Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-04-20
THE WRONG PICTURE.

a PRETTY tace-a very pretty face, in
deedm
/ turned the little photograph upside
down, held it off at arms length to get a
perspective view and scrutinized it closely
with my eye glasses.
Henry Wallis looked pleased; a man
naturally likes his fanceduly admired and
appreciated
: So this is the Bessie Armitage I have
heard so much of; really, Wallis, she
does credit to your taste. A blonde, |
suppose?'
Fair as lily-leaf, with blue eyes and
the sunniest golden hairp
All! well, [ must say prefer the bru-
nette style, so far as my Individual taste
goes; but then fancies differ, you know"
1t was all very well for Henry Wallis
to go into ecstacies about his palIid, fair
haired little Bessie Armitage; he had
never met the glance of Cecilia Vernon's
magnificent black eyes. What did he
know about the true type of feminine
beauty?
As you say, fancies differ" Wallis re-
turned, lightly. But / wish you would
select a handsome frame for it when you
go to town next-blue velvet, with a gold
rim on the margin, or some such tasteful
arrangement"
"Ill see to it," I said, depositing the
picture Units envelope and returning it to
my inside breast pocket.
" You'll be very careful of it,"
" Careful? OF course [ shallr'
l smiled little loftily at Wallis solic-
itude and we parted
After all, Henry Wallis was better off
than L was, for he was securely engaged
to the dimpled, yellow uessed little OBJ
ject OF his affections, while l was yet, as
it were, in outer darkness, uncertain
whether my peerless Cecilia returned nv
ardent devotion or whether she secretly
inclined toward that unprincipled fellow,
Fitzhugh Trefoil. A score OF times had
resolved to settle the question; score of
times | had gone to the Vernons' house
with the very formula of declaration on
my lips, and as often had the words died
away unvoiced and unspoken.
If fate had only gifted me with one
thousandth part of Fitzhugh Trefoil's off
hand audacity! | don't think anything
short of the deluge could check that fell
lows cool self-possession; an earthquake
wouldn't, and [ don't think the miIIen-
mum couldl
However, love inspires the feeblest
heart with sort of Fictitious courage,
and | was new man since Miss Vernon
had smiled upon me. What was the use
OF doubling, hesitating and trembling ?
Why not decide my fate at once? Henry
Wallis'S serene content exercised a stimu-
latlng influence upon me. [ would fain
have been as he was!
There is no sense in procrastinating
matters any further" | said, half aloud,
as ] walked up and down the rather lin
tied domains of my little law Office 81
have been a doubling fool quite long
enough"
I'm afraid | wasn't very amiable
member Of the domestic circle that after
noon.
think Paul is growing crosser every
day" said my sister, Struggling her little
plump shoulders Mamma, wish you'd
speak to him
But my mother, bless her wise old soul,
knew better than that. She only looked
at me over the rims of her spectacles, and
went on darning stockings.
Paul is worried with business matters,
| suppOse" she said anologeticalIv
Paul viii do well enough, if you only
let him alone"
went up to my room after dinner, and
made an elaborate toilet; but all the pains
bestowed upon itserved only to heighten
the general effect of awkwardness.
I've two minds to wait until to-mor-
row." quoth | to myself, abruptly stop.
ping, with my cravat half tied.
No, | might be a coward, but I was not
such an unmitigated polroon as that.
had begun the enterprise, and would car.
ry it through, if it cost me the last dror
OF my hearts blood Moreover, had an
inspiration. An entirely new and origi-
nal methed of putting the monentou:
query popping the question:" is avulgar
ism that |, for one, could never tolerate
had occurred to re.
Hang Fitzhugh Trefoil - exclaimed
gleefully, half aloud, though there wa
no ear to hear my ejaculation. al
win the dark-eyed treasure yet, in spit
of him!"