LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1827, 30 December 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

WEST WELLINGTON'S AM&JTION. Madge Xiiurence puckered her pretty forehead into a little frown of disappointment and regret, and had to make averydespratt' effort not to let Carleton Gay read the thoughts that were in her heart, as she ran out upon the piazza to meet her brother on his return to the village. ' My letter, Fred, please,' she had said, in a sure, expectant little way, while she bowed and smiled to her brother's oompanion much more distantly than that gentleman desired. 'No letter, Madge—am I not a praiseworthy prophet ?—no letter, dear,' and his voice lowered to an affectionate, sympathetic tone, at sight of her disappointed face; ' and, sis, I am afraid there will be no letter. Our dashing city fiiend has forgotten his country acquaintanoes, I fear. LoDg Branch and Newport, and their fashionable belles, have driven our honnie Madge and Lilac Ridge Farm out of Mr Weldmgton's fickle fancy, I imagine. ' Oh, Fred! don't please 1' in a little choking, deprecating voice; then, recovering her pride, she flashed a glance toward Mr Gay that was full of reproach. ' You have been telling Fred something, farleton Gay—you know you have! Ton have always been unjust toward him ; but it will do you no gocd !' She added the last sentence in a bitter.

defiant little way, as if there were a sadden after-thought come to her; and Mr Gay thought what a royal loyal woman she was, and that of a truth he was more than prejudiced againßt Weßt Weldington, who had, like an unmuilly brilliant butterfly, flattered among the fair flowers of girls in the country side, and chose Madge Laurence, as sweetest and daintiest of them all.

And Madge had fallen in love wt\ the handsome dashing fellow, who in two months' time awakened her heart, with his low-spoken words and thrilling glances, and chivalrous devotion, as Oarleton Gay had not been able to do in so many years of honest affectionate friendship. It had been a sharp blow to him, when he realized that Weldington was in such a fair way to win what was tbo one dear object of his own life to win also ; and Madge, who never had in her heart regarded Gay as anything beyond a delightful fellow, a charmingly adapted beau, and a thorough good friend of the family, went on making havoc with hiß heart by her sweet graciousness, and with his hopes by her girlish, honest preference for Weldington. Then, the earlier portion of the summer over, Mr Weldington had said a very impressive good-bye to his rural friends, and left the neighbourhood of Lilac Farm for the height of gaiety at the fashionable resorts of which he was a habitue every August. His good-bye to Madge had been different from that to the other girls. He had walked with her home from a farewell sociable, proffered him at one of the delightful, hospit - able country houses, and had told her how he had enjoyed the time he had spent with her, assuring her he left her with a regret that was both a new and unpleasant experience for him—making Madge's pulse quicker by the way he said it, looking caressingly down in her eyes, that drooped in sweet confusion under his glanoe. And then he ventured 'to kiss her in the soft, sweet etarlight, that was fragrant with mid summer red roses and lemon honeysuckle—kissed her, and whispered the sweetest word that had ever made her maiden heart thrill, and told her he hoped for the great privilege of being permitted to write to her, and tell her what he wished farther to have her know.

That was how he went away, leaving the aweet mystery with her that made her eyes so happy and her face so radiant that what was such a blessed secret to her was like the pages of an open book to Carleton Grey's watchful, anxious eyes, and her brother's loving attention. \K Then she waited for her letter, in perfect trust, and faith, and hope—for the letter was so tardy in coming, and that Fred prophesied would never come. 'He's a rascal!' Carleton Grey said, to Lauronce, after Madge had taken her sweet, quivering mouth and sad, disappointed eyes away, ' acd I'll know the reason why he uses her so If I can't have her myself, Weddington shall treat her as she deserves. I'm going to Long Branch this afternoon, to find out for myself what's the matter.' And the very first fellow he ran against in the Ocean House office was Mr West Weddington, in an immaculate snite of white duck, and looking handsome and elegant enough to warrant Madge Laurence, or any other girl, in falling most'desperately in love with him. Bat Mr West Weddington did not happen to see Mr Carleton G»y, so intent was he in talking with another gentleman, every word of whose conversation came distinctly to Mr Gay's ears, as, standing with his back to them, he signed on the hotel register, and gave one or two orders. 'Miss Lsurence? Not the]Miss Laurence, Bellfield? You don't mean to say she is here, and—' Weddington stopped, and looked the pleased astonishment he felt, while his comrade finished the sentence as he lighted his cigar at the pendent gas tube. 'Actually here, Weldy, and intimated that your introduction to her would not be disagreeable. So take my advice, my boy, and go in for her and her fortune.' Low and distinct as the tones were, they were Bpoken bo nearly at Mr Gay's ear that they were as distinct as if intended for him And even if not, his senses were sharpened, for his sole mission here was in Madge Laurence's behalf.

'Well,' Weldington said, 'give me the introduction, if there's no mistake about the stamps. You see, there's just a little awkwardness to me in the case, because I happen to have been somewhat acquainted with another Miss Laurence —a cousin or something to this fabulously rich heiress—just the ducedest sweetest little girl ever you saw, but poor, you know, and I can't throw myself away on anything short of a couple of hundred thousand.'

Mr Gay's pen gave a vicious did into the page as he finished the initials 'N.Y.' after his name, and if the elegant hotel clerk had happened to look at him, he would have seen a furiously angry and sternly-pale face. So Madge's second cousin, Theresa, was here at Long Branch, and intimated that she would be please! to know the elegant Mr West Weldington. And that gentleman was fully decided to cultivate her acquaintance, and cut little loyal Madge, because Theresa was the heiress and Madge was not. And Mi?s Theresa Laurence was forty, tall, thin and argular, with a hooked note, and ghastly false teeth and pale lips. While dainty Madge was lithe and supple as a gazelle, and a creature all curves, and dimples, and graces with her tempting mouth and breath like a baby's, and her beautiful eyes, and brows, and hair, velvety, sunshiny brown. And—either at the oomparison, or Eome thing—Mr Gay smiled quite exultantly; and then, as he thought how Madge would feel when she learned her lover's defection, all the smile faded, to give place to pity and concern, thac, in tnrn, changed to contempt and dislike, as he saw Weldington and his friend walked away. An hour or so afterward, he saw Mifs Laurence lea-dog on Weldington's arm, both of them looking very much delighted ; the lady, doubtless, because of the undoubted elegance of her civalier, and he, equally doubtless, becauso of the remarkable favor which this moneyed had shown him. Mr Gay watched ttem, that same curious little emile in his eyea, and the same sharp indignation in his heart and he remembered Madge. 'lt will hurt her sorely,, the bourne, loyal

little girl; but the time will corne when she will be thankful she every escaped mairy'ng such a puppy. And, God willing, I will try my luck again. So, Mr Wes; >Veldington, if you prefer the old maid with her bones and sharp corners, and falee teeth, all rieht. I certainly shall Dot intrude between you and your ambitious little project.' And so ho went away, after two or three days' cor.scienl.iju9 watching of the developing affair, aid after ha had permitted Mr Weldicgton to meet him several tiires, with a distant bow on both tiles—went away, back to the Bweet quiet and pure wholesonieness of Lilac Farm, where bonnie Madge had been waitiug. in almost defiant pitience, fir the letter West WeldiDgton woul.l write, because he had promised her he would write—the letter that never came. While instead, a month after Mr Gay had returned from Long Branch, came a letter from her ooußin Thereaa, announcing her mtrrlage to Mr West WeldiDgtop, and

begging Madge ti not entirely despise her, and to try to forgive her for having dared to pass herself off at LoDg Branch as the Laurence heiress; telling Madge it was her only chance to secure a husband, and begging to be forgiven her harmless little scheme.

Of oourse, Madge cried, and for several I days refused to be comforted ; and theD, somehow or other, Carleton Gay's friendfrtondahip and sympathy and pity were very sweet to her ; and then—well, the very day before another letter came, announcing that Mr Weldington would not forgive hiß wife her deception, and had furiously upbraided her, and swore he wonld never live another hour with her, and had deserted her on the spot, there was a diamond engagement ring on Madge|Laurence's foreflnger thatCarltton had placed there a few hours before. And Madge actually was glad to hear of the discomfiture West Weldington must have felt.

'He deserves it/she told Carleton, when she showed him the letter. 'And to think that I once really preferred him to sen ! it frightens me to think of the narrow escape I have had!' "While Mr West Weldington, in a perfect fury of vindictive rage, was trying to invoke the law to rid him of the incubus npon him. ' Curse Carleton Gay !' he said. 'He knew perfectly well that Madge was the heiress. He saw me walk deliberately Into the mistake, and has enjoyed his laugh atd his victory ! Oh, what an am, what a fool, what a double-concentrated idiot I have been 1'

And that was the end of Mr West Weldington's ambition : while I am happy to say that he did not succeed in getting a divorce from his wife, but is compelled to support her decently. While Madge and Carleton enjoy their beautiful roae-colored life, perfectly content that it turned out as it did.