Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-09-13

Fef1ncatlOn OF my pet theory.
A year rolled around, and found me
sitting in my ph@ton at the village rail
road station, waiting for the train which
would bring me Laura and her baby
Womanly Laura wife and mother.
Will she envy my happiness? For of
course [ am happy. Ought not any
woman to be happy, who is proving that
she can live without the old, old story y
of loving and being loved? A woman
who has never a thought of a tiny box,
containing a picture and a few faded
flowers.
The train was coming. Ny beautiful
snow-white pony pricked up his ears at
the whistle. The bright-eyed Esqui-
maux dog, with long, silky, hair sat up
on the seat beside me, in proud display
of his pink satin collar while my noble
Newfoundland, Bruno, came now and
then, with joyous bark, to receive a
caress.
The train had arrived and gone, and |
drove away from the confusion Of the
station with Laura and Laura's baby at
my side.
aren't they beautiful? ' I said after
awhile, glancing at my pony and the
two frisking dogs.
Laura's great blue eyes looked into
mine, and she said,-
40, Katherine! If these things sat
isfy and make you happy, [ pity you. [
would not give my baby for all the dogs
and ponies in the world"
The mother-eyes gazed at the small
precious bundlesin her lap. There was
brief pause between us, and then we
turned into the grounds about my
home. While Laura was lost in adj
miratiOn we arrived at the house, which
was an odd arrangement of verandas,
bay-windows, balconies and vine-cover-
ed porticos We alighted on the terrace,
and as the man led away the pony, we
entered my abode.
Welcome, darling" [ said, to the
home of my choice"
We had tea in the west room, where
we might view the sunset. The wide
glass door opened into garden OF fra
grant flowers which were sprinkled by
the spray from a small marble foun-
tain. Two beautiful Maltese cats sat
one on each side of me on the floor, and
the dogs gamboled in the garden. Sew
eral canary-birds trilled their sweetest
notes from their cages In the bay
windows, and were answered back by
the blackbirds and robins in the elms.
Laura was delighted, but her life de-
votion shOne calmly and undisturbed in
her eyes. After tea, we wandered into
the drawing-room, and | showed her all
my pictures. Then | sang to her the
choicest songs [ possessed. She said it
pleased her so to hear me sing again. |
wonder if she knew that the lullaby she
coOed to her baby in the twilight was far
sweeter than the most artistic music in
my portfolio will not dwell on all
the incidents of that visit The days
passed swiftly, and Laura's husband
came to take her home. He could not
spare her longer. | said goodbye"
and tried to smile triumphantly, while [
whispered in her ear
" You see my theory is a success"
My attempt was an utter failure for
Laura answered.
" Kate, you are not happy. Your
eyes betray you. Everything is beauti-
full, but, darling, you need the old, old
story"
Ny pride would not let me assent to
those friendly words, so [ Strengthened
myself up, and exclaimed, as three years
before
"Never !"
Then L broke down completely, and
Laura put her dear arms around my
neck and kissed me, and [ cried like a
child, and Laura cried, too. Then few
parting words, and / was alone again.
Alone! 1t was only the middle of the
morning, and | went about attending to
my pets and household duties. After
lunch [ took Bruno and vert up to my
room. The sky had been cloudy all
day, and now the rain had begun to
fall. 1t grew very dark, and the wind
blew fiercely, and slammed the shutters
against the house. | paced to and fro
followed by the patient, faithful Bruno
[ heard the little waiting-girl down
stairs singing over her dishes. [ went
to the mirror and surveyed my pale
face and dark, mournful eyes Then /
took a small key from my watch-chain
and unlocked the tiny box that lay in
the drawer Of my escritoirer, but could
not open it. The key clicked in the
lock. | closed the drawer. The rain
beat piteously on the window pane. [
sat down in low chair, and Bruno
came and put his head in my lap. [
laid my face on his head and sobbed
from the depths of my loneliness. All
was this my boosted happiness? The
honest brown eyes looked up with their
intelligent, almost human, sympathy,
but still [ wept There was a ringing
of the bell. I wondered who could
have come in the storm. [ heard the
little maid usher some one into the
drawing-room. Then she tripped up
stairs to my door, and informed me
that strange gentleman was down
stairs, but had sent up no card. Send
| ing word that | would come presently, |
dashed cool water on my burning face,
and smoothed my hair Then | de-
scended the stairs, but paused at the
open drawing-room door. Could [
make mistake after six years alb
sence the one whose face the tiny box
had held so long?
Again [ heard the old familiar voice,
though all it uttered was Kate ~
went right to him l cried,-
40 Harry! l treated you shame
fully. Will you, can you, forgive
me?"
He took me in his arms, and said,-
That is thing of the past. have
hoped on in silence, working and wait
ing for the time when [ could come and
find you, praying that you might be
/ kept for me. [ am now we'll started in
Gfe's struggles, and ask you, Kate, may
[ claim you? VIII you be miner