Weaker than a Woman — page 254: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. TH ee oc thought no one good enough for the noble, beautiful woman ~ whom he admired, and who had been to him the best and truest of friends. He was sorry to lose her; he knew that. Bramber Towers would never again be the place it had been while she reigned there; at the same time he was delighted that her noble life had its reward in a noble love. Lady Maude could have told how she had loved the brave soldier before he .went to the war in which he had gained such renown. She could have told how she had garnered _ her love in her heart, and had kept it as a priceless treas- ure, never dreaming that it could have a happy ending, yet preferri ing to love a hero, and love in vain, than to be the wife of a peer. But Major Rawson loved her, and there was no obstacle to their marriage. He was heir to an ancient title, too, and a large fortune. She had a fortune of her own. So all Loomshire awoke, and roused itself to do honor to the mar- riage of its queen. The marriage was to take place at the old parish church of Lilford. Lady Maude would have it so. The Countess of Arlington had suggested London, and St. George’s, Hanover square. Lady Maude had laughed. “Let it be inthe old church on the hill, mamma,” she had said. “It is an odd fancy, but I think I should not feel that I had been married unless those solemn old oaks had shaken their heads over me, and the rocks had held a con- _ ference about my wedding.” So, as Lady Maude had had her way all her life, she had it now, and the ceremony was to be performed in the old church. The rejoicings were great and many. It would have done any one’s heart good to have seen the ceremony, and the crowds of children with flowers to strew before the bride—to have seen the poor, the old, the infirm, all going up to the church to have one last, last look at her who had ‘been so good to them all. It was a magnificent ceremony. Peers and peeresses, with some of the first people in the — land, were there. The little gray church seemed to be filled with smiling faces and costly dresses. But to Lady Maude nothing on her wedding-day was so dear or so prec- ious as the blessings of the children and the poor. The wedding-breakfast was given at Bramber Towers— _ and so goodly a company had never sat there before. Mr. and Mrs. Lonsdale, with Felix, were invited. Of all the guests who clustered around the beautiful bride to bid her farewell, she gave most heed to Felix. She went aside with Eomicbooks (E(e)