Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-04-29
LOVE OR PRIDEa
BY JEAN BONCGUR.

Great purple shadows swept across the
h"v-iiclds; the distant landscape was be-
coming indiStinct, and the moon was
s.oWly rising in the heavens.
Aftcr awhile the twilight deepened into
rs much Of darkness as there would be in
the summer night, and silence fell upon
TIC earth Then a girl stole nOiselesslY
arross small garden, and stood beside
gate that led into the adjoining church
yard. A ycW tree spread its dark branches
vide above her, but the silver tints that
ere slanting down upon the tall grave
stones and bringing out the delicate lines
of lie old church spire touched also her
white face, making it whittier than usual.
Sae did not start as tall figure APP
preached from the farther side of the
.'Hrchyard. She had evidently been ex-
p'riinI some one, and when she heard the
words
= You are out late, Miss Jervis''-
She quietly answered.
was waiting for you; | wanted to
say g00d-by to you before you went away"
thought you had done that already"
replied the young man, with some bitter
ness.
!, not quite" returned the girl, YEARLY;
YOU were too angry for me to say it as |
Wished"
=. Had I not the right to be sop he
asked. Ever since | have been at Shell
1o.d you have been deceiving me. [
believed you to be as earnest as | was my
self, and now He paused.
And now?''
Her voice had sharp ring in it as she
repeated his words, as though she would
rive denial to what he had said; but her
face looked like stone in the moonlight
white and immoyable, as she continued
= did not understand that you could
really be in earnest, otherwise [ might
have told you before what | have told you
today"
= on did not believe in me-you looked
upon me rs heartless-as deceiver. You
do not believe in me now"
: do"
:, What do you believer" he asked, i'm
retuousIy; nothing good, or you would
not give me the answer you have given
ne"
Everything good, except the knowing
what is good for yourself. l want you
now to say good-by to me without any
anger in your heart. The day will come
when YOU will perhaps bless me for what
| have had the courage to do to-day"
And she held out her hand.
The young man hesitated. ais there
no hope?"
None"
Her voice rang low and clear through the
summer air. Again he hesitated, then,
suddenly taking both her hands in his, he
bent down and kissed her for the first time
She gave faint cry, and disengaged
herself
We part in peace"
And with these words she turned and
fed not looking back, or perhaps she
miglk have Tepented her decision.
Once in the house she sat down in the
empty sitting-room made light as day by
tie moonbeams The old dog rose as she
came in, and when she threw herself into
chair he laid his head in her lap.
There came a sound of Gathering of
plates in the kitchen on the opposite side
u, the narrow passage, and her mother
voice sounded sharply, giving her direc-
tons about supper.
Presently she entered.
Where have you been, Ally? How
III you look! and you're all shiyering
Come into the kitchen, child; Anne's
gone off to bed and there's bit of fire in
the grate. 1t might be winter instead of
midsummer, to feel your hands"
Alice rose mechanically. She walked
drcanlily into the little kitchen, where her
motlfer drew chair to the fire for her.
Presently ruddy, look
ING youth entered, saying:
Let me have my supper here, mother.
The fire looks pleasant, though it is sum-
mer-time"
Mrs, Jervis opened the oven door and
TOOK out a covered dish that had been kept
, warm there. Alice, watching her as she
placed 1t on the table and laid knife and
fork beside it, instinctiyely reused herself
ana, taking jug from the dresser, went to
the cellar to draw some beer for her
brother.
1t was relief to her to perform this
mental service. 1t seemed almost an an.
sWer 10 the question she had been asking
herself over and over again since her con.
sersatlon with Mr. scrope in the morning.
She was even glad that all around her
looked so commonplace, so poor-pooreI
and commoner than ever tonight. And 8
bitter feeling rose in her heart and made
her almost indignant that some people