The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-12-29
ONE NEW YEAR ma THOUSAND.
BIZ HARRIET PRESCOTT sPoFFoRD.

ONE NEW YEAR MA THOUSAND.
BIZ HARRIET PRESCOTT sPoFFoRD.
Betty Wilmarth-and quaint
piquant little beauty she was. They
used to call her q changeling; for where
she found that Spanish face of hers, no
body knows. Yes, Betty Wilmarth wa
beauty, and somehow as fascinating
as beautiful; fnll Of innocent caprices
that set you to wondering what would
be the next, and kept your interest aliYe
with temper that struck sparks, but
which was in the next moment all sweet.
ness; impulsive, warm-hearted, acharm.
ing. willful piece, setting her lovers by
the ears, and making ali the other girli
devoutly wish she would be married and
done with it; for of course there was nc
chance for any body else 90 long as Bet
ty Wilmarth was around -
But Betty Wilmarth was IN sort Of
hurry 20 marry one by one, she filliped
off her lovers lightly as thistle-down.
Petted and caressed and INDUCED to
death, as people said, she declared she
wanted 6hiyhd tos b Ef4n old sman's
DARLING nor.a young mah,s slsvs and
sold lovers consolsd themselves snd 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 q child might
count row of brilliant beads.
But one of these lovers was not to be
filliped off as lightly as the rest; and
that was her mothers young step cousin,
Will Iannder. he had come down TO
Frenebor0ugh from his mountain home
in the deep forests, after the disastrous
fire that left him only bare rock for his
inheritance; and where, save for his
mother, and some old goodies, he had
never seen q woman; and Betty had
struck him IS . goddess might have
struck aciown. Not that Win Maunder
was clown, by any means-his mother,
lady who carried her ladyhood into the
woods, had attended, to al that; and a
certain wild grace and rude courtesy
accompanied his every action. But he
was a brawny, long-iegged, stalwart
fellow, for all that, and bis fair face had
Ebeen snn-kissed with many freckle, and
rings; but Betty knew nothing about
any Greek head with close cur1s 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 man.
-ners that were to win her on some dis
tani day-a day distant enough to bor-
row enchantment-a slender knightly
shape, perhaps, perfect countsnance,
long auburn locks -t-e
discolored, as if a crown
Encircled them, so frayed the basnet where
sharp white line divided clean the hair,
Glossy above, glossy below. ftShs3
She would not have liked it at 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 set up.
"The days Of chivalry are over now,"
said Betty, with sigh. tF|1iQ
Z "Mighty disagreeable, cold, cherries,
dangerous, and uncomfortable days you
would have found them" said Will.
"Cheerless or not, they're over.''
"What makes you say so, Betty?" he
asked, from where he sat at her feet.
sob, because they are!" she an
swered, throwing up her pretty arms
and clasping them above her head as
she leaned it back among the honey
suckles, and looked rs sweet as they,
and made poor Wills heart beat with
looking at her. '-Oh, because they are!
Who would dare great adventures for
any body now-scale castles, kill giants,
enter the dens of wild beasts
81 would-for you, Betty"
"Oh dear met How tired I 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 any thing of wild
beasts; and you're a giant yourself, you
know
81 wish 1 wasn't, Betty. I'd change
with that little Hop-o'.my-thumb, Fred
San,mis, if" tHs K.EsFfg
"Oh, that shrimp! L do detest him
he's such a-such a spoon!"
81 thought you didn't like slang,
Betty.', - - ri 1J-rS
. az don't-from any body else.'
But if you use it yourself, you've no
right
"Oh dear me! if only those criticised
who were perfect themselves, what
delightful, easy going world it would be
it seems 10 me. VIII Maunder, that
you are always finding some fault With
"You've not been used to it. Idon't
see any fault in you, Betty" he added,
presently. - -s0s
sob, there, there, Will! Do be still
with your incoming! Come in and sing
this new song with me; it needs a great
in and sing with her, his voice trem.
bling as he heard hers; would 60 out
and walk with her,. to be left for the
next gallant that sought her side;
would be her abject slave, waiting on
her least wish and every breath, and
would get no thanks for his pains.
1t was when affairs were in this post
,ure, Will pursuing, and, with the van
background ofresidence in the, house,
Betty retreating, yet half relenting, that
Mr.. Valerino, the young exile, came to
Freneborough to give lessons in music
and in his native tongue. OF course his
supposed story fired the Peterborough
heart-the feminine auricle of it-and
all the romance of Betty,s dreams rose
tomeet it. As for the young exile him.
self, he was the very creature of ro-
mance-so tall and pale and dark and
melancholy; his immense dusky eyes
seemed full of the strange, sad men,
cries of wonderful adventure and ex.
perience in the Apennines, and on the
Campagna, and among the brigands of |
the Romagna; and the light Of heroic |
days and nights made, as one might say, |