Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-15

very wicked to run away?" volunteered
Mr. Brinsley.
Polly glanced at his white cravat, rolled
her black eyes beatitically, then modestly
cast them down, and replied, "No, sir.
not why we done it. We come here to
have little camp-meeting all by our
selves, we did"
This appeal to the higher feelings could
not be resisted. Philip laughed and the
solemnity of the meeting was DESTROYED.
Miss Arabella was the first to regain
her composure. "You will please walk
home with me, Polly. Philip, here is Mi
randa; you have found her, and she be-
longs to you"
Miss Arabela, Polly, and Mr. Brinsley
led the van; and Polly's mind was rigor-
ously improved all the way home.
Philip and Cornelia walked a few steps
behind, only few steps, at first; but, be-
fore long, Miss Arabella's voice was all
that could be seen of her or her victims.
"Nowr' thought Philip. What he CON
templated was simply to propose fair
exchange. He wanted to give up the
Parish Doll, and receive in It's stead what
had always been to him the flower of the
parish. But, when he began to speak,
Cornelia began to laugh, Philip, holding
the doll in his arms like baby and try
ing to look sentimental, was too much for
her. Then he put Miranda under his
arm, like IA stick but still Cornclia
laughed.
A few moments later Miranda was lying
on the dewy grass, her blue eyes staring
at the solemn stars Philip and Cornelia
- But starlight is an Indefinite light, apt
to deceive people: otherwise it might
have been affirmed that-no, nothing,
1t is fact, or several facts, however,
that Miranda spent the whole night on
her grassy bed, studying astronomy; that
when Cornelia came home, rather later
than Arabella, there was upon her happy
face look Of such intense innocence,
that Arabclla understood it at once.
Miss Arabella was sitting i'll her own
room, in the dark, when COrnelia came
in, and, putting her arms around her, gave
her kiss. For little while they did
not speak; then the elder sister said, Il
more glad every day; but must get over
my mourning first"
COrnela began to mourn, too, on hear
ing this. But presently she frightened
up, and began to show reasons why they
remained at the parsonage.
"Ncver!' said Arabella with energy.
Il do not blame you, Cornclia; indeed,
think you have done perfectly right But
for me it would be utterly impossible |
disapprovc Of second marriages"
Impudent little Cornclia ycnturcd to
think that perhaps it was first mar
riages to which her sister objected; but
she only said, Father and mother would
be pleased"
Yes" answered Arabella holly, II see
ii all, my dear: | am not blind And it is
Il grief and a sorrow to me, that woman
at my time Of life, Il woman Of sound
mind and delicate feelings, should be ex-
pccted by her whole family to Jump down
a mans throat. do not understand it."
If Miss Arabclla had reelected Il little,
she would have know that her whole fam
lily would have been much distressed at
seeing her jump down a mans throat, and
that Mr., Brinscy himself might have OBJ
iected to that form Of devotion; but She
was too much excited to reflect.
You know said C0rnelia sOothingly,
that it is not as if he were a stranger
you have known him so long
That has nothing to do with it, my
dear, and, if you please, we will not speak
Of i again"
Yet some one must have spoken Of it
again; for it was soon rumOrcd that Mr..
Brinsley had accepted the call from South
Parish, and that the parsonage was to be
fitted up to suit Miss Arabella's taste.
And any one who might have happened
to be listening at the study-dOor on a GER
tain afternoon would have heard Arabclla
herself say, whenever you think best
with such an air of, "If it were done when
it's done, then 'twcrc well it were done
quickly" that a tragical termination
might have been unprecedented.
But Mr., Brinsley was not afraid. He
was pugnacious man, who enjoyed fight
ING for his rights; and he was perfectly
satisfied.
When people tried to congratulate Miss
Arabella, they were utterly defeated. She
bristlcd all over with dignfied astonish-
ment, and struck them dumb. Il must
have been great nuisance in the parish
she thought, they all seem so glad to get
rid Of me-"
AS it is not customary to end a story
with a Wedding-much less with two we'd
dings-the word wedding" will not be
mentioned in these pages.
But dolls are not forbidden subject.
Early in the morning following certain
previous evening, Miranda, limp and pale,
was picked up by Philip Dean, and by him
given to COrnelia, who gave her to Ara
bella, who gave her to Polly, who peni-
tently restored her to her proper sphere.
She is still the admired Miranda, the
top of admiration" Better yet, in her old
age and growing weakness, she is sur
rounded by faithful friends, who forget
the faults, and remember only the virtues,