Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-01


like the claws of a bird, on the edge O
the tub. Miss Tracy's ball, indeed! :
pretty subject | look like for ball!
wonder if she is so pretty after all! AnC
Helen has faithfully kept the secret OF my
moneyed expectations from her, so l shall
have the satisfaction of at least knowing
that she is no fortune hunter, and"
Here Mr.. Graham'S meditatlOns ended
in a brace of prodigious sneezes.
The top of my head is safen' he
thought, rather obviously, feeling of the
crested tassel of the black velvet skull
cap. ~ didn't know but that it had blown
Off Confound this thing that keeps get
ting over my eyebrows, as if | were going
to play at blindman's buff Helens re
spectcd papa must have had head the
size of Giant BlunderbOre And-'Cobe
id"
The last words were hurled in the direc-
| ton of the door, upon whose panels a
gentle tap had sounded.
Betty after the hot water" thought our
hero. 'She may have it, and welcome
| Cobe id, | say." he shouted aloud.
| The door opened to admit-nOt Betty,
the chambermaid, as he had confidently
| expected, but two young ladies, fair, dim
| pied and blushing
| is 8ITS. NEdildln III asked one.
DO, ba'ab, she is not" Aleck answer
ed, sitting yell of anguish which had
| been momentarily indicated by his drop
| ping both feet into the tin tub as the more
| feasible method of hiding them.
How provoking.' cried the taller of the
| two, bluceyed damsel with profusion
OF tfossy, yellow hair. what shall we
do, julie"
Just step in minute, and write her {;
note, of course the other answered.
You needn't mind that old gentleman,
Isabel. He is Mrs Graham's father-as
old as the hills and as deaf as a post, be
sides being two-thirds blind"
"Horrid old creature" iisped the tur-
quoise-eyed damse. Such people
haven't any business to live"
And Aleck, secretly rejoicing a. the er-
roneous conclusion at which his sl5ter-in-
laws friend had arrived, shrank still
further back into the friendly recesscs of
the big easy-chair, and blessed the obscur-
ing etlect-as far as eyebrows Were CON
cerned-of the black velvet skull-cap,
while he kept up perpetually oscillating
movement with his anguished feet
The young lady whom her companion
called Julie" advanced smiling toward
him, and calculated, in the tone of voice
denominated by vocalists high c."
Il - will-write e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
please-sir!'
Yes, ba'ab, certainly" answered our
hero; and Miss Julie turned to the pretty
little rosewood writing-desk in the corner,
saying, irresolutely, at the same time to
the other lady:
What had better say, isabelle"
oh what YOU like" listlessly answered
the blonde, Il suppose the rich brotner-in-
law has not come yet. Do you think he
is really worth waiting for, Julie?"
"Of course he is. Tom LETTERS says it is
a hundred thousand dollars at the very
least the former answered, abstractedly
biting the tip of her pen.
Such things are always exaggerated"
said the tall beauty, Struggling her shout
| ders; land | don't mean to throw myself
away on any mere humbug."
You horrid, mercenary thingr' said
| her friend, laughing. And poor Leonard
| Appleton, who is perpetually sending YOU
bouquets that he can't afford, and engag-
| inc opera boxes at twelve dollars per
night Isn't it rather shabby way OF
treating him, to throw him over, after
all?"
Don't speak so loud" said Isabel, If
ritaby, with a glance in the direction of
the animated head by the chimney-piece
Why not? Old Grumpy can't hear "a
| single word we say. Don't | tell YOU he
| is stone deaf, and has been for the last ten
| years."
walls have ears.'' said the tall young
| lady. But of course | never intended
anything serious with Leonard Appleton
\ brietieSs lawyer, an author whose manu-
scripts are invariably returned with
thanks-l should suppose you would
know me better than that, Julie kes-
grove"
But he is in earnest, if ever a poor
love-stricken swain wasn'
II dare say. Ny lovers generally aren'
And you will end by breaking his
heart, if you go on in this sort of way
For he has heart, even if he has no for
tune she added, lightly.
How can | help that? No, no; this
poor Leonard Appleton must be sent
about his business. \ catch like AleXan-
der Graham don't come along every day
in the year. | don't doubt he is great
red headed, laundering Scotchman,' she
added laughing; but money is money,
Julie, you know, and we society girls
must have an eye to the main chancen'
DO keep still, then" said Miss Kes
SIo't, tdi iIo" w you suppose L
can write, while YOU keep up such per
petual chattering. What are you rumag-
ing all your pockets for now:' she added
her attention momentarily distracted in
spite of herself.
Il do believe" cried Miss Isabel, in
breathless horror that I've left that bot
tie of liquid rouge on the counter at the
druggists, And what am | ever to do for
a complexion at the matinee this after
noOn?'
Us that all? We can stop as we go
back"
And ask for Miss Tracy's bottle of
liquid rouge-that would be charming"
THE druggist isn't a fool" said Julie
kesgrove, dirty. "Will you lei me finish
my note:"
And well order fresh box of cigar
ettes,' calmly observed the young lady of
the period. Il really don't feel myself
without my morning smoker
\ shudder stirred the folds of the wad-