Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-02-11

spring, again, deepened into the gold O.
summer; but still the Clough and Heath
| erclough dispute had not been set
tied. Since the world began there neve-
was a dispute which required so mucl
consultation between the chief partie:
as this dispute. Dame Heatherclougl
would have surely jumped out of hel
| year-old grave and clawed the red-browr
cheek and bold black eye of Wolf
Heatherclough, like a cat O mountain
If she could have heard the mysterious
hints which We're rife in the village about
a new way to pay old debts.
As to Mariana and Wolf Heatherclough
of course; why not?
Once more they met beside the lovely
little lake in the midst of the Bone
the little lake where the trailing vines
dropped to the waters edge and the
darting tiny fish turned up their glanc-
ing, red-gold sides to the light. She had
gone there first and he followed, seeking
her, his enemy" he always said
"Dliss Mariana" he began, without a
moments ceremony, eve have been en-
gagged"
"No, we haven't" said Mariana,
laughing.
He blushed like a big cabbage-rose.
" [ mean we've been quarreling with all
our might for nearly year now and
we're no nearer to an agreement than we
were at first. There is one way of
settling our dispute which I've often
thought of lately, but which l never
mentioned to you. I've been afraid you
wouldn't like it."
"May inquire what that ISL" asked
Mariana, very Composedly.
He looked hard at the ground and
when he spoke at length it was hesitat-
ingly and with much embarrassment.
He was very modest, this brave fellow
Miss Mariana, I'm but rough fell
low, because I never had time to learn
the fine ways which ladies like, though
think [ might learn them even yet
from a teacher of my own choosing.
That's neither here nor there, though
Once, standing right here by this little
kettleful of water, begged you to ac-
cept this patch of land with the old
house up yonder. must have bungled
wretchedly in my offer of it, for you re-
fused it, and you have refused it steadi-
" ever since. Miss Mariana, [ wish to
offer it to you again, and this time beg
you very earnestly to accept it, and
and a half-civilized fellow who would
carry you in his heart to the worlds end
so tenderly that life should scarcely have
a rough place for you"
He seemed as if choking with the eff
fort to speak, he was so embarrassed
Mariana was silent. How could she
look into the eyes of this "rough fell
low" this brave, pure, child-hearted
man, and tell him that he himself was
more of knight and hero to her than
any other living man?
4 meant to go back yonder," said
Wolf Heatherclough. "But I have no
heart to 60 back to my wild mountains
again, because my heart will be here
here where you are. Dear Mariana, let
me stay where my heart is, and call you
by the name which my heart has called
you million times"
Once more Clough and Marlborough
walked peaceably home from the little
lake side by side, and this time they
walked arm in arm, and it was to be side
by side and arm in arm to the worlds
end.
The very last words fierce old Dame
Heatherclough wrote with her own hand
were these: May the house be leveled to
the ground, and Heatherton Park sown
with salt, before this property shall come
into the hands of a Clough!'' But for all
that, a Clough and Heatherclough, wife
and husband, live together in that very
same house, and they are as happy as
two angels-which is saying consid-
cradle.
The two ancient enemies who are
sleeping SO quietly now would have had
their hate outlive the grave; they would
have handed it down to unborn genera
tions if they could, and, behold! this very
hate brought the two young people to-
gether, and changed into love.
Hate cannot last; the devices of spite
and avarice pass away as summer cloud;
and it is all one in the grave What is
there of earth that can last? Listen!
Sometimes Wolf Heatherclough clasps
his Wife's hand and looks into her face
with his bold black eyes, now moist and
gentle and tender, and says to her:
Nothing is enduring in this world but
love. "-Harper's B0z0r
AnLinr Al Tl.I4n f QnnnnLa