Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / June 18, 1906, edition 1 / Page 6
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The Man Between" By AMELIA E. BARR. Copyright, 1906, by Amelia E. Bariv All Rights Reserved, CHAPTER VIII Continued "Dora was not reticent I assure you." "I am sorry. A wife's complaints are self inflicted wounds; scattered seeds, from which only misery can spring. I hope you will net see her again at this time.". "I made no promise to do so." "And where all is so uncertain, we had better suppose all is right than all is wrong. Even if there was a begin ning of wrong, it needs but an accident to prevent it. and there are so many." "Accidents!" "Yes, for accidents is God's part in affairs. We call it accident; it would be better to say an interposition." "Dora- told me Mostyn intended to buy Rawdon Court in September, and he has even invited the Stanhopes to stay there next summer." "What did you say?" "Nothing against it." "Very good. Do you think Mostyn is in London now?" "I should not wonder. I am sure Dora is expecting him." In fact, the next morning they met and Basil Stanhope, driving in Hyde Park with Mostyn, but the smiling greeting which passed between the parties did not, except in the case of Basil Stanhope, fairly represent the dominant feeling of anyone. As for Stanhope, his nature was so clear and truthful " that he would hardly have comprehended a smile which was in tended to veil feelings not to be call ed either quite friendly or quite pleas ant. After this meeting all the joy went out of Ruth and Ethel's shopping. They wanted to get back to the Court, and they attended strictly to business in order to do so. Mostyn followed them very quickly. He was exceedingly anxious to see and hear for himself how his affairs re garding Rawdon stood. They were easily made plain to him. and he saw her because she would not understand his desires, and provide means for their satisfaction. The bright, Joyous girl with her loving heart, her abound ing vitality, and constant cheerfulness, made him angry. In none of her ex cellencies he had any share, conse quently he hated her. He. would have quickly returned to London, but Dora and her husband were staying withvthe Stanhopes, and her letters from Stanhope Castle were lachrymose complaints of the utter weariness and dreariness of life there the preaching and reading aloud, the regular walking and driving all the innocent method of lives which recog nize they were for some higher pur pose than mere physical enjoyment. And it angered Mostyn that neither Ruth nor Ethel felt any sympathy for Dora's ennui, and proposed no means of releasing her from it. He considered them both disgustingly selfish and ill natured, and was certain that all their reluctance at Dora's presence arose from their jealousy of her beauty and her enchanting grace. On the afternoon of the day proced ing the intended entertainment Ruth, Ethel, and the Squire were in the great dining-room superintending its decora tion. They were merrily laughing and chatting, and were not aware of the arrival of any visitors until Mrs. Nich olas Rawdon's rosy, good-natured face appeared at the open door. Everyone welcomed her gladly, and the Squire offered her a seat. "Nay, Squire," she said, "I'm come to ask a favor, and I won't sit till I know whether I get it or not; for if I don't get it, I shall say good-by as quickly as I can. Our John Thomas came home this morning and his friend with him, and I want invitations for the young men, both of them. My great pleasure lies that way if you'll give it to me." "Most gladly," answered the Squire, and Ethel immediately went . for the necessary passports. When she returned with a pang of disappointment that all ; she found Mrs. Nicholas helping Ruth his hopes of being Squire of Rawdon i and the Squire to arrange the large Manor were over. Every penny he could righteously claim was paid to him, and on the title deeds of the ancient place he had no longer the shadow of a claim. The Squire looked ten years younger as he affectionately laid both hands on the redeemed parch ments, and Mostyn with enforced po liteness conjratulated him on their in tegrity and then made a hurried re- silver and cut crystal on the sideboard, and talking at the same time. with un abated vivacity. "Yes," , she was saying, "the lads would have been here two days ago, but they stayed in London to see some American lady married. John Thomas's friend knew her. She was married at the Ambassador's house. A fine affair enough, but it bewilders me this takin. treat. Of its own kind this disappoint-; up marriage without priest or book, ment was as great as the loss of Dora, ; It-S a new commission. The. Church's He could think of neither without a sense of immeasurable and disaster ous failure. One petty satisfaction re garding the payment of the mortgage was his only comfort. He might now show McLean that it was not want of money th?.t had made him hitherto shy of "the good investments" offered him. He. had been, sure McLean in their last interview had thought so, and had. indeed, felt the half-veiled contempt with which the rich young man had expressed his pity for Mos tyn's inability to take advantage at the right moment of an exceptional chance to play the game of beggaring his neighbor.; Now, he told' himself, he would show McLean and his braggart set that good birth and old families was for once allied with plenty - of money, and he also promised his wounded sensibilities some very desira ble reprisals, every one of which he felt fully -competent to take. It was, after all, a poor compensa tion, bue there was also the gold. He thanked his father that day for the great thoughtfulness and with which he had amassed this sum for him, and he tried to console himself with the belief that gold answered all purposes, and that the yellow metal was a bet ter possession than the house and lands which he had longed for with an inherited and insensate craving. Two days after this event Ethel, at her father's direction, signed a number of papers, and when that duty was con pleted, the Squire rose- from his chair, kissed herhands and her cheeks, and in a voice full of tenderness and pride said, "I pay my respects to the future lady of Rawdon Manor, and I thank God for permitting me to see this hour. Most welcome, Lady Ethel,, to the rights you inherit, and the rights you have bought." It was a moment hardly likely to be duplicated in any life, and Ethel escaped from its tense emotions as soon as possible. ' She' could not speak, her heart was too full of joy and wonder. There are souls that say little and love much. How blessed are tney: On the following morning -the invi tations were sent for the dinner and dance, but the time was put forward to the eight' of August. In everyone's heart there was a hope that before that day Mostyn would have left Rawdon, , but the hope was ' barely mentioned. In the meantime he came tnd went between Mostyn and Rawdon as he desired,' and was received with that modern politeness which considers it best to ignore offenses that our sranrt fathers and grandmothers would have held for strict account and 'punishment. It was evident that he had frequent letters from Dora. He knew all her movements, and spoke several times of opening Mostyn Hall and inviting the Stanhopes to stay with him until their return to America. But as this sugges tion did; not bring from any member of the Rawdon family the invitation hoped for. it was not acted upon. He told himself the exnense would be great, and the Hall, in spite of all he could do in the interim. -would look' poor and shabby compared with Raw don Court; so he put aside the propos al on the ground, that he! could not persuade his aunt to do the entertain ing necessary. And for all the irritation and humiliations centering round his loss of Rawdon and his inabilities with regard to Dora he blamed Ethel. He was sure if he had been more lovable and encouraging he could have married her, and thus finally reached Rawdon Court; and then, with all the unreason imaginable, nursed a hearty dislike for warrant, it seems, is out of date. It may be right, it may be legal, but I told John Thomas if he ever got mar ried in that kind of a way, he wouldn't j have father or me for witnesses." J "I'am glad," said the Squire, "that the young men are home in time for cur dance. The young like such things."' : '. v - "To be sure they do. John Thomas wouldn't give me a moment's rest till I came here. I didn't want to come. I thought John Thomas should come himself, and I told him plainly that I was ready to do anyone a favor if I could, but if ho wanted me to come because he was afraid to come himself, I was just as ready to shirk the jour ney. And he lauched and said he was not feared for any woman living, but he did want to make his first appear ance in his best clothes and that was natural, wasn't it? So I came for the two lads." Then she looked at the girls with a smile, and said in a com fortable kind of way: "You'll find them .very nice lads, indeed. I can speak for John Thomas. . I have taken his measure long since; and as far as I can judge his friend, Nature went about some full work when she made a man of him. He's got a sweet temper, and a strong mind, and a straight judgment, if I know anything about men which Nicholas makes me think I den't. But Nisholas isn't an ordinary man, he s what you cell an excep tion.' " Then shaking her head at Ethel, she continued reprovingly: "You were neither of you in church Sunday. I know some young women who went, to the parish church Methodists they are specially to see your new hats There's some talk about them, I can tell you, and the village milliner is pestered to copy them. She keeps her eyes open for you. You disappointed a lot of people. You ought to go to church in the country. It's the most respectable thing you can do." "We were both very tired," said Ruth, "and the sun was hot. and we had a sood Sabbath at home. Ethel read the Psalms. Epistle and Gospei for the day, and the Squire gave us some of the grandest organ music I ever heard." "Well, well! Everyone knows the Squire is a grand player. I don't sup pese there is another to match him in the whole world, and the old feel ing about church-going is getting slack among the young people. They serve God now very 'imich at their-ease." "Is not that better than serving Him on compulsion?" asked Ruth. . ' 1 gare say. i m no Digot. l was brought up an Independent, and went to thejr chapel until I "married Nich olas Rawdon. My father was a broad thinking man. He . never taught? me - to locate God in any building; and, I'm sure I don't believe our parish church is His dwelling-place. J.f it is, they ought to, mend the roof and put a new carpet down and make things cleaner and more respectable. Well, Squire. you have silver enough to tempt al the rogues in Yorkshire, and there's a lot of them. But now I've seen it, I'll go home with these bits of naners. I shall be a very important woman to night. Them two lads won't know how to fleech and flatter me enough. I'll be waited on hand and foot. And Nicholas will get a bit of a set-down.; He was bragging about Miss Ethel bringing his invitation to his hand and promis ing to dance with him. I wouldn't do it cf I were Miss Ethel. She'll find out, if she does, what it means to dance with a man that weighs twenty stone, and who has; never turned hand nor foot to anything but money-makihgj for thirty years." She went away with a sweep and a rustle of her shimmering silk skirt, and left behind her such an atmos phere of hearty good-nature as made the last rush and crowd of prepara tions easily ordered and quickly ac complished. Before her arrival there had been some doubt as to the weather. She brought the shining sun with her, and when he set. he left them with the promise of a splendid tomorrow a promise amply redeemed when the next day dawned. Indeed, the sun was so brilliant, the garden so gay and sweet, the lawn so green and firm, the avenues so shady and full of wan dering songs, that it was resolved to hold the preliminary reception out of doors. Ethel and Ruth were to receive on the lawr, and at the open hall door the Squire would wait to welcome his quests. Soon after five o'clock there was a , brilliant crowd wandering and resting in the pleasant spaces; and Ethel, wearing a diaphanously white robe and carrying a rush basket full of white carnations, was moving among , them distributing the flowers. She was thus the center of a little laughing, banter ing group when the Nicholas Rawdon party arrived. Nicholas remained with the Squire, Mrs. Rawdon and the young men went toward Ethel. Mrs. Rawdon made a very handsome appearance "an aristocratic Britannia in white silk and old lace," whispered Ruth, and Ethel looked up quickly, to meet her merry eyes full of some unexplain ed triumph. In truth the proud mother was anticipating a great pleasure, not only in the presentation of her adored son, but also in the curiosity and as tonishment she felt sure would be evoked by his friend. So, with the boldness of one who brings happy tidings, she pressed forward. Ethel saw her approach, and went to meet her. Suddenly her steps were arrested. An extraordinary thing was going to happen. The Apollo of her dreams, the singer of the Holland House pavement, was at Mrs. Rawdon's side, was talking to her, was evidently a familiar friend. She was going to meet him, to speak to him at last. She would hear his name in a few moments; all that she Loped and believed was coming true. And the clear, resonant voice of Lydia Rawdon was like music in her ears as she said, with an air of triumph she could not hide: "Miss Rawdon, I want you to know my son, Mr. John Thomas Rawdon, and also John Thomas's cousin, Mr. Tyrrel Rawdon. of the United States." Then Mr. Tyrrel Rawdon looked into Ethel's face, and in th?.t marvelous meeting of their eyes, swift as the firing of a gun, their pupils dilated and flashed with recognition, and the blood rushed crimson over both faces. She gave the gentlemen flowers, and listen ed to Mrs. Rawdon's chatter, and said in reply she knew not what. A swift and exquisite excitement had followed her surprise. Feelings she could not voice were beating at her lips, and yet she knew that without her conscious will she h?.d exuressed her astonish ment and pleasure. It was, indeed, doubtful whether any after speech or explanation would, as- clearly satisfy both- hearts ,ts didi-that momentary flash from soul to soul of mutual re membrance and interest. "I thought I'd give you a surprise," said Mrs. Rawdon delightedly. "You didn't know the Tyrrel-Rawdons had a 1 rTi 1 ru y P filllinl branch in America did you? We are bit proud of them. I can tell you that." Continued Tomorrow. Pointed Paragraphs. Prom the Chicago News. A fool at forty may have been wise, at twenty. ' Beauty without modesty is a sorrow forever. Many an otherwise sensible man takes unto himself a wife. If a man' tells all he knows, he Is apt to believe all he hears. Most people would rather be miser ably rich than happily poor. Too many drawing-room smiles de teriorate into kitchen frowns. The smaller a man is the harder it is for him to eat crow gracefully. Afcf piMz Preoatalionfor As similating uieFootfandBcguIa ling lite Stomachs afidBowels ot Promotes DigesliortCheerfi nessandRestCofltatns neither. Opium,Morpliina, norMweral. NOX IS; Alt C OTIC . I PtmifJcxn Seed" Mx.Sentta trthalU Sells -LdseSettl " fii CartoiMfcSxUt &ujar Ttimtoryreen- Flavtgt A perfect Remedy forConstipa Tion , Sour Stomach.Diarrhoea Worms .Convulsions Jevensh .ness and LosS OF SLEEP. Facsimile Signature oF istew York. exact copy of Wrapper. For Infants and Children. The Kind You Have Always Bought Bears the ature of I i v in Use For Over Thirty Years o) THE CENTAUR COMPANY. NEW YOUR CITY IS 1 'Sign 0 1 I 111 Ay 1906 IBicycles Leading, Reliable Makes $65.00 Queen Easy Teims. City C e Co. The Will A. Peters Stocf Co Treeked by SPECIALTY: THE MOLY CITY ILLUSTRATED. SUICIDE IN CEMETERY. Grief Over Son's Desth Causes Aged Man to Hang .rlirr.self. i Huntington, W.-Vafc June 16. Rob ert Cad well, a veneral le citizen of this county, who was livi ig a retired life at his home near dosages' Station, committed suicide hsKlay by hang ing himself to a tre nn a cemetery half a mile from his lipmq. Caldwell was sixtjvjjvo years of age and was a Confederate oldier. This afternoon ho left hotie jind late this evening he was found detd. No cause is known for the suicide' unless it re sulted from grief over j;h tragic death of a son, who was cdriductor of a Big Four train. The son fell from his .train near Cincinnati and wis killed several months ago. He has mfjher son jwha is city attorney ttM: 1 t whenever awomankifketn':t see the point of a funny story sap pretends it's because it's the kind that makes her blusn. '- 0 THE OLD PLEA. SHERRY BISQUES i Ice Cream- The Hit of the Served Season only at our F o u'nta in TRYON DRUG GO, He "Didn't Know it Was Loaded. .The coffee drinker seldom realizes that coffee contains the drug Caffein, a serious poison to the heart and nerves causing many other forms of disease noticeably dyspepsia. I was a lover of coffee and used it for many years and did not realize the bad effects I was suffering from its use. At. first I was troubled with indiges tion but did not attribute the trouble to the use of coffee but thought it arose from other causes. With these atacks I had sick headache, nausea and vomiting. Finally my stomach was in such a condition that I could scarcely retain any food. 'I consulted a physician; was told my trouble came from indigestion, so Utept on with the coffee and kept on with the trouble, too, and my case con tinued to grow worse from year to year until it developed into chronic diar rhoea, nausea and severe attacks of vomiting so I could keep nothing on my stomach and became a mere shad-1 ow, reduced from 159 to 128 pounds. 'A specialist informed that I had a very severe case of catarrh of the stom ach . which had got so bad he could do nothing for me and I became con vinced that my days were numbered. "Then I chanced to see" an article setting forth the good qualities of Pos tum and explaining how coffee injures people- so I concluded to sive Postum a trial I soon saw the good effects my headaches were less frequent, nau sea and vomiting, only came at long in tervals and I Avas soon a changed man, feeling much better. "Then I thought I could stand coffee again,but as soon as I-tried it my old trouble returned and again I turned to Postum. Would you believe it, I did this three times before I had sense A enough to quit coffee for good and keep on with Postum; the result is I am now a well man, with no more head aches, sick stomach or vomiting and have already gained back 147 pounds." Name given by Postum Co., Battle Creek, Mich. Look in pkgs. for the famous little book,'Tai Road to Wellville." Phon 21. 7 N. Tryon St. Sub. P. a In Store. Stamps, Money Orders. A nice thing about commencement exercises for girls' schools is the good they do to the dressmakers. Commissioner's Sale of Valuable Real Estate on the Providence Road. By virtue of an Order of1 the Clerk of the Superior Court of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in a Special Proceeding, entitled "H. Baxter- Pharr, administrator of W. L.. Pharr, deceas ed, against Sarah Lila Pharr, heir-at law," I will sell to the highest bid der at public auction at the court hmse door, county aforesaid, at 12 m., Lon the Soth day of June, 19o6, the fol lowing described property, to-wit: 1st Lot. Fronting 200 feet on the' Northeast side of the Providence Road, Beginning at a stake on edge of said road, 200 feet from the corner of thf J. S. Mver'sJland. and running with said road S. 31 i-4P50o feet 'to v,ati ! 'frbn '"stake'1 tin' ' e'dgeof ' road, thence N. 58 3-4 E'.. 370,. feet: to an iron stake, thence N. 45 1-4, W. 205 feet to an iron stake, thence S. 58 3-4 W 323 feet to the Beginning, contain ing One and 59-100 acres. 2d Lot. Fronting 200 feet on the northeast side of Providence Road, Beginning at corner of Lot No. 1 at iron stake on edge of said road, and running with said road S. 31 1-4 E. 200 feet to an iron stake on edge of road, thence N. 58 3-4 E. 420 feet to an iron stake, thence N. 45 1-4 v. 207 feet to an iron stake, thence S. 58 3-4 W. 370 feet to the Beginning, containing One and 81-100 acres, j 3d . Lot.. Fronting 200 feet on the northeast side of Providence Road, Beginning at corner of Lot No. 2 at iron stake on edge of said road, and running with said road S. 31 1-4 E. 200 feet to an iron sake on edge of road, thencet N. 58 3-4 E. 470 feet to an iron stake, thence N. 45 1-4 W. 20' feet to an iron stake, thence S. 58 3-4 W. 420 feet to the Beginning, contain ing Two and 4-100 acres. Also a small triangular tract, con taining about One Hundred or Two Hundred square feet, more or less, adjoining the lands of H. Wake field on the southwest side of Provi dence Road. The terms of sale will be one-half cash, and the balance In six months, upon approved security. This 26th day of May, 1908.' R. BAXTER PHARR, Commissioner THE TIME FOR BUYING..... ummer Necessities ishere.so come early and make your purchase while our stock is complete. Ice Cream Freezers, the best made, 66 13he :sn ri H Tk o S7 all slzesi from one pint to sixteen Quarts. -Water Coolers, from two gallons to ten gallons'. Both Galvanized and Porcelain lined Refrigerators, all sizes. Prices from $7.50 to $30.00. Fly Killers andTraps at 10c and. 15c. If your screen doors or windows need new covering phone or send us your order for wire, and springs to close them. Springs 10c -and 15c each, Checks and Springs combined $1.25 to $4.00. Don't forget we are headquarters for .House Furnishing Goods and Oneida Community Silverware, assortment of tools always kept in stock for the Mechanic. Good wsdningtoijj !! J I 'V. i M SCLIrXCZIHDi, ST ' 1 JL W I m ardiare Go. 29 Eat T rade Street Tools Plows, Disc Harrows. Cultiva tors, Grain Drills, Gasolene En gines and all kinds of agricul tural implements at lowest i prices at my immense store, house, cor. Stonewall and -Col-' lege streets. i Gi Ai BL AC K Jo n Our C ub T If you. want prompt delivery and T first-class work. T We keep your clothes cleaned y and pressed for $ 1.00 per month. I Queen City Pressing Club MRS. J. M. HESTER, Proprietress, 209 N. Tryon Street Go- We have a Splendid Line, all styles and prices. Everything in Furniture. Low Prices. Easy Terms, fik. DervtorY An Essential To PORCH-COMFORT TRADE $fucldr MA"K " CHAIR HAMMOCK Refrigerators Hammocks-.';- . Porch Rockers Porch Shades . Mosquito. Canopies Ice-Boxes ' ) . .. .$5.50 to $30.00 each ..50c to $6.00 each ."1. $1.00 to $10.00 each .. $1.25 to $5.50 each $2.00 to $3.00 each $1.00 to $1.10 each. Crex - Porch Rugs-.. .. ....... V'.. ; 1 .. Fld!ns porcn Tables and Bench combined, special lot to close 1 out, worth $3.50. . ..C-.-. - ..'-, ; - ... .'. $2.00 each Seel :Chair, Swings -. . . C.r V. .'V . . $5.00 each v; Leather Furniture of all V kfnds to" make ;ttome cool and com fortable during' the tot weatheri H " ' ' ' ' (1-g!1e erring i PHONE 1223 : v; 10 N. COLLEGE ST PAR! 0 r8i . n - m
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 18, 1906, edition 1
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