Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-02-07

man instead OF that dear, sweet girl !?
for she. is dear, sweet girl, though
you, I can't for the life of ne see why
neither can Fred-choos yobeangry
with her" e ae FL
II didn't wish for great, stupid
young man in her place." explains
Harold, with short laugh. "That
he would necessarily have been great
and stupid only feminine logic can
prove; it's beyond me. But if AL
bert had been first, and Alberta, by
some other name, second, she wOuldn' t
have been an only child, as she is now,
petted and INDUCED in every whim and
fancy, until she imagines herself a
queen and all the world her slaves"
"You said "a princess few mo-
ments ago." says Cora, demurely.
"And perhaps she wouldn't be smil-
ing on that grinning idiot, Da;. Van
Rensselaer, they say she's going to
marry him, his fortune equaling her
own, and bis great-great- great-great-
| grandfather having been one of the
very first Dutchmen that landed on
these shores and turning away from
the fellow she has known from her in
| fancy, and who has Whoa, Ned,
keep still. Why the deuce don't she
and her train make their appearance"
They don't make their appearance,
and Cora begins to talk again.
Harold, you wrong Alberta in
deed you dc. 1t is you that are fool
ishly proud, not She. When she went
abroad, she left us rich; when she
came back she found us poor; and yet
she had only been home two days
when she sought us out. And how
did you receive her2 In the coolest
manner; and then ,raved and swore
when she was gone-you needn't con-
tradct me; Idistinctly remember two
very wicked words you said-becalse
she didn't rush into your arms and
kiss you at meeting, as She did at part
ing, three years before. Can't you un-
derstand, you horrid, splendid old boy,
that what Is just allowable in a girl
of fifteen would be highly improper
in young lady of eighteen? And
you've only called upon her once since
her return-once in six long months
and pray what did your lordship do on
that OCCASION? Scowled and growled
and snapped at Louis Vance in srch a
ferocious manner that he told my Fred
poor Fred what pity theyr re TAX
ing count on stock to-night.--he actu-
ally thought" with a little chuckle,
"you were losing your senses. And
what's more, Mr.. Harold Brown" -
~. l.I Oh; -; to- l. 4
defiantly-''I think, and so does Fred,
that it's your duty to apologize for the
way you behaved that evening. And
| don't believe she's engaged to Dan
Van Rensselaer, at all. That was only
a rumor that tloated over here from
Paris, and l see no reason why you
should accept it for the blessed truth
any more than you do the thousand
and one idle reports that are always
floating about. And. Harold, if you
really love her, why don't you tell her
so? Fred told me the moment he
found out. But there l shan't talk
any more; it's no use.
at is not" declares Harold, with
emphasis; "for unless, by some UNI
foreseen turn in the wheel of fortune,
! she become as poor as myself, and !
don't believe the wheel contemplates
any such turn, | shall never speak of
love TO Miss Alberta Lee
. Rude, obstinate, wretched boyr
scolds the little sister; 81 wash my
hands of you. If you insist upon
being unhappy, be so. Not another
word do you hear from me tonight,
for my breath is all frozen on my vail,
making it stiff and uncomfortable, and
I've reason to think, Notwithstanding
my promise to the contrary. my big
brother. I'm going to sneeze."
my darling" cries the big brother,
fumbling in his great-coat pockets.
I've another sky, or moon, or cloud.
or whatever you call it, here bought
it as | came along for fear"
Har," interrupts Cora, solemnly
eff you wrap another thing about me.
even If it be the finest gossamer. |
shall cease to Breathe and she twines
the vail she had unfolded about the
lower part of her face again, and re-
lapsed into silence
| Here she is and time, | think, 4"
says Harold, his blue eyes flashing
with no pleasant light, as laughing
party ran down the steps of the Lee
mansion and crowded into the empty
! sleigh. And, thunder and Mars, that
/ internal Dan Van Rensselaer, is 1T her
side. G'lang Ned" savagely. And
away they all start. laughing. singing,
and shouting rs Only young people
| sleigh-ridlng on fine moonlight night
can laugh and sing and shout.
An hour ride, and then a stop of
an hour or two at an Ole fashioned
country hotel--would there We're more
| of them for a dance (the sole music