THE STORY-TELLER

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 948, 20 July 1878, Page 2

THE STORY-TELLER

; WIFE IN NAMIC ONLY. By the author of " Doha Thorne," "On Her Wedding Morn," " REDEEMED BY 'IiOVK," " A WOMAN'S Wab," &c. $r.a. (Continued from Tuesday's issue). ■ ~-~ ~/n ■ - . vjXiLfrßß XV. They walked out of the church •togebhoc,.flud.,.when they stood m tlio bu uli^t ue turned to her. ' Aiy darling, m/ wife,' he said, m au impassioned voice, 'may Ki-iuen send to us a life bright, as 'this suiifihine, love as pure— life and death together .' I pray Heaven that ao deeper cloud may come on out? lives than there is vow iv the sky above us.' These words were spoken at only eleven m the morning-. Jf he had known all that he would have to suffer before eleven at night, Lord Arleigh, with, all his bravery, all his chivalry, would have been ready to fling himself from the green hillVjp into the shimmering sea. It was the custom of the .U'leighs to spend their honeymoon at home; they had never fallen into the habit of making themselves uncomfortable abroMtl. The proper place, they .considered, fo,' a man to take his youug wife was home ; the first Lord Arleigh had done so, and each of hi-j successors had. followed his seusible example. Norman, Lord Arleigh, never dreamed of making a change. True, he had planned with his fcilr young bride that, when the autumn months had passed, they would go abroad, and not spend the winter m cold, foggy England. They had talked of the cities they would visit, and Madaline' s sweet eyes had grown brighter with happy thoughts. Bat that was not to be yet \ they were to go home firsjy and, when they' had learned something of what home-life would be together, then they could go abroad. Li>dy Potors went back to Verdun Royal ■ -on the same morning ; her task ended with the marriage. She took back with her innumerable messages for ihe Duchess. As she stood at the carriage door, she — so little given to demonstration — took the young wife m her arms. ' Good-bye, Madaliuc — or, I must say now, Lady Arleigh — good-bye, and may-'- Heaven bless you !• I did not love you at first, my dear, and I thought my old frieud w&s doing a foolish thing; but now I love you with all my heart. You are so fair and wise, so sweet and pure, that, m making you his wife, ho has chosen more judioiously than if he had married the daughter of a noble house. That is my tiibute to you, Madaline; and to it. 1 add, may Heaven ble^s you and send you a happy life !' Then they 'parted ; but, as she went home through ail the glory of the sunlit day, L.idy Peters did not feel quite at ease. 'I wish/ she said to herself, ' that he had not dropped the weddingring ; it has made mo feel quite uncomfortable.' Bride and bridegroom hud one of the blithest, happiest journeys e7er made. .What, cloud could rise m such a sky as theirs? They were blessed with youth; beauby, wealth ; there had been no one to raise the least opposition to their marriage 3 before them stretched a long golden future. The carriage met them at the station ; it was then three m the afternoon, and the day continued fair. 'Wo will have a long drive through (he park, Madaline,' said Lord Arleigh. You will like to see your new home.', ■, Sj, instead of going direct to the mansion, they tinned off from tli3 main avenue to make a tour of the park. ! ' Now 1 understand why this place is called Beechgrove,' said Madaline, suddenly. ' I have never seen such trees m my life.' She spoke truly. Giant beechtrees spread out their huge bougha on all sides. They were trees of which any man would have been proud because of their beauty and luagui licence. Presently from between the tree-? she saw the mansion itself. Lord Arloioh touche<i'"his youug wife's arm gently. 'My darling,' . he said, ' that is home,' Her face [ Hushed, her eyes .brightened, the sensitive lij)S quivered. ' Home !' she repeated. ' How sweet the words sound to me!' ' With a tremulous smile she raised her face to his. . 'Norman,' she said, 'do you know that I feel very much as Lady Burleigh, the wife of Lord Burleigh, of Stamford-town must have felt.' ' But you, Madaliue,' he laughed, ' arc not quite the simple maiden — . the country maiden — he wooed and won. You have the high-bred grace of a lady — nothing could rob you of that,' ' She must have been lovely and graceful to have won Lord Burleigh,' she remarked. ; Perhaps so ; but not like you, Madaliue -there has never been any one quite like you. I shall feel tempted to call you ' Lady Burleigh.' Here we are at home ; aud, oh, my wife, my darling, how sweet the uoiiiiug homo is !' , The carriage stopped at thb grand