Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-11-21

lous somebody, like and yet not like tht
old Hannah, who came toward him Will
eloquent eyes and hands outsfretched
crying Dave i'like a note of old pathetic
music.
All, that was a welcome At the mo-
ment David thought it cheaply bought
with eight years of absence.
Hannah hustled about to get supper
she set her little round tea-table she laid
the snowy cloth she spread her little
store of dainties she poured him nj a
fragrant cup of tea she lowered about
him like a tiuttered bird, chirping, joy
GUS.
"a snug little place, Hannah" said
Mr.. David at last, speaking out of his
~fullness of content "but your sisters
feel sore about it they don't like your
living here alone. The fact is, they think
you have lowered yourself, ana all that,
What put ii into your head 2"
IAN angel, perhaps said Hannah,
solemnly, wiring her glowing, fearful
eyes, as she looked at him. david,
after father and mother died, and ! had
fretted away my soul caring for them
and trudging about with Betsy's babies, |
grew weary and sick-oh, very weary and
sick and there came to me an mex.
preside desire to OWL myself | felt a
sort of miserable pity for myself, just as
| would have felt for any other poor slave
with slavery in prospect f%orlife. longed
to keep myself high and pure. | shud-
dered at the thought of my degradation
as a dependent drudge in other peoples
households
And you did not want to marry ~
David did not know what imp prompted
the words which burned his lips as they
dropped from them. He mended them
p%raisworthi'y by adding, Jasper Hen
bricks, for instance ?"
But Hannah answered calmly "No,
that would not have helped me,
So | took the dear little shop, and worked
and waited"
"For what ~ said David, bluntly.
Hannah blushed, STOPPING low over her
tea.Cup,
For customers" sh" said, as Jim
came clustering in on one of his innu-
merable chores
That night Mr.. David Durham could
not sleep, Hannah's face, her pleasant
voice, her sunny little shop, haunted him,
Such a woman would be like sunrise in a
life. But Hannah did not want 10
marry; Hannah Rugged her independence;
and she was waiting-waiting, as she had
said, for somebody. Somehow Mr.. David
not find his way to the little shop
Hannah dwelt in maidenly sereni-
ty quite as soon as he had anticipated.
He fingered about the village; he took
Miss Simmons out for a drive now and
hen; and one Sunday he responded to
Mrs. Johnson's pious interest in him by
Il seat in her pew, 1t was a hot,
3~unshiny day, and all the windows Of the
DID Westinghouse were open, the big
-rees waving close to the high, old-fash-
oned windows, the swallows twittering,
.he breeze wandering in from the near
field, Just as in old times, when
Dave sat, in Sunday rig, doing in the
Looking about, he saw Hannah seated
n the choir, in a pretty pink-ined bonneti
ler eyes were intent on her notebook;
she did not return his glance. At that
moment there was a turning about of
heads, a rustic up the aisle, and Miss Sim
came sweeping up the center in her
silks.
"a magnificent woman!' Mr.. David
as he opened the pew door for
ler. "a tall woman is queenly, whereas
Hannah always was a little thing" He
up toward the rose. lined bonnet
the choir. "Ill speak to her after
meeting" he said.
But, after meeting, Mr., David was the
of a general hand. shaking and as
hey walked out of the Westinghouse,
md up the leafy street, Miss simmons
ustrous raiment swept close beside him,
md Hannah, walking on the opposite
side, did not look at the two, even when
hey met face to face at the crossing.
He spent the evening at the 'Squire's.
Mrs. Johnson, having doneher pious duty
or the day, reclined upon a sofa. Miss
simmons was very entertaining; Miss
Sim Lon was very agreeable; some.
it grew to be eleven o'clock--a late
lour in the country-and still the visitor
fingered.
The two drew near the curtained win
low, Miss Simmons perfumed hair
.wept very neal her companions cheek,
t was nearing midnight, the hour of
pells. A strange light glowed in Miss
'immons's eye, the red rose on her bosom
hone s%plendidly. 1t was an alluring Wis
pl III u IldlD lhIllptl lilGlI " IuAhE1 VI /
stole over him; he felt himself being
nearer and nearer this haven OF
ilks and laces and perfume,
'"There is a strange illumination in the
ky, isn't there :" said the lady, pointing
with her icweled finger.
d" Yoa are illumined, y said Mr.. David,
She laughed coquettishly, "Not quite
o ruddily, | trust See ~
True enough. A sinister bloom, a
hue, rested redly In the heavens,
olemn and portentious. Evidently there
must be a fire,
an 60 down to the gate" said Mr.,
David, rousing himself, ''and see where
/ is"
How absorbed he had been, The vii
age bells at that moment rang out a wild
zeal; be could hear !he tramp Of feet
long the road. A numbering engine
rom a neighbOrlng town came creaking
Justify up the street. The whole place
vas astiT.
"Whcrc's the frey" he asked Of a man
by.
Dunno. Reckon youT find out as
DON as | do, Hcern it vas in the little
lilliner's shop
David was hatless; he forgot that. Fires
re very exciting things. He forgot all
bout Miss Simmons. she was safe,
,hereas-
A dense crowd gathered about the
treet where the flames were making 81
ent Roadway. The engine was late, and,
title used, was long in getting under way.
Teantime buckets of water were being
.assed from hand to hand. II was slow
,ork-very slow work; the fire was evil
gaining strength, and every wood
II building in the neighborhood doomed
eddy in the blaze. transformed from the