Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-06-17

lately strangers should become as old
friends. It was easy to know the Misses
Whlttemore, they were so frank and SIM
pie, so pleasantly well-bred Alice, the
elder, gentle, womanly creature, quiet
III speech and manner, and full of a ceI.
tain sweet common-sense, was evidently
the object of fondest care to the brown
eyed Marion. John had never known
any girls like them. 1t was a revelation
OF the pleasant possibilities of life to be
in such contact. Still his shyness and
old habit of distrust hampered and held
him back. "What man ever understood
woman?" he asked himself Ct don't
pretend to. 'Flossy,' indeed! did
have real glimpse of her in that blessed
little book! Now if some fairy would
just open door and let me see the in
side OF Marion's heart in the same way,
then ] should know where was"
Marion Yes, the imaginary Flossy
was dethroned; the real Marion reigned
in her stead. John, however, was still
unconscious of his subjugation, and how
long the affair might have halted no one
can tell had not Fate, as she often does,
taken the matter into her own hands.
"My brother is coming down for Sun
day." said Alice, one morning.
Have you brpther?"
"Oh yes. Have we never told you
about him? Poor boy! it is his first va
cation this summer We have wished
for him so often, and now at last he can
come"
John watched the sisters curiously as
they made ready for their walk to the
depot that afternoon, but he did not
offer to accompany them. Lucky fell
lowp he muttered, with sigh, and fell
to gnawing his mustache, sure sign of
uneasiness and emotion.
By and by they came back, each hold
ing an arm of broad-shouldered, merry
faced YOUTH who walked between with
face of entire contentment. ..
my brother, Mr.. Singleton" said
Alice, in her gentle voice, as John rose
to greet them.
Happy to know you," said the new
conner, shaking hands cordially. "The
girls have written about you till l feel
as if we were acquainted. / say, what
beach! Can't we have sail this even
ing, Flossy?" s.....
John started as if shot.
thought your name was Marion"
he said, Confusedly, staring like one in a
dream.
eyes, SO it is" she answered, careless
ly; " but my middle name is Florence,
and Tom called me Floss always when
we were little. He does now sometimes. !"
"You really must leave it off," said
Alice. "Flossy is absurd for grown-up
person."
"I'm rather fond of it," remarked
Marion; :" it doesn't sound absurd to me
at ALL" %
Its beautifully jerked out John, still
absorbed in the suddenness of his sur
prise. Marion looked at him, astonished.
He felt himself blush under her gaze,
but offered no explanation, and the sub
ject was dropped.
The real and the ideal rarely combine
in life. When they do, only one conclu-
sion seems possible. Events flew rapidly
after this embarrassment. The course of
true love has intervals of smooth running,
for all the poets may say to the contrary.
The bright hunters moon of that year
looked down upon two extremely happy
people, and when Christmas gladness
dawned on earth it found them happier
still.
1t was on the first delicious evening
spent in their new home that J ohm broke
silence and told the tale Of his treasure
trove. They sat together by the fire.
side, and Flossy turned the worn pages
of the diary with tender touch. -
"Dear, shabby old thing" she muir
INJURED. "Yet it brought us together!"
"And to think how / searched for you
in all the shops of the ethyl"
"Shops? Oh, didn't go to the shop,
you know. Aunt Marion died the very
week after I wrote that, and left me two
hundred dollars because I was named
for her. [ felt so rich to be able to
take Alice to the sea-shore How little
we guessed, when you came, and we
grew to be friends, that all that time
you had my old diary in your pocket~
"And how little [ guessed that the
'Flossy' had hunted for and dreamed
about was close at handl You'll make
me TOMS pudding some day, won't you,
although apples are expensive?'"
Marion raised the little green book to
her lips and kissed it. Then she kissed
John.-Harper's Bazar.
The Discovery of Lithography.
A WRITER says: After the first tri-