Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1884 — COMQUERED BY LOVE; OR A WOMEN'S PRIDE. [ARTICLE]

COMQUERED BY LOVE; OR A WOMEN'S PRIDE.

By Fannie Deeping.

CHAPTER L INTRODUCTION. Nestled among the Berkshire hills, near Atlantic’s stormy main, not many years ago, was a tiny bnt flourishing village. Its inhabitants were of the gen«« homo sort of people who delighted in cleanliness and exhibited a marked preference for white paint, and in consequence from a distance the village resembled a huge snowdrift surrounded by rifts green. On the outskirts of this village, in an isolated nook, gloomy and desolate, stood a dilapidated inn of ancient build and architecture, its tall chimneys towering above the hill tops, as though striving to draw attention from the many American travelers passing that way. It had the reputation of being wholly satisfactory in hospitality, good fare, and cleanliness, and therefore was patronised greatly. This inn, called "Travelers’ Retreat,* was kept by one Herr Minkler and his wife, generous people, who had but very little knowledge of the English language; however, a sufficient supply, as will be seen, for ordinary purposes. The day upon which our story opens was very fine. The lawn in front of the Inn had been recently mown, the trees trimmed, the spacious walk swept thoroughly, and its general appearance that day went far toward verifying its far renowned reputation. At about 3 o’clock Cm. the old lumbering stage was eard rattling up the graded road, and all was eager expectancy at the Travelers’ Retreat. Herr Minkler entirely appropriated one window, being a square-shoul-dered, corpulent, broad-faced man, with re’d whiskers, small gray eyes, and a huge nose. He was no beauty, as you may imagine. But plain faces oft-times are beautified by a brilliantly cultivated mind and an unsullied character. But Herr Minkler was an exception, being avaricious, cunning, and a willing partner in any petty crime which was likely to consist of booty. His wife and himself were well mated, for she was greedy to a fault, and although anxious to appear perfect in the eyes of the public, was very careful, if possible, to assist all in her power in any money-making escapade. Dame Minkler was standing at the only other window in the bar-room, her short, fleshy form clearly outlined against the panes, while her nose, flattened against one of them, appeared to its fullest capacity. Her looks belied her character. She was cleve* and good-natured looking enough. The stage rattled up to the gate. The door was opened, and a lady and gentleman alivhted. ”Is this a tavern?” asked the younger of the two, a fine-featured young man, raising his hat. “Yes, sir. Can we do anyting for you, gemmen?” "Have you any spare rooms that we might hire for a few days?” “Zah. mine yung friend, we hav’ got dat samel Me an’ Katrina, we do all we can possible to mak’ de beepies comfterble.” “Ah! Then you are the landlord, I-judge?” “Daryou be right, sure! but comes in; I vill show you de ’comodations.” “We will take your word for it, my good sir, as everything exteriorly wears so neat an aspect.”

So saying, he settled with the hackman, and assisted his mother along the walk into the hall. They were shown their suite of rooms, consisting of a small parlor, tastefu ly furnished, and two bed chambers communicating. They were well pleased, and the refreshing repast which followed, was very appetizing, and relished by both mother and son. Mrs. Prescott was the lady’s name. She was traveling for her health; had been all over Europe, accompanied by her son, and was soon to embark for home. Her husband was a great speculator, and had been very successful thus far in his stocks. He very, seldom, if ever, left home, preferring the solitude and quiet of his own study in New York to the fatigues of travel. He was, naturally, of a quiet disposition, acquiescing in all of his wife's wishes, and doting on his son, their only child. Mrs. Prescott was refined and lady-like, and very proud of her stainless ancestry, and at an early age in life strove to inculcate in her son’s mind the importance of her teachings. She was tall and slight, with a well-bred air about every movement, small, well-shaped hands and feet, and a gentle, well-modulated voice. She wore a traveling dress of pray barege, with dainty lace fluting at neck and wrists. Her eyes were as dark and changeable as her son’s; she called him Ralph. They had sought this retreat for quiet and rest for a few days, ere starting for home. “I want to get a good taste of the rural,” she had said to Ralph, "ere we go back to the close, dusty city again. She led him wheresoever she listed, for her wish was his law. A more dutiful son never existed than Ralph Prescott, his parents declared. "Well, mother,” exclaimed Ralph, “I believe I will take a stroll around the premises, with your permission, while you aie getting acquainted with your new domicile. So, au revoir! and he playfully kissed his finger-tips to her and left the room.

CHAPTER 11. ALICE. As Ralph Prescott stepped into the hall he heard a stilled sob, mingled with the sound of-a scrubbing-brush above him, and beheld a little thin, ragged figure at the top of the staircase busily scouring and washing the steps. She was barefooted, and it amused him not a little, her evident mortification, as she strove never so hard to cover them with the poor apology for a dress which she wore, and which barely fell to fopy* knees She stopped scrubbing to answer the questions with which he was plying her, while her color came and went in childish embarrassment. ■ Well, my little maid, how do you. do?” he asked, as an excuse for addressing her, and gratifying the curiosity he felt upon observing her in tears. “Quite well, I thank you, sir,” she answered, with a charming little courtesy. "What is your name, may I ask?” “My name, sir, is Alice.” “That is a very sweet name, to my notion. But, Alice what else?.What Is your family name, Alfce?” ”1 don't know; I never heard, sir!” she replied. "And are you not our landlord’s own child?” “Sir,” she said, as she drew her little figure erect, and-assumed an air of hauteur amusing In one so young, “I do not know what right you have to ask me so many questions. I had rather not answer a perfect stranger.” And ere he could recover from his astonishment at such a manifestation of juvenile spirit, she had resumed her work again. He could not but respect the "little sprite," as he termeikher to himself. "But, by George, she has spunk,” he mentally concluded. “I don’t believe she is any connection of that uncouth old German and his irau. I am sorry that I offended the little Lilliputian princess, for I should like to befriend her lf*she would allow me. But, what pride! Almost equal to my own mother’s.” He had sauntered toward the stables, and seeing the hostler at no great distance, his soliloquy turned Into another channel. He took in great draughts of the exhilarating air, then reluctantly retraced his steps. The dews of twilight were falling, the birds calling their young ones home, and the sweet evening bells In the little white village were chiming the hour for prayer. What a hallowed, restful feeling came to the young man as the bells smote his ears, and seemed to strike a chord of harmony somewhere In his heart. His had been an unselfish, stainless life, so far; happy, carefree. No toil had hardened his hands or caused perspiration to dampen his brow. In short, nis life had been one c oudleSs summer day. As he re-entered the hall he heard loud, angry tones proceeding from the kitchen, accompanied by a child s pleading voice. The voice, no doubt, was that of Alice, and she was being severely leprimanded for some trivial fault by Dame Minkler. Ere he had gained the parlor door, with a little scream, Alice ran by him, and was In the act of flying up the stairs, when he arrested her flight by saying: “My poor Alice, what is the matter? Confide in me, my poor child; I will be your friend." “Oh, sir, I dare not say a word against her, but she is not my mother! They say that a mother loves her child: but sbe does not even like me, or she would not treat me so. Oh, sir 1 am so miserable!” “What have yon been [doing to cause her to misuse you, child?” "Oh, I know I did wrong, but I cannot help It, sir. I have an old spelling-book, which a kind lady gave me, and 1 do love to study to much that- sometimes, when I get my work done, I go away by myself and try to pronounce some of the long, hard words by first spelling them. She found me to-day up In my room and threatened to burn my book, and tried to make me give It up to her. Oh. sir, should I have done so? It is all the book I nave. The rest have all been burned from me. Do jou think that I did wiong, sir?" “No, my little girl; I think that you should lie allowed to cultivate your mind, especially when yon are to eager to learn. How old are yon?"

■Twelve years old, sir. But I must go now, or *Wai?a is the matter with your arm# Why have you that bandage around It?’ Alice flushed painfully as she sakk "Oh, that is only where she threw the poker at me because I was sitting thinking, after you left me to-day, and had not quite finished my work. But, oh, sir, I was so tired.* "My poor child! To be living in dread of punishment if she but rests a moment! What brutes they must be, to be sure.* The next morning, bright and early, Mrs. Prescott arose ana wandered out into the grounds, where she was soon joined by her son. "Oh, mother, I have a proposition to make to you; please grant it?" The above are the opening chapters of an interesting serial tale to be commenced in No. 38 of the Chicago Ledger. Subscription price $1 a year. Address The Ledger, Chicago, HL [Back numbers supplied.] Jay Gould is as fond of flowers as he is of railroads, and owns the largest private conservatory in the United States. It is on the. grounds of his summer residence at Irvington, N. Y., is 400 feet long, with several wings of eighty feet each, and contains over 4,000 varieties of plants, most of which were brought from Europe this year. The grounds are 500 acres in extent, and there are large flower and vegetable gardens.