' CHAPTER XV. (Continued.)
Within a few week of the close of the
season a very beautiful Frenchwoman
. came to London, anil wan received at
once Into the best society. Uer story wan
a strange one, and one that excited a
great deal of interest. She had been
married at fifteen to a Russian prince,
many year older than herself, and of
' dissolute character. At first he had loved
her passionately; then, as he found it
impossible to overcome her coldness and
indifference, he had come to dislike anil
treat ber with harshness. lie had taken
her away to Itussia very young, very
friendless, and intensely unhappy. There
he had neglected her. She had two chil
drenboys; and all her love seemed
bound up in them. Then they died; the
cold of Russia killed them, and she al
most died of the grief.
The physician at St. Petersburg insist
ed that she should return at once t
Paris. "It Is the ouly way to save her
life," he said to her husband. So after
three years' weary absence, she return
ed to her birthplace, uud there, after a
time, she recovered. At the French
court she was greaty admired and sought
for. A young man of high rank con
ceived a wild passion for her. He was
so handsome, so distinguished, no oue be
lieved she could resist the devotion he
constantly and so openly offered K"r. It
could scarcely be alllrmed that she was
utterly unmoved by his passion, but all
the world said that she never gave him
any undue encouragement. Still, Prince
Zelikoff became jealous. Oue evening the
princess dropped her bouijuct; Monsieur
le Ligny picked it up, bowed over it, aud
returned it to her. Prince Zelikoff chose
to imagine the accident was prearranged,
and that De Ligny had taken the oppor
tunity of concealing a note among the
flowers. lie suatched the bouquet vio
lently from his wife's hands. In her sur
prise she made some resistance; he grasp
ed her arm anil pressed the sharp-pointed
diamond bracelet unintentionally into the
IIchIi. A little jet of blood spurted forth.
The enraged De Ligny beheld it, and in
a moment Prince Zelikoff lay Btunned and
bleeding on the ground. A crowd closed
round them at once; with some difllculty
the angry men were separated, but, of
course, only blood could wipe out such a
Htuiu. A meeting was arranged; the sec
onds made the customary formal at
tempts at a reconciliation without suc
cess. Valerie de Zelikoff knew well enough
what the end of such a quarrel must nat
urally be. She knew her husband's fierce,
iudomltublo temper, aud she guessed the
rage that had tilled De Ligny's heart at
seeing her treated with violence and in
dignity. Her heart was torn In very
truth she cared more for the handsome
accomplished man who loved her so des
perately, than for her dissolute, gray
haired, indifferent huslian. Hut her re
ligion had taught her faithfully the duty
of sacrificing everything to right.
The morning of the dud arrived, no one
f'ns on the ground but the seconds, a
doctor and his assistant. The doctor
Btood near De Ligny. Prince Zelikoff
was known as a deadly shot. One, two,
three, two Hushes, two reports, a wild
shriek, and a fall. And yet neither of
the duelists was harmed or scathed. At
the moment of firing the doctor's assist
ant had Hung himself in front of the
prince, had turned up the hand whicii
held his pistol, and received De Ligny's
shot through his shoulder. De Ligny,
the seconds, aud the doctor rirshed to
ward him; the prince had already raised
his head, and recognized Valerie de Zeli
koff, his wife. The doctor explained it.
He was an old friend of the family; she
had gone to him and besought him to al
low her to be present at the duel, urg
ing that she believed herself able to pre
vent it, and after much hesitation he had
yielded. The wound was not a serious
one; tunny a woman would have beeu
glad to purchase the reputation for hero
ism that came undesired to Valeria de
Zelikoff at so small a price of pain, t
The action was thoroughly French, and
as such intensely appreciated by all
Paris. It was a crown of glory to her
liusbnml, mid flattered his vanity to a de
gree that made him love .her again as in
the olden days. Great as the triumph
was to Zelikoff, was the defeat to De
Ligny. His amour propre could not
recover from Btich a terrible blow; he
had been prepared to risk his life to a
well-knowu deadly shot to avenge an in
sult on the woman he loved, and she had
received his bullet in her own tender
flesh to save the husband who had so
grossly wronged her. He went away un
til the affair had blown, over, and then re
turned to Paris with a very young, fair
wife, who had been taken from a convent
to marry him. She. adored him; ho was
cold and indifferent to her; nay, he al
most hated her, when, six mouths later.
Prince Zelikoff died of n fever, and the
beautiful Valerie was left n widow at
twenty-two. She passed n year in seclu
sion, then she again went into society,
and, as has been said, came to London
a. few weeks before the close of the sen
son. She was staying in the house of
Lady )ora Annesly, .Mr. Hastings' cous
in, and her greatest friend.
Mr. Hastings saw a great deal of the
beautiful Frenchwoman, and admired
her exceedingly. She was not like any
Frenchwoman ho had met before sin
did not talk much, or gesticulate, or seem
to desire admiration. She was pale, large
eyed, essentially spititnclle. The chief
fascination she possessed for him was the
low, musical tone of her voice.
"I wish you would come more often to
lis, Errol," his cousin said; "we see so
little of you. I am so anxious that Ma
dame Zclikoffs visit to us should be a
pleasant one, and she always seems hap
pier, brighter, wheu you are there."
"You do me too much houor," Mr.
Hastings said, mockingly.
"It is no empty compliment. Indeed,
Errol," returned Lady Dora. "I am sure
he likes you much better than any one
1m who comet here. You ought to feel
NLY A FARMER'S
DAUGHTER.
By
MRS. FORRESTER.
flattered; the Princess de ZelikofTs cold
ness and indifference to men's attention
has almost become a proverb In Paris.
I am surprised you do not prefer a high
bred, graceful woman of the world, to
an uninformed, simple country girl like
that Miss Eyre. You see I have discov
ered your secret."
"Some men are foolish enough to prefer
innocence in women to a knowledge of
the world, Dora," Mr. Hastings an
swered coldly.
"Some men are foolish enough for any
thing," retorted Lady Dora, pettishly.
CHAPTER XVI.
More than once Sir Howard Champion
had met his granddaughter, Winifred
Eyre, in society. He had spoken very
little; aud the result of his quiet scru
tiny was that he felt uufeignedly pleased
with her. She was graceful, natural and
ladylike, and possessed a certain frank
ness of manner which could not fail to
win for her liking and admiration.
One day he calied on Lady Grace Far
quhar. She and Winifred were sitting
alone together in the drawing room.
"My dear," he said to Winifred, "we
must not be strangers any longer. My
other granddaughters are coming to stay
with me in Hurstshire after the season ia
over; and I want Lady Grace to spare
you. Y'ou will not refuse?"
"I think you would like to go, dear,
would you not?" Lady Grace said, quick
ly. Winifred answered a little hesitating
ly in the atllrmative. She would rather
not have goe; but she could not bear to
seem stubborn, or as If she bore malice.
The Iondon season was over, the park
deserted, the handsome carriages gone
from the streets. Winifred was staying
at Hurst Manor with all her cousins
Flora and Reginald Champion, and
Laura and Ada Kordyce, Lady Valan
ton's daughters. She had met the two
latter constantly in town, and been on
speaking terms with them; but nothing
more. The elder was rather plain, but
aristocratic looking, and very proud. Ada,
the younger, was pretty, good-tempered
and' unaffected. She took to Winifred at
once, and soon became very fond of her;
but her sister joined with Flora in be
ing disdainful and cold to the farmer's
daughter. There were two or three young
men, friends of Reginald's, staying in the
house, and Mr. Maxwell, to whom Miss
Champion" was now formally engaged.
"I have news for you, Laura," said
Reginald one day, entering the room in
which were his sisters and cousins; "in
deed, news for you all. Hastings is not
going to Xorway in his yacht, but is com
ing down to the Court, and has invited
several people with him, so wo shall all
be enlivened a little, I hope, in this dull
hole. Lady Dora Annesly is to play
hostess, so there is sure to be plenty of
fun."
Some days nfter Lady Dora Annesly
arrived at the Court with her husband, a
young, good-tempered man, very fond of
her, and not iu the least inclined to be
jealous.
There had been a very decided flirta
tion between Mr. Hastings and Lady
Dora Borne years ago, before sihe was
married or engaged; they sometimes re
vived It even now. He let her have her
own wayward will in the matter of com
ing to stay at the Court and inviting
guests and turning the old house upsido
dowu for private theatricals, and in tv
turn she was very bright and kind to
him nnd consulted his pleasure in every
possible way.
Lady Dora made nil her plans and Er
rol carried them out. He called on Mrs.
Champion, gave her some hints about the
tableaus and a desire for her co-operu-tion.
She responded immediately by
calling on Lady Doru, and two days af
terward Dora appeared at Hurst Manor.
The ladies, especially the young ones,
were charmed with her. she wan so
bright, so fascinating.
There were a great many cnlls, conver
sations, hints, proposals aud suggestions,
and finally everything wis arranged pre
cisely as the mistress of the ceremonies
had intended it should be. Then, of
course, there were rehearsals at the
Court; lunches, dinner parties, all man
ner of pretexts for getting the young
people together to perfect their parts.
Scenery and dresses came down from
London. Mr. Hastings spared neither
trouble nor expense, and the Court ball
room was transformed into mi elegant
theater. All the country round was in
vited; there were to be two hundred
guests.
Winifred's heart beat fast for the first
time she visited Hnxell Court. She re
membered how in the olden days that
stately gray mansion into which she had
never hoped to enter had been invested
in her childlike dreams with all the ro
mance which she had read of or fancied.
Afterward it had been dearer still as the
home of the man who had been to her
a lu ro, a demigod. The time came to her
when she had been the simple farmer's
daughter, so proud, so happy to be no
ticed by the handsome master of Hazell
Court. How her heart had sunk vitliin
her as she saw him paying court to the
beautiful, aristocratic women who seem
ed then so far above her; and how little
she had dreamed of the advent of a time
when she should be a more honored, more
longed-for guest than they?
Mr. Hastings came out to meet the par
ty of ladies who had ridden over to the
Court. He went up to Winifred first,
and took her iu his stroug arms and lifted
her from the saddle.
"Welcome!" he whispered; "this is a
time I have often longed for."
One day she had ridden over to the
Court to rehearse with Lady Dora. Mr.
Hastings came iu from a drive and found
his cousin alone iu the morniug room,
"Pray, don't come iu, Errol," she ex
claimed; "I must not be interrupted, or
Winifred will be ready first."
"Is Miss Eyre here, then?' he asked.
"Yes in the picture gallery,- I think.
She said she could study ber part beat
there."
Mr. Hastings left the room and turned
bis steps in the direction of the picture
gallery. It was an intensely hot after
noon, ana all the doors were thrown wide
open. He looked into the Ionic, uncarnet
ed room, and saw there a new picture
in a new frame. He stood and gazed at
it longer and with deeper feelings than he
had ever gazed at any other picture
there; it was the only one that was not
nis it was the only oue he cared for or
desired ardently. Framed ia the dark
oak of the window setting was a lithe,
graceful figure, half reclined, and a fair,
upturned face. Errol half feared to break
the spell that be stood watching. Pres;
ently impatience overcame the fascina
tion. He went toward ber, and the noise
of Ins footsteps aroused her.
"Were you studying or thinking, Miss
lyre r he asked.
"I hardly know, Mr. Hastings. Think
ing, perhaps."
"It is too warm to study or think, eith
er. Have you ever seen the Hazell por
trait gallery?"
"Never."
"Should you like to see It?"
"I should, indeed."
"Come With me and 1 will show It to
you. Walt a moment, though; I must get
the key; I always keep that room locked."
She waited, looking out of the window
into the rose garden. In a minute he re
turned. She followed him and heard the
echo as he turned the massive key in the
lock. He stood aside a moment for her
to pass, and then she heard the heavy
door dose behind them. A feeling half
of fear crept Into her heart. She dared
not turn; a dim consciousness of what
was passing in bis mind seemed to over
shadow her. One by one she gazed at the
portraits on the wall, at the beautiful,
gracious-looking women and the stalwart
men, to some of whom the present Mr.
Hastings bore such a striking likeness.
Presently she dropped her eyea from the
wall and turned to him. She began a
sentence and then paused abruptly blood
red with confusion at the intensity of his
gaze. He put his bund on hers and es
sayed to draw her toward him, but she
turned sharply away, trembling and
frightened.
"My love, my darling!" he cried, in a
deep, strong voice, "do not let us misun
derstand each other any longer. You lov
ed me once; you do love me still, a little,
I believe. Why should there be mistrust
and constraint between u?"
His words were very sweet in her ears,
but the false pride that had tormented
her so long would not let her be happy
even now, at the crisis of her life. She
drew herself away.
''You have seen the wives that all the
former Hastings have chosen some no
ble, all fair. I swear before heaven none
of them have been loved and revered as
you shall be if you will be the last of the
race! O, my darling! do not let a false
pride make all our lives one long bitter
ness.
Tears came into her eyes large tears
that gathered and brimmed over, running
down the fair face and making it sad.
"I loved you once, she half sobbed
'loved you with all my heart, as I could
never love again. I was only a poor, lit
tle country girl then; you were a hero
and a god to me, something different from
any one I hnd seen before, and because
I was simple and ignorant, and loving,
you despised me, and you treated Miss
Chnmpion with honor and courtesy be
cause she was a fine lady, and and you
thought I was ouly a former's daughter."
And Winifred sobbed with passionate
indignation at the remembrance of her
wrongs. Mr. Hastings was fairly angry.
Her tears moved him to impatience.
"Will you never cease upbraiding me?"
he exclaimed. "Have I not atoned to you
enough? Have I not humbled myself be
fore you as I believe in truth none of our
rnce ever humbled himself before? Once
for all, Winifred, will you take the love
I offer you or do you reject me now and
forever?"
"I reject you!"
He was gone even before the better im
pulse, surging quickly into her heart,
moved her to call him back, crying:
"I did not mean it!"
She felt then she had thrown away her
own life, her own happiness, and she
crouched down by the window uttering
great, gasping sobs of remorse and an
guish. From that time Mr. Hastings' manner
to her was changed. He was courteous
but in no wise different in his behavior
to her than to the other ladies who visit
ed t the Court. And when she thought
he no longer eared for her, her love for
him revived ten-fold and she almost
broke her heart for him.
(To be continued.)
Bear Was at Home.
A woman traveling abronj narrates
the following experience: She had oc
casion to go to the British embassy at a
certain snot, which shall be nameless.
to nee the ambassador, who, however,
in..iru iu u.- iiniij uu uis wue at a
neighboring health resort. The visitor
asked for the first secretary, who, un
fortunately, was on leave In England.
The woman stiid that second secretary
would do as well, but he happened to
lie iu utteiulance upon his wife, who
was l.i a hospital. Was the third secre
tary there? No, he was on leave, too."
The bottle washer might be in, per
chance? No, he was shooting in En
plauil. The second bottle washer? He,
unfortunately, was an Invalid, and
rarely came to the embassy. The mil
itary attache? Ho was on leave. The
archivist? He was Ashing In Scotland.
The visitor had heard of two Junior sec
retaries, whose custom it was to trans
act their duties in company with a pet
bear. Did they happen to be In? Un
fortunately, they were away playing
polo. Ami the bear? Yes, the bear was
at home. The visitor, however, did
not feel equal to Interviewing the bear
(single-handed, and left.
Not for any consideration, says a
writer In the Loudon Truth, would I
reveal the name of the embassy where
this Incident Is stated to have occurred.
I may remark, however, that a bear is
quite the last animal to which British
interests ought to be confided at this
paraticulnr spot.
Goes Shabby Himself.
"They say he makes little more than
a bare living for himself."
V ...... .1.- r - . ...
nuii.u i. look at me clothe hit
I wife baa." Philadelphia B-Uet'T.
GUESSES ON FUTURE.
HARD
TO FORECAST COMING
SKIRT FASHIONS.
Many Styles Are New Current and la
Good Standing-Points the Econom
ical Dreaaer Should Look Oat for
Gotham Notes.
New York correspondence:
UST women would
welcome a reliable
forecast as to styles
in skirts, but this is
difficult to give.
Many sorts are cur
rent, all of them in
good standing just
now, and the show
ing ia marked by
much diversity. All
that is well, but for
women who want to
choose now a skirt
that will give stylish
service in the fall or
later, selection is
largely a matter of
guesswork. Dress
makers themselves
are in the dark; at
least, different ones suggest different
styles. The current thin summer goods
make up very prettily in very full mod-
Ag FIGURED STUFFS ARE TREATED.
els, and a lot of shirring, gathering and
ruffling is used with excellent result, but
when thicker materials are necessary this
will be a difficult style to follow without
giving to all but very slender women the
outlines of a barrel, so many flatly refuse
to entertain such patterns. Then there
are the styles that have the front breadth
plain, and the top of the skirt a yoke, but
these require a deal of fullness In other
parts, so take it all in all, it is a prob
lem. Many thin wool goods are so pully
and stretchy that they do not take kind
ly to pleatings and look all askew, so
that style has fewer followers than was
predicted for It. Then the present style
of exceedingly wide insertions set in the
skirts has the tendency to make the
skirts look awry, so very wide insertions
of the coarser laces often are put in as
bands, Instead of as insertions. This is
a much safer plan to pursue, especially
if the gown under consideration is of
wash stuff.
Coarse, heavy cluny and Irish laces are
fascinating, and It is easy for the shopper
to forget all but the beauty of the weaves
and patterns when purchasing, so it is
well to consider all the outs of these
coarse designs and have your mind fully
made up as to just what it is wise to buy
before venturing into the stores. Not
only in coarse wash laces do Ideas run
wild, but many silk lace used on voiles,
A SHOWING OF APPLIED TRIMMINGS.
canvases and thin wool. stuffs of fancy
orders are so coarse as to be lik spider's
web, and while they are as dainty as
can be, and will make np very prettily,
they will be short lived, for the least
pull of a thread will endanger their ap
pearance. So It Is the course of pru
dence to buy closer weaves if hard use is
to be expected of the gown.
Another point to be considered If the
purchase I intends making up the gown
heraelf, is whetnr it frit) aot ha artaer
to buy one of the pattern suits of which
there is such an abundance, rather than
to attempt to put in medallions, Inser
tions and patterns of lace. Some of the
pattern gowns are very handsome, and it
la possible to buy designs that are not at
all common, so there will be no danger
of coming upon a duplicate of your gown.
Many linen colored wash pattern gowns
combine two kinds of linen, and the way
in which the two goods are employed is
very Ingenious. The embroidery will be
very heavy, possibly wreaths of flowers,
the center of the wreath having a piece
inset of a coarser linen than that of the
gown. The same coarser stuff often will
form an insertion between two row of
embroidery put on In Irregular pattern
round the skirt at th knees. This trick
Is very pretty, and if it is desired, it Is
best to buy the gown ready to make np,
Some linen gowns In shade of dart
blue are exceptionally dainty. They are
serviceable, too, .for the color does not
allow them to show soil easily, and they
have such a pretty surface as to escape
altogether a rough and ready look. A
handsome gown of dark blu Jlnen had
medallions of Mexican drawn work inaet
at odd places all over it, and wherever
these medallions appeared they were sur
rounded with clusters of French knots.
These knots were made of two threads
twisted together, on black and on
white, o that the black and whit effect
was carried out very daintily. A hand
some red is being used a deal In linen
suits, too, and It trim very finely with
either black or white. Black and white
Ideas are as plentiful as ever, and many
of them, without being flashy, are strik
ing. Thin lawns, batistes and mulls are
much seen in these combinations, and It
is permissible to have the main part of
the gown white and trim it with black,
or to reverse this. The latter is rather
on the order of novelty, and a black thin
gown trimmed round the low cut neck
with white Insertions of lac is a very
striking affair, and incidentally, an ex
cellent medium for displaying a good
neck. Then there is no prettier display
of the arm than is made through thin
black
It is not detracting from the beauty of
thin summer dresse to point that they're
unsatisfactory as forerunners of styles
for cool weather. Both their beauty and
their lack of value as sure guides for the
future are suggested by the pictures the
artist puts here. Seen from the rear
is a figured French mull, freely shirred,
topped by a collar of the mull made over
white silk and finished with French
knots. Together In the next picture are
a figured mousseline de sole, white
ground with pink figures, and a figured
silk gauze lavender on whit ground,
with plain white silk gauze for trimming.
From left to right In the concluding
sketch are a white chiffon heavily trim
med with, flower embroidery; a pale pink
gauze evening gown wreathed with rais
ed chiffon flowers In pink, white and
green, and another evening gown of
white peau de sole finished richly with
fine white silk braid. Each dress of this
showing was a model affair, ostensibly
a display of advance fashions. That
they and the countless gowns they stand
for don't go far enough ahead to guide
economizer la the only blemish on thir
btasty,
Dragged'Down
Feeling
In the loins.
Nervousness, nnrefreshlng sleep, despon
dency. '
It is time you were doing something.
The kidneys were anciently called the
reins In your case tbey are holding the
roins and driving you Into serious trouble.
Hood's Sarsaparilla
I Acts with the most direct, beneficial effect
vii tut Kilmers, it lamiains me nest ana
safest substances for correcting and toning
these organs.
Mad a Difference.
Miss Maincbanre I suppose you've
heard of my engagement to Mr. Jenka?
Her Friend Yes, and I confess I waa
surprised. Yon told me once that you
wouldn't marry him for ten thousand
pound.
Miss Mainchance I know, dear, but
I discovered later .that be bad fifty
thousand. Cassell's Journal.
The Water Supply.
"Not going to move away from that
flat, are you?" inquired the friend.
"Why, when you moed in a few
months ago you were in rapturea over
it and it had hot and cold water all
the time, and
"That's iust it." renlied the flat
dweller. "I've been in hot water with
the agent all the time because be
threw cold water on all mv ntronstiona
as to repairs and improvements."
, Equally Divided.
"You allow no beer in the house?"
"No; my wife and I never drink any
thing but wine and water."
"In what proportion do you take it?"
"I drink the wine and my wife
drinks the water." uippincott's Mag
azine. Thoughtful.
Doctor I think you understand fully
now the directions for these medicines
and this is for your dyspepsia.
Patient Why, I haven't dyspepsia,
doctor.
Doctor Oh, I know; but you will
have it when you have taken those
other medicines. Tit-Bits.
lOO KKVTARD fJlOO.
The readers of this paper will be pleased to
learn that there is at least one dreaded disease
that science has been able to cure in all its
states, and that Is catarrh. Ball'sCataxrh Cure
It the only positive cure known to the medical
fraternity. Catarrh being a constitutional dis
ease, requires a constitutional treatment.
Hall's Catarrh Cure Is taken internally, acting
directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces
of the system, thereby destroying the founda
tion of the disease, and giving the patient
strength by building up the constitution and
aMisting nature in doing its work. The pro
prietors have so much faith in its curative
powers, that they offer One Hundred Dollars
lor any case that It fails to cure. Send for list
of testimonials. Address
F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, 0.
Bold by druggists. 76c.
Hall's Family Pills are the bast.
Misplaced Affection.
She kissed him and caressed him,
But 'twas not what be desired ;
He only looked at her and growled
For she made the poor pug tired.'
Human Nature.
Some people practice what tbey preach,
But it's a lead-pipe cinch
They preach to others by the yard
And practice by the inch.
Then and Now.
"When I was courting my wife,"
said the sad-fated man, "we were two
souls with but a single thought."
"How about you at the present writ
ing?" a?ked the inquisitive youth.
"We still have but a single thought,"
replied the proprietor of the sad visage.
"We both think we made fools of
ourselves."
Contemporary.
May told a joke to Flo one day,
"Oh, myl that's old," Baid Flo.
"Oh, is it, really, dear" said May,
"Of course, you ought to know."
Philadelphia Press.
Very Still.
"Sketch you?" echoed the rambling
artist. "What kind of a subject would
you make?"
"Oh, I'll do as still life," grinned
the tramp, who had not changed his
position in the haystack for twenty-four
hours. Chicago News. .
The Unexpected Happens.
"Why that look of surprise?" askei
Blowell, who had just finished relating
a remarkable story. "Don't you be
lieve it?"
"Yes; that's the peculiar part of it,"
replied his friend Naggsby. "I hap
pen to know that it is true."
Hair Splits
"I have used Ayer's Hair Vigor
for thirty years. It is elegant for
a hair dressing and for keeping the
hair from splitting at the ends."
J. A. Gruenenfeider, Grantfork, III.
Hair-splitting splits
friendships. '.-If the hair
splitting is done on your
own head, it loses friends
for you, for every hair of
your head is a friend.
Ayer's Hair Vigor in
advance will prevent the
splitting. If the splitting
has begun, it will stop it.
S1.M a battle. All fratiltts.
If your druggist cannot snpply you,
send us one dollar and we will express
you a bottle. Be sure and elve the name
X your nearest express office. Address.
i J. CAYka CO., Lowell, Haas.