Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1898 — WOOED AND MARRIED [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WOOED AND MARRIED

BY CHARLOTTE M BRAEME

CHAPTER XXIV. Lady Caraven decided to follow the advice of her friend Sir Raoul, and forgive her husband. She received him in the pretty little boudoir in which the few months of her/girlish life at home had been spent. She was Standing by the window when lie entered. His step was so light and quiet that she did not hear him at first; and he looked nt her for half a minute in silent admiration. “Hildred!” he called, and at the sound of his voice a crimson flush seemed to burn her neck and face. She was quite silent for a minute, and then she turned to him and held out her hand. “Can you—do you really forgive me?’’ he asked. “I hardly dare to hope that it is true.” ' “It is quite true,” she replied; and be detected a slight tremor in her voice. "Let me ask a question in my turn! Is it true that you love me?” "Yes,” he answered. “It is as true as that heaven is above me.”

“Will you tell me how long you have loved me?” she asked quietly. “I will answer you quite truthfully, Hildred,” replied the earl. “I cannot tell you. When I first married you—l speak freely—l did not like you; to me you were simply an incumbrance that I was compelled to put up with. I saw nothing in you—neither beauty nor mind; yet we had to live together; and in some kind of way I was grateful to you. On the night of I the ball, when I saw what you had inscribed on your tablets —‘My husband’ — my heart beat faster than it had ever done ] before, and I felt the greatest inclination to take you in my arms and kiss your face a thousand times: but I could not. After that my love grew. "I am sure,” he continued, “that, when n strong chain of circumstances led me to believe you were guilty of a great crime, the strongest feeling in my heart was disappointment that you were not the angel I had taken you to be. Then, when you ■ had gone, and I was left alone, left with- | out you, I know that I loved you. I found j my life a blank; my thoughts were always j with you; my heart had gone with you. I Then I knew that I loved you with a lov- | er's love, and that I should never be hap- I py until I had won you.” A glad light came into her dark eyes, l but she made uo reply. He continued — “Hildred, as earnestly as a man can | speak, I ask you to forgive me. Forgive the base selfishness that married you for | money without love and without any I knowledge of your real worth. Forgive I the insolent neglect, the cruelty, the cold- | ness, the pain I have caused you. Forgive the last and greatest blunder of all—my unjust suspicion. I do not deserve your pardon, but I ask it.” “I forgive you,” she replied. “We will bury the past; we will talk of it no more. But, Lord Caraven, I am going to put your love to the test.” “Hildred,” he said, “do not call me Lord Caraven—try to say ‘L'lric.’ ” She looked at him with sweat, shy eyes. “Ulric,” she said, “I am going to put your love to the test.” “I may say with safety that it will bear it,” he replied. '“Our marriage was a mistake,” she said, softly—“perhaps we were not altogether to blame for that. We have made great mistakes since, in which we have both been to blame. What I propose is a year’s absence. A cousin of mine, Mrs. Glenvil, is very ill, and is ordered to Nice. I ask you to let me go with her. She will be away a year—see what that year will’ effect. If love of me has sufficient influence over you to keep you good, industrious, active, for the befiefit of others, as you are now, I shall believe that you love me. If in a year’s time you come to me and tell me that you love me better than ever, that time and absence have not changed you, I will return with you, and will make you a most loving, devoted wife. Do you accept my proposal?”

He stood for a few moments in thoughtful silence, and then he said: “Yes, I accept it —I shall be pleased to prove my sincerity to you.” The earl returned to Ravensmere, to show all needful politeness and respect for Lady Hamilton. It was a great relief to him when the doctor pronounced her well enough to return home, and he was a little surprised when he found that she regretted leaving Sir Raoul more than anyone else. The noble, honest soldier had made a great impression on the fashionable, beautiful coquette. “He is a man worth loving,” she said to herself. Then the earl returned to London to see his wife and Mrs. Glenvil off. He went with them to Dover—they had decided upon going to Paris first. He stood for a few minutes on the deck of the steamer before it sailed; he looked with longing, wistful eyes at the fact of his young wife. “Hildred, how I wish that I were going with you,” he said. “So do I,” she replied, with a frank, charming smile. “But that would not do —you must stand the test. You will come to fetch me and the year will not seem so long.” He sighed as he looked at her. “I have a kind of fear that I shall be like the naughty boy in -the story book,” he said—“l shall meet with my just punishment. Hildred, if anything should happen to me before the year is out —?” “I promise you to return at once if you are ill or in trouble,” she replied, earnestly. “My darling, give me one kiss,” he cried, suddenly. But the countess drew down her veil. “No,” she said, “that would make the parting even harder. Good-by. Heaven bless you, Ulric.” “Good-by, my wife,” he said;-and his' eyes filled with tears as he watched the steamer cutting her way through the blue waves.

I CHAPTER XXV. ’ No man ever set to work with greater zeal than did the handsome earl. He did not delay one hour in London; he went back at once to Ravensmere, only eager to begin work. There was to be no more idleness, no more dissipation, no more selfindulgence, He had made up bis mind that all the plans his wife' had contemplated and begun for the benefit of the estate should be carried out before she returned home. The model cottages should be built, and men with their families residing ip them; the schools should not only be erected, but open; the almshouses -•hould be finished, and the old women oc-

cupying them. She should find her protege, Mary Woodruff, installed as portress in one of the lodges; every wish his wife had ever expressed should be carried out, every desire fulfilled; bouses should be repaired, farms put in good order —he would neglect not a single thing that she had ever proposed or thought of. No matter what it cost, it all should be done. He took Sir Raoul into his confidence, and they found that by employing extra hands the work could be doue in time. Lord Caraven, in the midst of his labors and toils, did not forget to correspond continually with his wife. He wrote to her every week, never telling her what he was doing, but dwelling continually on his passionate love for her, on his intense desire to see her again. So the year passed away. It was thought advisable for Mrs. Glenvil to return before the English winter began, and the beginning of September was fixed upon as the time for her and the countess’ return. The earl prayed his wife to allow him to go to Nice to escort them home, as was at first arranged. She answered “No,” that her father Vould do that. She did not wish to meet, him again until she met him at home. Her father would bring her to Court Raven Station; he could meet her there and take her home.

“She is right,” said Sir Raoul; “that seems to me more fitting. She is right, as she always is.” So the day came-—a bright September day—when all the world seemed changed to the Earl Caraven. The train was due at the Court Raven Station at three in the afternoon, and the earl was to meet it. Lord Caraveu kept his word. ' The day was celebrated as a wedding day. Great tents were erected in the park, and all the children and the tenantry were feasted therein to their hearts’ content. There was nothing but rejoicing and merriment and happiness. The earl stood by the carriage door when the train stopped. There was not much time for greeting then. He clasped his wife’s bands between his own, hesitated for a moment, and then kissed her. “My wife—my darling—welcome home!’’ he said. Then he helped her into the carriage and took his se'at by her side. He saw her face grow pale with emotion as the ringing cheers of men, women, children, fell upon her ear, and, as the carriage drove slowly along, more than one rough voice cried. “Heaven bless your ladyship! Welcome home!”

They firove slowly, for the crowd was great. It increased as they drove through the park, and when the carriage stopped at the great entrance it was wonderful to see the throngs of people. The earl stood up to thank them for their kind and spontaneous greeting. Then he took his wife’s hand in his, and a beautiful smile brightened her face as she looked round upon them —there was hardly one in the vast gathering who had not received some kindness, some favor or benefit from her hands. “My friends,” he said, “every man who loves bis wife has a pet name for her. My wife is the good angel of my house.” Then they passed indoors, followed by the good wishes of all who knew them. There was a small and early dinner party at the castle; the members of it were the earl, the countess, Sir Raoul, Arley Ransome and Mrs. Glenvil. After dinner Lord Caraven drew his wife’s arm within his own. “This is our real wedding day, Hildred,” he said, “so I am not going to apologize for taking you away from our guests.” They walked across the long drawing room to the balcony where the last roses of summer were hanging and where the creepers formed a bower. “It is not cold,” he said., “Will you come out here?” They went out together and stood watching the sun set over the trees in the park. “First of all, Hildred,” said the earl, “guess what news I have for you.” "I cannot guess,” she replied. “You would never have thought it,!’ he said. “I told you in one of my letters how sorry Lady Hamilton was to leave Sir Raoul.” She looked up at him, her face full of interest. “Yes; you did,” she assented. “It has ended in this way. He met her again in London, and again at Brighton, and they are to be married at Christmas. She has given up flirting, and cares for nothing under the sun but her soldier lover.” “I nm glad of it,” said Lady Caraven. “She is a beautiful woman, sweet, gentle and gracious. Her only fault was coquetry. I think she is safe wnth Sir Raoul. He will not allow- much of that.” “Still you will own that you are surprised, Hildred?” But she did not answer him. She had placed her hand in his and was looking away at the light of the setting sun, as one in a happy dream. “I want to say something else to you, my darling,” he continued, putting his arm round her and kissing her fondly, while she nestled to his side. “I want to thank you for all you have done for me, and to tell you that I think the-greatest blessing heaven can confer uppn a man is the gift of a patient, unselfish, devoted wife—such as has been given to me.” (The end.)