Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-09-19
THIRrY.FIYE AND NEVER IN
HOVE.

she had been a sort Of speculative horror
TO old ladies who wondered what she
would come to and warning to little
girls though these same girls found her
full Of infinite charms and could never
discover that she broke her neck, or in
anywise met their anxious mothers pre-
dictions And these very old ladies
would catch their breath, as il u pleasant
breeze had smote their faces, when she
CHANGED To cross their path, and find them
selves, all uncousCiOuSly, looking through
the bright medium of her sunny presence,
back to the happy days when they were
young. There are some people who seem
TO cast sunbeams instead Of shadows
Elma Lee was such She was II direct
rcfutation of the aphorism, 'CirCum.
STAGES make the man, when, consider
ing the atmosphere OF the girls home,
the sunshine0f her Temperament made her
a positive anomaly 1t was an old home
stead, built of dark, rough stone Of
ancient and solemn architectural design
standing in perpetual Wright, under the
forest trees that formed grove about it.
The family with the exception Of the
servants, consisted simply of Miss SO.
phronia and her neicc, Elma They were
the sole remaining scons of the ancient
stock. Rumor, or tradition, said that
Miss SDphronia had been disappointed in
love. From this same source came the
assertion that she had been handsome.
The FIRST, Elma admitted to herself, might
have foundation, ~ diSappOintments are
said 10 be Cmbltering, and she had palpa-
bic evidence Of at least the result but
the latter she voted AZ too cgrcgiUus :
admit of consideration Ever since shs
could remember her aunt, that lady hat
been laborng under what she termed
"cOnCcrn of mind and religious conyic.
tons, and She seemed 10 consider that
her whole lifc's mark was focused and
Centercd in bringing her niece into "a ike
frame
our story Centcrs in the afternoon Of a
Fourth Of July. Down in the village
was all the stir and paraphcrnalia Of the |
day Flags were haonting in the drowsy
breeze, squad Of soldiers and hrcmcn
were parading, and the air was startled |
from its usual quiet by iircCrackers, PTS /
tolls, and at diguicd intervals, the boom /.
of an ancient, rusty cannon Enia had .
stood all the morning at the gate, listen .
ing to tbc distant Jubilee When little /
GIL, she had always spent the whole holi- !
day on the village green hut now She (
''''' ''''' '''N''f u N'NilE lN'' ih'i ~ l'l .
aunt SuphrOnia said, was more than that /
was Zee, consequently was forced to /
be propcr Not even one buggy had .
passed that way she had had her morn /
ing utterly alone Now the afternoon .
was wearing wei away, and gave no bet .
ter promise
Eml Lee was thcunqucslioncd belle Of
the vtmgc, and ali the country round
She had already refused half Il dozen
eligible oilers, aud even grave naughty
Ralph Hartford bad been known to show
her attention. man full thirty We cold,
proud, and wealthy aud who had Travelled
bali the world over EIma, in Consd
Grafton of all this was growing piqucd
mt this now rcglCCt--a holiday quite
q buggy came slowly down
the road
The afternoon sunlight plintcd on the
foliage Of the wide spreading trees, and
Slid of into concentrated brightness in
The road, the girl, consequently was
quite in the shadow. The gentleman
ali Ehtcd, lied his horse, AMI stood within
the gate, quite beside her, before he dis
covered her. For all his imperturbablc
= II possession, he gave the least p1lpHhle
start The blue eyes discovered it with
% little fash, and rs she went mp to the
house for her hat, the wicked COquottish
.ho1ght Of il,rt was conceived In the
girls heart They say he is inyincibe
lhlrty-'lye and was never in luyct 1t is
lime he was
She entered the dark and solemn hail
,rIlIinga gay song Miss Spphronia was
sitting here in her usual stately dignity
"You ore always singing" she said,
uerulou-iy