Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-09-25
KILL OR CURE.

''An old bachelor, Isaac Barton, one
Of the richest men in the state.
''A very Old bachelor?' Mrs. Rinaldo
asked.
"Seventy or Whereabouts. His neph-
ew, Harry Barton, is bachelor too age
about thirty, [ should think He sings
in our church. He has fine voice for
singing. and he is q splendid fellow. He
sill be heir to the whole estate"
Mrs. Rinaldo asked no more questions
but she turned in her winning way to
her landlord, who was driving her from
his village inn to the post Office the morn
me after her arrival ut W, and who
had taken a circuitOus road on purpose
10 show her the Barton place, the pride
Of his native town.
3irs. Rinaldo turned in her winning
way toward her host. ''After all, she
said, softly, these grand places are not
half SO attractive as the cottages III their
pretty gardens, nesting underline fine
New England elms. You have shown
great taste, Mr.. Brewster, in the way
you have fitted up the little nook for
your wife; it adds to the attra ctiveness
Of Your summer hoteln- l@5A''~''.'
Mr.. BreWster's rugged face beamed
with pleasure at these words so simply
said, but SO exactly apt in fattering his
two pet schemes. The Gothic cottage,
embowered in graceful trees of mount
ain ash, and overrun with vines Of clam
bering rose, he had built for his invalid
wife, that her care-taking spirit might
not wear out her frail, body, as it GER
talnly would In the busy inn. Then the
last words of the handsome little lady
beside him especially pleased. Only
within the past two seasons had he dared
to hope that the River House should
ever be more than ,aJvillage tavern
comfortable, respectable, and clean.
Within those two years it had been Wis
tied during the months ofJuly and Au-
gust by wealthy city people seeking a
. truly rural retreat. And now the
soul OF It's. owner and proprietor was
fired with the ambition of transforming
his modest rustic inn into, a fashionable
summer hotel 49, IS q A@-zs.@
Sydney Brewster drove on, wrapped
IN delightful reyerie. Mrs. Rinaldo
ell INTO q dreamy mood. They passed
silently through the .balmy. fields inclos-
ed on either hand in stretches Of decid-
uous forest now III sgreenest leaf, and
descended from a romantic bluff to the
level of the river, picturesquelv unnavi-
gable at this point, but serviceable for
mill-wheels far and near. A half mile
Of river road led to the railway station,
the principal village shops, and therpost
otfice--the destination Of the letters
which Mrs. Rinaldo held in her ungiov-
ed and daintil7 jeweled hand -,
Midway in this river road Sydney
Brewster became aware that certain ex-
quislte warbling sounds were breaking
from the lips Of the lady at his side,
Presently, and apparently unconscious
OF any especial presence, but inspired
natively by the summer scene. she
changed these desultory warblings into
s. deliberate set song. III vza...- .-..-.
Such songl It was only Scottish
ballad, giving IN quaint words the senti-
ment OF a rustic lover. tender, unfortu-
nate. fond, and hopelessly true but with
what heart-searohing pathos was it sun g!
At It's close Sydney Brewster: rested,
as IN 8 trance, upon his wagon bench,
having reined his horse to dead pause,
ana having given himseifto sensation
Of enthusiasm that he had never exper-
Eenced before. His great, warm, labor
hardened hands chilled with emotion;
tears welled into his eyes. ..tE
A silence followed the song. Then the
lady, with q silvery laugh just tremulous
enough to give graceful portanaerato from
sensitive song to common speech said,
I'VE must not linger like this, my good
friend, or my letters will be late"
Ihe countryman grasped the reins
again, and gave speed to his horse.
On, bat you sing SOP he said And on
their return home, by the shorter way
through the village street. he did not fail
TO insist: My folks must hear you sing.
Our dominic must hear you. That song
IS good enough for a Sunday. And Mr..
Harry Barton, If he comes to town-meet-
ing next week, as / don't doubt he will,
must hear it too"
Mrs. Rinaldo replied, hesitatingly:
II could not sing that song for strangers,
you know, but I'll sing it any time YOU
like for you or for your wife if stay -
''You mnst stay" said Mr.. Brewster,
with a warmth IN which mercenary in
terest had nopart. Pp
NNth Suul1uer reached MIDI ulV,
and the season of summer boarders was
at It's height, music had become an alb
sorbing attraction at the River house.
The bewitching Mrs. Rinaldo, with her
extraordinary gift, drew around her,
evening after evening. not only the
trancient guests. but the resident village
people. Her duets with Mr.. Harry
Barton became famed. Even the girls
who secretly adored that splendid
fellow" and who suffered keen dread
Of the strangers potent fascination,
yielded to its spell, and grouped them
selves admiingly around. AS for Har-
ry Barton himself, it was rumored that
his light heart, free and glad as bird
ana hard to win, was already drawn in
&c this ensnaring charm.