SOClETY STORY. Dolly's Lesson.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 335, 19 January 1889, Page 4

SOCIETY STORY. Dolly's Lesson.

When Stanhopo Malclon announced his intention of marrying Dolores Rivers, there was a goneral onbbroalc of surprise. His malo frionds confinod bhomsolves to hinting that c though they heard the little "Rivers girl had got money, yot she was a donee of a tartar ; throws bootjacks and things at hor father, don't you know, and used to rap her maid's knuckles with Lho hairbrush, 'pon my word.' But his lady friends (and Stanhope Maldon had many) were much leas reticent. ' I toll you, Stanhopo,' said LadyjErmintrude Garstin, laying her hand caressingly on tho handsome young follows arm, ' that she will make your life a perfect stato of torment to you. Don't you know that she has always been tho most jealous creaturo that ever lived ; that she was jealous of her father taking notice of hor mothor, and oven of her little bi other ? Tako mj' advice, and havo nothing to do with hor.' ' Pooh ! pooh ! my dear Lady Ermintrude,' ropliod Stanhopo, with a smile, ' marriage will soon euro her of Unit ; besides I shall never give her cause tar jealousy.' ' Poor innonont !' laughed tho lady, 'a--I if a jealous woman over was fit a loss to find out some reason for displaying her pet failing '' In bpitc, however, of all these warnings, Stanhopo Maldon married Dolores Kivors, and boing a slnewd man of the world, and having a thorough knowlcdgo of society in all ifct- pha&cs, lie managed to sleer his barque piefcly cleveily lluouerh the icefs and quicksands of the matrimonial ocean It was ecitainly a little annoying to him at mat to catch hi J wife's eyes iixed upon him with a concontiated expression of feeling if he \cntured to address a tew words to tho lady whom he had taken down to dinnor, or to iind her tapping him on tho aim with hor fan just as ho was about to glide into a wait/, and begging him to take her home at once, as she really felt too unwell to remain any longer. But with care, patience, and the exeicise of the most consummate diplomacy, he contrived, if not entirely to cure, at any rate to mitigate this domestic allliction. As a preliminary step he suddenly affected an utter distaste for town gaieties and an ardent desire for country seclusion. With this end in view he rented a large rambling old house in the depths of Marlshiro, ontholy beyond visiting distance of any of tho fnint-y people, and there he gave himself up to all the delights of a country existence, hunting, shooting and fishing with the greatest assiduity, and, it must be confessed, leaving Dolly a great doal moro to herself than she cared for. She was madly jealous of his dogs and horses, and even old Bill Bummers, the keeper ; but sho was a sensible littlo woman in spite of her failing, and she knew that if she betrayed her feelings she would only be laughed at, and this was a thing that Dolly could not abide. There woro times when she fancied that these frequent absences of her husband only cloaked some xntiigue, and though sho hated any cxcition, yet she would scour the countiy in her pony chaise, hoping to catch the dolinquont in some of his disieputable amusements; but all her efforts wero attended with no success. At last Stanhope's treatment seemed to have worked a perfect cure, for Dolly began to listen with patience when anyone else was praised by her husband, and, curiously enough, took into her service an excessively pretty ghl named Amy Thistleton, tho daughter of one of the small farmors on tho estate. She could hardly havo made a worse choice, for old Thistleton had once seen better days, and Amy had been three-quaiters atafashionablo school in Dullborough, the chief town of the country, where sho had had her head filled with ail sorts of ridiculous romance about cottatro maidens subjugating highborn nobles, and ending their days in splendour and a castle. She entered Mrs Maldon's seivice in tho hope that, sooner or later, that lady would grow tired of her seclusion and return to tow n, where Amy felt sure that her fascinations would ensnare the heart of some landed loidling, or, at any rate, captivate the heir of a wealthy banker. She was an innato coquette, and took overy opportunity of tin owing heiself in handsome Stanhope Maldon's way, who (when his wife was not present) would tap her rosy cheok, and tell her that if she ever went up to London she would have a host of admirers. Strange to pay, Dolly did not experience any feelings of distrust regarding her husband and hoi new maid. Whether ifcwas that theinhercnt. vice of hor disposition had been almost eradicated, or thai, sho considered Amy to be too utterly beneath her even to excite the pangs of jealousy, willeier remain an open question. Certain it is that sho betrayed fewer and fewer signs of her old complaint, and Stanhope, who was utterly tired of his enforced banishment, began to fancy that she was completely cured. He longed for his quiet gossip in tho smoking-room of his club, for the lounge in the Row, for the visit to the thcatie, and the occasional trips to Greenwich or Richmond, and tho cosy little dinners that followed thoreon Mrs Maldon, too, felt that life was not worth living in a place where her most brilliant toilettes did not excite so much comment as the new scavecrow that Farmer Giles had put un in tho four-acre field, and wished herself back in the artistically-fur- \ nishod bijou residence in South Kensington, which six months before she had quitted with so little regret. ' Shall we go back to town, Dolly V asked Stanhope, as ho yawned furtively behind yesterday's ' Times ' at tho breakfast table. ' Oh, that would be nice,' answered his wife. 'J am sure lam heartily sick of Marlshire and all its inhabitants ; and what pleasure you can find in riding bohind a pack of yelping dogs after a nasty fox, pulling gasping fish out of tho water with a cruol hook, or riddling poor birds with shot, I am at a loss to conjecture.' ' Well, then,' said Stanhope, smiling at this resume of his pursuits, ' suppose wo go to town ; but mind, Dolly, we can't give people the cold shouldor always, and if we live in town you mustn't be jealous of evory woman I spoak to or every man I go out with.* . '1 won't,' answered Dolly, rising from hor seat, and, coming over to her husband's side of the table, she laid hor hand upon i his shoulder. ' I've been an awful little fool, Stanhope,' she continued, ' bufc I'll change for tho future. Let us go up to town and live happily for the rest of our livos. ' ' Very well, little woman,' replied Stanhope, placidly. ' London let it bo, then, and if I have to be out a little I will leave you someone to go about with, for my old chum, Herbert Rallingham, has just came back from the Soudan, and I will ask him to stay with us for a time.' • What, the Herbert Kallingham ?' asked Mrs Maldon. 'The special correspondent! who told Lord Worsted what ho ought to i do and led on tho "British arms to victory ?' • Well, I don't know whothev he quite did all that,' answered Stanhope, with an amused smile ; ' but, at any rate, it is Herbert Rallingham the correspondent,'

'Oh, fchab will be delightful,' cvied Dolly, clapping her hands. ' When may I begin to pack up ?' I To-day, if you liko,' answered hor husband. 'By the way, Dolly, I would nob advise you to take that maid of yours tip to town. Sho seoms rather a ilighby sorb of a party, and may give you some trouble.' 'What, Amy? Oh, Stanhope, she has gob so into my ways that 1 should miaa hor clroadfully ; I roally can't part with her.' • Havo your own vyay, then,' leburned hor husband, rising to leave the room, ' but it you take my advico you'll leave her down here.' 'Strange,' mused Dolly, as soon ac she was lofb alono ; ' sbrango that he should want bo sepnrabo me from Amy ; he must havo some object in ib. No, Lhank you, Mr Maid on, I'll keep my maid under my own eye, if you please.' A week labor fcho Maldons wero comfortably settled in their own house, and ten days afterwards Herbert Rallingham became their guest, Rallingham was a handsome fellow, his features bron/ed by the Eastern sun, a fair moustache hung over a pair of lips that were almost constantly parted with a I pleasant smile. He had a charming manner and a soft, hali-indolent way . which went a great way with the fair sex. He was comtoous and polished, and would talk upon any subject except himself, a rare and uncommon trait in a special correspondent. Mrs Maldon and he wero soon bosom friends, aud they weie seen bo much together that society began to nod and smile a little ; and whilst the ladies began to speak ol Stanhope as c poor Mr Maldon,' the men would lurtively ask each other in quiet smoking-rooms, ' What that ass Stanhope was about?' For once, however, society was wiong, for bho fiiendship between tho lady and the gentleman was perfectly platonic, and though thoy both liked and respected each other, no guilty thought had over marred the pleasure of their inTercourso. In a brief space, however, these pleasant dayb came to an end, for the chambers which Rallingham had taken in tho Temple were now ready for him, and after a mournful farewell ho left the hospitable home of his friend to take possession of them. Some four days after Rallington'e departuro, Mrs Maldon, on awaking, was surprised at nob finding Amy standing by her bedside with the accustomed cup of chocolate. Aftor waiting some little time &he rang her bell violently, [t was answered by one tof cho under - housemaids, who upon being sent to Amy's room, returned with the intelligence that the nbigail was absent, and that her bed had not been slept in, whilst hor box was standing packed and corded ready for immediate despatch. Much exercised in her mind, Mrs Maldon completed her dressing without assistance, and, hurrying downstairs to the dining-room, asked for her husband. The pompous butler informed her that Mr Maldon had stepped out about an hour ago, and had not yet returned. ' Very woll, leave tho loom,' replied Dolly, and then, ca&ting herself into an arm-chair, she exclaimed, ' [ sec ib all. Now I know why the perfidious wretch wanted me to leave Amy in tho country ; all he wished was to get her away from me, and now he has gono off with her and made mo a public laughing-stock.' Maddened by the picture she had conjured up, Dolly paced up and down the room liko an enraged lioness. A slight noise behind her attiacted her attention, and turning sharply round, &ho saw that her husband had entered the room, and was standing close to her. ' You villain !' cried Dolly, maddened with passion, ' where is Amy ?' 'What! you know about her,' stammered Stanhope, visibly embarras&cd. ' Know about her ! l~cs, of course I do, and I wonder how you dare show your face here again.' ' Look here, Dolly,' answered Stanhope, eagerly : ' you arc quite on tho wrong scent. I ' But the infuriated woman would listen to him no longer. 'Dastardly liar!' cried she, and snatching a heavy water goblet fiom the pideboard, she dashed ib at his head. Fortunately, it struck the gaselier and broke, but one of the fragments reached Stanhope on the cheek, causing the blood to ilow. I 1 will not attempt any further explanation,' said ho, with calm dignity. 'Perhaps when you have mastered\your temper you will explain this outrageous conduct,' and, stanching the blood with his handkerchief, he left bhe room. ' I will never live with him again,' sobbed Dolly. ' I will go home to my father ; but I feel too ill to go alone. Who can I get bo take me ? Ah ! I have it. Herbert will do it for me.' To dress herself, to walk out of the house and to call a han«om, telling the cabman to drivo to the Tom pie, was with Dolly but the work of a few minutes. As soon as she arrived she flung some money to the diiver, and flying upstairs hammered upon tho closed oak of Herbert Rallingham's chamber so frantically that at last it slowly unclosed, and Herbert stood pale and excited upon the threshold. 'You here, Mrs Maldon !' exclaimed ne. c Why. your husband has only left here about an hour ago.' ' What did the shameless villain want horc, Mr Rallingham? Herbert, you must ! biko me back bo my fabher's without a moment's delay,' pried the excited woman. ' Let mo in. I will sifc down until you are roady.' But Herbert Rallingham never stirred from tho threshold. ' You can'b come io, Mrs Maldon,' whispered he, hurriedly. ' Has nob your husband told you that hhe is here ?' ' She ! Who isjshe ?' gasped Dolly. ' Amy. ' ' Amy Thi&tleton ?' c Ycs,' answered Rallingham, gently closing tho oak as the astoni&hed woman staggered back. ' Permit mo to offer you my arm and take you home,' said Stanhope Maldon, appearing up the crooked staircase, 'aud now, perhaps,' he added as he handed her into a four-wheeled cab and stepped in after, ' you will sco how much you have wronged me.' ' I will never bo jealous again, Stanhope,' said the little woman piteously. And she t kept her word. Herbert Rallingham soon aecopbed another mission to some far distant land, and Amy, who seoms to havo discovered an El Dorado, has started a very pretty victoria and pair, and appears to have an extensive circle of acquaintances, chiefly of the male sex.