideas, the money, would come of itself. So premiums were offered for ideas. Every idea( that seemed promising had a laiirl trial. The Idea that seemed most suc- cessful 'was an elaboration of a plan originate) at Quincy, Ill. In that town the church issued a book of quotations. Every person who contributed ten cents could have his name priated prominently over his favorite quotation from the classics. 'The Macon idea embraced a wid- er field. There were those who' didn't care to borrow their litera- ture. It was, therefore, provided that every real, or fancied poet or prose writer could have' his pro -1 duction handsomely printed, east' as written, at ten cents a line. Be..! sides offering a clxance for fame.: the plan furnished good experience for young writers, because Iti taught thlem. to economize space. One poetic artist put up 40 cents) to get this 'tender sentiment in: This world that we're living in 1 Is mighty hard to beat, A thorn eoknes with every rose e , But ain't the roses sweet ? The most unpopular maa in town! paid ten cents to get his name' along this quotatioa from. Hole: Writ : Woe` unto you when all men shall' speak well of you.—Luke, vi. 2g, ; Among the quotations from the, poets the following lanes distanced all others as a favorite : Honor and shame from no condi-' tion rise; Act 'well your part—there all th'e honor lies. —Pope The book was a dazzling success. everybody in token took a copy, and some of the amateur authors bought several copies to send to their friends is other towns. The Taste for Horseflesh. . A taste for horseflesh is steadily on the increase in Paris. A votere. inary and sanitary report Just is- sued states that in 1896 at the public abattoirs 21,4,30 horses, asses and mules were slaughtered for the different dealers In horseflesh in the French capital. In 1897 the number was 22,029, in 1898 22.- 512, 2;512, in 1899 23,203, in 1900 20,- 454, in 1901 26,683, in 1902 8-1',- W4, Of the number in this last year there were 31,700 horses, 485 asses and 49 mules. Much) of the food is sold in the shape of sau- sages'. 1 Another Ghastly Six -Day Grind. New York Tribune. A. six-day bicycle tournament is added to the afflictions of this vexed metropolis. Why must New Yorkers suffer from such a besetment ? The old, unhappy, Tar -off things which Wordsworth wept over were bad enough, but in this era of enlighten- ment Gotham ought not to be dis- tressed and tormented with a re- newal of the outworn nuisance of the wan and haggard tramps in the ranks of the professional wheelmenn Bran Controls Every F'scJe injury to Brain of NervesoDeficiency of Nerve Force Means Paralysis and Hetpiessness DR CASE'S E VE FOOD Every mus+cls of the body con- trolled by the will is connected with the brain, and every muscular action Ls originated by nervous force, gen- erated in the brain and transmitted along the nerves to the muscles, When the nerves are injured or die- ear"ed, when there is 'a deficiency in the supply of nervous energy, par - locomotor ataxia or some form of belpless'ness results because the brain no longer has control of the muscles. 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