Dr. Dumany's Wife

tles, such as "Silver King," "Railway Prince," etc., and was this exotic countess the daughter of some such lord of the money market?

farthingaled, white-wigged ladies in hooped skirts and trailing brocade robes; no mail-clad, chivalrous-looking gentlemen, with marshals' staffs, keys, and l

of a great lady. No paroquet, no monkey, no little, silken-haired lap-dog, no St. Bernard or Newfoundland dog, no

stepped up and drew the hanging aside, I could not suppress an exclamation of admiration and surprise; and for a moment I stood transfixed

wer was prolonged in the rear into a spacious and seemingly endless tropical garden, with wonderful blooming exotic plants and trees; and in this East Indian paradise, gaily-plumed, sweet-voiced birds of different size and colour were chirping, hopping, and ho

om the garden. But this film was not of glass or any other transparent but solid substance; it consisted of a beautiful, clear waterfall, transparent as a veil,

ttee and two small gilded and embroidered chairs; while two large sculptured frames, one contain

g-dress of raw silk, with rich embroidery. Her rich, dark hair was un

d she looked so young and childlike that no living man w

almost startled. It was just as though some marble or alabaster statue had moved, looked at m

I daresay that money is a poor compensation for a lost or crippled husband and father, or son and brother, still it is the only possible consolation we can offer them, and in providing for their own future and that of their dependents, we at least relieve their hearts of one burden. Of this my husband wants to talk to the government official. The priest was invited by me, and I want him to hold a requiem for the souls of those who perished, and to superintend the erection of a memorial chapel at the place of the terrible accident. Mr. Dumany is ungrudging in his charity, and ready for any sacrifice of money; but, you see, we know really nothing about the particulars. How many were lo

o dreadful to relate-much too horrible for the ear of a lady. It requi

r woman, but I have learned to suppress them-to hold them down. Never fear me! Never spare me! If

lmost fierce resolution i

ghastly event, and she drank in every word, shuddering as at some deadly poison. Again and again she questioned me with the skill and zeal of a professional cross-examiner. Nor would she let me omi

boy in a common carriage with other decent travellers, the train would have passed the fatal spot long before the landslide was in motion! But, of course, the Silver King's son is far too precious a creature to breathe the same air with

from a lady of wealth and position, was n

ost deadly pallor overspread her white face. "Alice! oh, Alice!" she cried; and when I told her how the lady ran back to the coupé for her bonnet, just at the last moment for escaping, she broke out into

otion, her pure, kind heart! She was the best friend I ever had, and how she loved that unhappy boy! She was more his mother than I, for s

man's first thought had be

er again? You do not kno

emen from that infernal pile; for, strong as she forced herself to appear, this would have been more than she could bear; so I told her that the relie

Dr. Mayer, such a refined, generous young man; and Tom, the negro, my best servant, and the truest! He saved me from an all

in the moment of death, as I had seen him at

se. How she begged of me to take care of her darling, to bring him up well, to make a priest of him! And how well I

ome to pray with my children, and I could not say my prayers there. I felt the heavy load on my heart, and once for a moment, when I was not observed by anybody, I heaved a sigh and said, 'God bless us!' It must have been at the moment of the catastrophe, for my heart a

large wide-open eyes, gav

g you asked saved the life of your dea

pure and good people had to die! Oh, accursed was the hour of his birth! No, no; he is not accursed. I-I, hi

culpa!" "Tell me more," she said again, presently; "show me more dreadful sights, that

spoke of the practical Englishman and his performances, and of the artist who

. "It shall be the altar-piece of the chapel which we are about to

nomania. From this arose the deep melancholy which held her own innocent babe responsible for the misfortune of others. This made the

f happy and innocent persons. Even this Rossberg catastrophe had been preceded by another at the same spot, about the beginning of the present century. Such catastrophes were by no means to be considered as a punishment from God Almighty, Who is far too magnanimous to visit the sins of the guilty upon t

He came on the pretence that letters and newspapers had ar

ressed to the H?tel

at you are here," he answered; and

the bitter cup? or do you thi

w both her arms around the husband's neck, and,

making my excuses to the lady, I