Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-08-01
ESTABLISHED ls43.
VOL. So, NO. u.
AUNT FANNY STORY.
BY MAY MAPLE.

and come OF the accomplishments con-
sldered necessary to a practical edu-
cation. To put on finish attended
flrst-class seminary for year. or
more.
That year, how many stories it
might tell of lives made miserably
unworthy of their possessors j; of lives
begun amidst the loftiest aspirations,
and the sternest resolves, but ending
in the deepest, darkest despair.
While attending school in my ma
tive village | bad paid but little at
tention to the would-be beaux, for
was determined to give my whole at
ton to the "getting of knowledge"
But | had not been at T. SEM
mary week before / encountered a
pair of the most bewitching black
eyes that my own blue orbs ever be
held. For an instant / seemed to be
perfectly fascinated, riveted to the
floor, SO fixed was their gaze upon my
own face. Suddenly their owner
seemed TO become aware OF their
rudeness, and at once turned his at
tention to something else.
The following day found us class
mates, and, although the sexes were
notsallowed to address each other, be-
fore night we had been formally in
troduced.
Henry Steele was pronounced to
be the best student in the institute !;
also the handsomest and most fasci-
mating gentleman to be found for
miles around. Amiable and active,
with a good moral character, he was
a general favorite wherever be went.
The girls were all anxious to win
his regards. but he treated each
young lady with the same marked DO
likeness, and none could tell which
lady-fair was the favorite one. Where
all pronounced him the beau ideal of
PERFECTION, what wonder that 1, a
simple village maid, should gaze upon
Elm with admiration, and then with
love-beaming eyes. articularly
when, after a six months'acquaintance
he confessed his love for me and
vowed eternal fidelity.
If rhetoric and the ologies and ONE
tries received my attention, there was
another study that claimed more of it,
and which was not named in the prin-
cipal catalogue. For six months
was Supremacy happy.
If Harry was not constantly at nv
side, was not my desk crammed to
overlooking with gilded and perfumed
note paper, which was covered over
and over with passionate avowals of
devotion to my fair self? And were
not those same professions clothed in
the most beautiful language that could
be expressed in voiceless words +? Yet
with all this happiness filing my soul,
| never neglected my studies. The
midnight lamp, yes, and the early
dawn, found me hard at work at my
lessons.
| had an object in view worth all
my efforts to win. Once / had studied
for the sake of the knowledge should
need to win me a favored seat amid
cultivated people. Now desired his
commentator to make myself his
equal, and to be worthy of his love,
was the height of my ambition. To
love him was part of life. He
seemed part of my very self. Not
a thought, not an aspiration had l
but in some way was connected with
him. If doubt ever entered my
mind that be might prove recreant to
his vows, l drove the thought away
as unworthy of him and of myself.
Judge then, if you can, what my
feelings must have been when, on a
bright September morning, my room
mate handed me paper, at the same
time pointing to the list Of marriages,
and | beheld the name of "Henry
Steele to Miss Ida Sumner" at the
head of the column. I did not cry
out nor FAINT, for l did not believe my
eyes.
But an hour had not passed before
we'll known tinted envelope was
handed to me; how Rugged it to
my heart, feeling, oh, so sure, my
Harry was not false to his oft-repeated
vows. AS soon as l had entered the
privacy of my chamber, ! tore off the
covering of the little note and read !:
"DARLING FANNY: Forgive me
for the step am obliged to take, fol-
it is only you that / love, and be as.
sured that your suffering will olly
equal my own. When you receive
this l shall be welded to one for
whom / have only commonplace re-
gard. But unless | do this unholy
deed my father will be bankrupt,
and he declares that he will commit
suicide unless | consent to save him
by marriage that has long been con-
templated by our parents. Forget
one who is unworthy of your true de.
votion. Your unhappy
HARRY.
/ remember putting the note with
the rest of those | had almost wor
shipped. Then there was a blank in
my lite.
When next | realized my wherea
bouts / was at home, and stern old
winter was holding carnival. l re,
covered from my illness very slowly
For many months l fingered seeming.
ly on the brink of the grave. Though
the very best physicians were sought
they could not effect cure. / had
no ambition to recover. No desire to
60 forth into the gay world to
mingle with society. Not a single
object in life could l see that was
worth effort. My parents were in
good circumstances, so had no need
to exercise my faculties for self sup.
port; physicians needed the support
their visits demanded, and as long as
| was considered an invalid, nothing
would be required of me in the way
of dong for others / grew thor.
oughly selfish. / seldom saw anyone
but the members of our own family.
Books aud papers / thoroughly hated
even kept the sunlight from my
room. l could not endure its cheer
full brightness to shine and make all
the world bright, when there was