The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-12-28
ONE NEW YEAR In A THOUSAND.

Betty Wilmarth-and quaint. piquant
little beauty she was. They used to call
her changeling; for where she found
ttlat Spanish face of hers, nobody knows.
Somewhere far back in her ancestry, it
may be, an old beauty bequcathed it; but
out Of race of blondes her face had
bloSsomed as dark and rich as the pictures
OF those Spanish women where the lovely
cnlors seem to be retiring every day
farther into the shade of the canvass
golden, tawny skin with crushed GRIM
son on the cheek; delicate features, with
fine curve to the thin nostril and short
one to the red lip, that gave glimpse of
little white teeth; and great black eyes,
whose Hash only the long, black, shading
lashes subdued to a soft glow. Yes, Betty
Nllmarth was beauty, and somehow as
fascinating rs beautiful: full of innocent
aaprices that set you to wondering what
would be the next, and kept your interest
alive; with temper that struck sparks,
but which was in the next moment all
sweetness; impulsive, warm hearted, q
hirmipg, wiItul piece, setting her low
gi1ls ..evoutly wish she would be married
an done With it; for of course there was
no chance for anybody else so long as
Betty Wilmarth was around.
But Betty Wilmarth was in no sort of
hurry to marry; tne by one, she tilliped
off her lovers lightly as thistle down.
as people said, she declared she wanted
neither to be an old mans darling nor a
young mans slave; and old lovers con-
soled themselves, and new lovers took
their turn, and she was heart-whole and
happy, singing her way through life, and
counting her twenty years in the sunshine
as child might count row of brilliant
beads.
But on, of these lovers was not to be
tilllped of as lightly as the rest; and that
Was her mothers young step-cousin. Will
Maunder. He had come down to Frene-
borough from his mountain home in the
deep forests, after the disastrous fire that
left him only the bare rock for his inner
itance; and where, save for his mother,
and some old goodies, he had never seen
a woman; and Betty had struck him as
goddess mi ght have struck clown. Not
that Will Maunder was a clown by any
means-his mother, lady who carried
her ladyhood into the woods, had attend
ed to all that; and certain wild grace
and rude courtesy accompanied his every
action. But he was a brawny, long
legged, staiwart fellow, for all that and
his fair face had been sun-kissed with
many a freckle, and his fair hair curled
close to his head in tight rings; but Betty
knew nothing about any Greek head with
close curls of the same description, and
would have liked it no better if she had !;
and, of all things, she despised freckles.
She had an ideal of the face and form and
mind and manners that were to win her
on some distant day-a day distant enough
to borrow enchantment-as slender knight
ly shape, perhaps, perfect countenance,
long auburn locks
''discolored. as if a crown
Encirced them, so frayed the basnet where
a sharp ~hi;e line divided clean the hair,
Glossy above glossy below.'
She would not have liked it all if she
had seen it so; and if she had but known
it. the massive limbs and shoulders of
Will Maunder were much more like the
ancient knights she dreamed about than
possibly could be this absurd and puny
ideal she had setup.
The days Of chivairy are over now, "
said Betty, with sigh.
Mighty disagreeable, cold, cherries,
dangerous, and Uncomfortable days you
would have found them" said Will.
Cherries or not, they're over" 2
What makes you say so, Betty" he
asked, from where he sat at her feet.
"Oh, because they arel'' she answered,
throwing up her pretty arms and clasping
them above her head, as she leaned il
back among the honey -suckles, and
looked as sweet as they, and made poor
Wills heart beat with looking at her
"Oh, because they are! Who would DARE
great adventures Tor anybody now-scale
castles, kill giants, enter the dens OF wild
beasts"
II would-for you, Betty"
"Oh dear me! How tired l am Of
hearing you say SO! They would, for any
body. Now please don't, Will dear, any
more! There are no castles here; don't
want anything Of wild beasts; and you're
giant Yourself, you know
II wish I wasn't, Betty. I'd change
with that little Hop-o'.my thumb, FREQ
Sammis, fl - E.EEa ~ s~9 SO
"oh, that shrinnpi I do detest him
he's such a-such a spoon!"
~ thought you didn't like slang
II don't -from anybody else.''
But if you use it yourself, you've n,
right" "s >s8 = - LIZ
"Oh dear me! if only those criticise,
who were perfect themselves, what a de
lightful, easy going world 1t would b.
1t seems tome, Will Maunuer, that yo'
s a1s a!"' Z s Az g re vim be
you've not been used to it. I don
see any iaglt u yer Betty. ae added
soh, there, there, willf 30 BE- BE- still
With y>naar nnnn3noS Tsovna IN and sin