Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-28

companion is neither so forward nor SC
uhulghlned as to take all the mental (anC
PhysiGai) performance upon her owr
shoulders. Literally, am bowed dowr
with shame and selfdsgust. | feel as
though l were discovered fraud-an i'm
position that has gone on succeeding
nhely Tor number of years, and is al
length left without a deceptive leg tc
| stand on.
Aunt Edith stares at me with an amused
smile, which find intolerable.
You look wretched, Eric" she begins
What has happened? Miss Garthe
hasn't been offending you, | trustee
| NO" | state, raising a complete scowl
on my face; II have been offending my
self.' While jerk forth that sentence I
leave the hall at hot speed, hurrying to-
ward the piazza after having made fly.
ing manual leap, so to speak, for GER
tam sidetabe on which my hat is placed
Before returning to the house, l spend
a good hour out amid the mornings de-
llclous freshness and fragrance. All this
| Whlle Miss Garthe's face images itself be-
| tore me, wearing about the lips kind of
vaguely melancholy contempt For there
IS no doubt, | tell myself, that she despises
my DunBllnS 1ncapaclty.
Can L be the same man who came to
"nltebeach yesterday evening with Ian
guid aversion for Miss Garthe's tablets,
ana no special desire to encounter the
poor young creatures company outside of
meal hours? At length l find my way to
the shore, and indulge for long time in
the important employment of firing peb-
bles at nothing. Finally | discontinue
this self-sought exertion, and ask my inner
man for Heavens sake what is the matter
with him.
A little downright deliberaton gives
me the answer. He is morbdly regretful
OF ever having seen Miss Garthe-consid-
erlng that she IS Miss Garthe He recol-
lects, with shivers of contrition, his flip
pant letter to Mrs. Ramsay. He feels an
almost passionate yearning to hear a hui
man voice issue from those lovely lips
The more he dwells upon her misfortune,
tne more wofully irreparable it seems
lie is nearly ready to curse himself for
having unawares flung his silly satire at
what now seems to him the woman's mai
esty of affection.
Il shall go back to the house." I sud
denly resolve, land make another desper-
ate attempt with the tablets. Perhaps I
snail redeem my reputation as man Of
at least microscopic attachments. Any
how, this desire for being in her sweet
presence wholly conquers me. cannot
explain it don't know what is the rea-
son-it is all most puzzling and curiousn ~
She is alone in the hall reading as |
re-enter the house. Remembering nv
late contemplate exit, | bite my under
lip in an agony of embarrassment when
her great, meditative gray eyes lift them
selves to my face. Nevertheless, | force
myself upon chair at her side, take the
writing materials she gently offers, and
plunge into a sea of selfinvective, CON
Tossing my own recent idealessness, tell
ing her that she no doubt considers me
an utter dolt, and fervently hoping that a
little practice at this new method of CON
versatiOn will result in something dimlv
like Improvement.
All, how beautiful her face lights up
and t1ushes as she reads my words Sure
ly, utter and perfect sympathy could not
be spoken as she now looks it A mo-
mcnt or two later her fair, round fingers
have framed me this reply:
Pray take back your useless excuses.
l thought it only strange that you should
do so well the first time. Indeed, you
should see what wild jargOn | usually get
from strangers. Do not think me queerlv
forward, but I was far from sharing, this
morning, your own opinions Of what you
wrote, that, in truth, | felt quite pleasant
ly surprised; and, until your sudden de
parture took place, | assured myself that
we were going to be excellent friends"
AS | read these words with a quickened
heart and with dancing eyes, the walls of
my mental Imprisonment seem to broaden
ON int Il Il ,.eI,+
ty My right hand fairly itches for the
pencil; | feel capable Of marvels, now.
1t is a plain fact tor me to declare that
| take no note of time after this, until
Aunt Edith's voice breaks upon me an
nouncing that luncheon is ready.
''Luncheonm | calculate, dragging
forth my watch
AS | opened it felt Slight stiffness in
my right thumb. One o'clock! Wehave
been sitting there two full hours, and
those hours have seemed like ten minutes
and short ones at that
HI-THE STORY-TELLER NARRATEs.
"Gladys," murmurs Mrs Ramsay, while
real cloud darkens that smooth forehead
Of hers-"Gladys, this monstrous masque-
rade is two weeks old, and ought to have
Ctdocu udA ) ago.
Guest and hostess are together in Mrs.
Ramsay's bedchamber as she delivers the
above statement
at should never have begun" Gladys
answered, coloring family.
Then let it end as soon as possible.
You know | am right End it today"
Gladys suddenly straightens herself into
the most conventional of attitudes. END
it for me-" she pleads, while her face is in
itself very supplication. 81 turn cold
from head to foot every time [ think of
of doing it myself. | would rather fire an
actual bombshell at the man, in good ear
nest"
Mrs Ramsay rises from her chair, look
ing panied and stern. Il see why-I see
why she whispers, and sighingly. you
know what [ know-what any one must
know who had watched him when near
you"
"Pshaw," the girl falters, with little
laugh that is right hollow and mirthess.
II don't know anything Of the sort you
mean-how should l." Then she seems
to look clean past Mrs Ramsay, with
troubled eyes and hardening face "But
| admit you are right" she progresses,
her words low and slow. perhaps may
make a great, brave resolve before | see
him again. We are engaged to take a
walk somewhere at four O'Clock, | be-
lieve."
Mrs Ramsay consults her watch. "You
have a good hour for the making of that
! nlyya 1aIx T. u,