Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-28
such hardness on the part of an eager

lover.
'What does it mean, do you suppose ?
she asked of Nelly, as she reluctantly turned
down the gas at the sclose of the third even
ing, and went slowly up stairs to bed.
q don't know, aunty, Pm sure" returned
the malicious damsel. perhaps he's like
the boy who has pulled the string of a show
er-bath, and lodges back in terror at his own
boldness. Suppose you send a committee to
bring him to a sense of his situation !"
Aunt Melissa slammed the door of her room
with bang that made the very policeman in
the street below open his eyes. Ea -,..
Gerald Plumers room at the - Hotel
was literally blue with cigar smoke-a fact
easily accounted for when you glanced at
the recumbent figure of his roommate and
boon companion, who was lazily watching the
fire and smoking as if for a wager 1t was
pretty room, full of elegant bachelor-knick-
knacks, only it looked as if a pair of wild
horses might have torn through it. and no.
body have picked up things afterwards. For
the flower vases were on the floor. and the
slippers were on the table, and the boot-iack
reclned on the mantel, in companionship
with wash-pltcher and an odd boot, while
the bronze iukstand was crammed back of
heap OF crumpled newspapers, and a pair of
lavender kid gloves lay in the coal scuttle.
"What do I care I" remarked Fred. Pow
ers, as he surveyed the scene of desolation
from behind his fortress of wreathing smoke
II can always find thing when I want it
if only look long enough! Halo, Gerald =,
for his friend had hastily entered the room,
"what's up now? What are you throwing all
| those papers about for :? how do YOU know
but they are my loye-letters :? Why can't
| you tell a fellow what you're looking for {?
DON'T ha1iava re Tp6ar oool how ~, 70 :
in the soap-cup. Own up What piece of
| carelessness have you been perpetrating,
| now ?"
"Have you seen folded note, lying about
| here, Fred ?" suddenly questioned Gerald.
GIVE seen the wash woman's bill and the
| tailor's little account, rendered in to your
| humble servant "
Pshaw-I mean note in my own writ
ing!" ..-~-,
"No, haven't" said Fred, raising himself
on one elbow. 'But why are you SO anxious
| about it, my boy hope you've not been
forging my name to check for forty thou
sand dollars ?"
Pm fool, Fred" groaned Gerald, biting
his lip as he leaned against the e-pece.
" So I've always told you, you'll please to
remember. But in what particular instance
has your folly developed itself this time? ?"
| "Wel, Eve been trying to muster up courage
these six weeks to tell Fife Lee how much ]
loved her, and at length, in despair, was
foolish enough to write declaration of my
sentiments"
"You made donkey of yourself that time
my boy" interrupted Powers. These things
are awkward in black and white"
fortunately, there was no names mention.
ed in the note, and | had determined not tC
use it but to speak out like man. But, tc
my surprise, | find the letter is gone-slipped
through treacherous rip in the lining Of my
| coat pocket. 1t is nowhere to be found, and
1 feel little uneasy"
every natural that you should" remarked
Powers. "Suppose the greasy old Iaundress
should pick it up on the stairs, and imagine
| herself invited to become Mrs Gerald Plumer
Don't look so appealing at me, old fellow
you say no names were involved, and if you
dropped it here, as is most likely, IL has prob
| ably been twisted into a cigar-lighter long
ago. Don't fret, until you find yourself sued
by somebody for breach of promise !"
And Gerald Plumer resolved for the nine
| hundred and ninety ninth time to be more
careful, and the matter slipped from his mind
just as the mischief making little note slipped
from his pocket!
off you please, Miss Fife, here is caro-
; for you, said the mischievous black boy who
attended the door of Mr. Towards residence
ode gen'lman's in de parlor, and wants for tC
see you 'ticular"
/ "Mr Gerald Plumer,n read Fife. in sur
prise.
There's some mistake" exclaimed Mis-
Melissa, starting up in smiling futter ''The
card was for me, PompeyW
"No, Miss Lizzy," persisted Pompey, firm
| ly, "it was Miss Fife Lee, de gentleman said
and he guy me a quarter, he did !"
Efie rose quietly.
81 will see Mr.. Plumer," she said, with
dignity 'but the interview must necessarily
be brief one"
She left the room, while Miss Melissa fidg
| eted about in tremor Of eager expectation
wondering every moment how it happened
that she was not sent for
Gerald Plumer was rather dismayed at the
frigid reception vouchsafed him by his lady
love, but he determined to win the COLDER
I prize now or never, and boldly ventured OF
his errand.
| this morning to speak to you on a subject
inexpressibly near and dear to me. I mi CHI
make longer preface, but I am not skilled
in the use of words Fife, l can only say
that love you most truly and passionately
may venture to hope that my love is re
turned ?"
This is a very strange announcement, Mr.
| Plumer," returned Fife, calmly, "and singu
larly inconsistent with the declaration O
love you have so recently made to my aunt
Melissa"
| az"
"You, sir"
Effie, let me understand Is it possible
you are under the impression that"
81 am under an impression, sir, and 6
pretty strong one, too, that it is scarcely
three days since you wrote, offering yourself
to Miss Melissa Jones. | do not know how
many love affairs you have on hand at once
but"
''Efie, there is some mistake here inter
rupted Gerald. ~ never wrote to Miss
Jones in my life-neyer thought of her save
as very respectable maiden lady, old enough
to be my mother"
The words had scarcely passed his lips, ere
the door flew open as if by magic, and Miss
Melissa herself-who had been stationed sus
piciously near the key-hole for some minutes
stalked into the room.
Then, sir" she calculated, "rd like to
know what you meant by writing me this
love-letter? I'll have justice done me il
there's law in the land J."
/ Gerald took the letter from her hand. and
his face frightened up with asudden compre
| hension.
" regret that such an embarrassing mis-
take should have been made, Miss Jones'" he
said, but by what right do you appropriate
the contents of this letter to yourself? II
was written to Miss Fife Lee. l had con-
cluded, however, not to use it, but to speak
instead in my own proper person. I lost ii
several days since, and am at loss to imag,
inc how 1t could have come into your hands
regret that your feelings have been enlisted