Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-21
C0RA'S DELUSION.
BY G. w. ARNOLD.

Cora DEPEYSTER pinned for prince
Not common prince like the snuffy
old Russian we used to see on Broadway,
wearing a greasy fur collar and long over
coat, eating garlic and drinking brandy
three times diurnally, and growing at
eyerythin American in the most detesta-
BILE English. Nothing of the kind.
She pinned for prince such as we read
about in the fine old sentimental novels
that amused our fathers and mothers in
the flower of their youth; Thaddeus of
Warsaw, all talent, and pallor and ten
derness, and musical voice, and fine, roll
ing eyes, and pedigree and that sort of
thing
For my part | don't believe in such
princes. The Prince of Wales isn't one
of that species, and Pm afraid the breed
has gone out with the fine old sentimental
novels. Nothing else, however, would
suit Miss Cora Depeyster. Being not
totally unlike other fair damseIs of twenty
or Whereabouts, she desired to experiment
upon the state matrimonial and had
plenty of opportunities, but common CLAW
would not do. A prince she must have or
single she would remain
Now, a real good writer of sentimental
stories could create such a being especial
~ for the emergency, and, after the Gus
tomary amount of tantaliZation through
the medium of an obstinate parent or
what not, marry off Miss Cora and her
prince In the most satisfactory style. But
| never was good at sentimental creation.
4 must write about people | know and
see. am sorry for the COras. I've seen
lots of them; but what sort of princes
did they marry? One now pours tea for
sharp-nOsed, red-hcaded life insurance
agent. Another is the spouse of strap
ping farmer, who sits with hat on and
eats in his shirt-sleeves. Another welded
subdued German who PLAYS second
clarionet in cheap orchestra, and has to
move monthly because he can't paw his
rent. Still another-but the catalogue
grows melancholy. Thus with all the
Coras They go on pining for princes
who never come; marrying all sorts OF
people instead; and, dying, give way to a
fresh race of Coras Who follow in their
mammas' footsteps with a disregard of
experience that savors of the sublime.
One Of the sweetest of watering-places
is Happy Valley. 1t is romantic and COM
Portable at once. There is delightful
bathing, rowing, sailing and fishing in
the lake itself, and the SHADY groves that
line its shores are cool and green
and mysterious, and suggestive of
dryads and nymphs and fairies and
things. That is, if you happen to be of a
poetic turn OF mind ifnot, they only sug-
gest fiirtatiOns.
will not further expatiate upon the
delights of Happy Valley lest it should
be fancied that have lots for sale in the
vicinity, whereas | have none anywhere
not even burial lot; and that | believe
is the common lot of all. Neither did
Cora Depeyster have any real estate to
dispose of, but she thought inst as l do
and passed much of the time every sum-
mer in the fair demesnes that lie smiling
" adjacent to the Happy Valley Pavilion.
Notwithstanding the round of pleasures
IN which she every summer took prom
lnent part she could not stiae her inward
ana continuous yearning for the music of
prlncely voice, the glance of devotion
rom rom princely eyes, the touch of princely
d nanu IN the dance, and the sweet envy Of
t a.. niaioens who had to go princeless
all9I l life. She sighed a great deal,
anu anu, began to think the great world a
colu, hard, unromantic sort of an arrange