Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-04-18
A WORD IN SEASON.

The day accommodation on the Shore
Line, was making its deliberate way
eastward, curying with every curve of
the Connecticut shore, and clinging to
the waterside as though actuated by a
sentiment for coast scenery. On one
side of the track lay the blue, white
capped sea; on the other, low rolling
hills, with fairgrounds Of brown
meadow and golden sedge; over all, a
superb arch of sun-lit sky. 1t was a
delicious late autumn day, and Miss
Malows found That Husband Of Nine so
little engrossing perhaps because of
her maidenly unacquaintance with the
possessive care of that article-that she
flung it down apd betook herself to gaz-
ing from the window. She was growing
dreamy, as gazers at a rapidly changing
scene are apt to do, when q word reach
ed her ear, and aroused curiosity
enough to make her turn her head. 1t
was WOman's name, and an uncOm-
mon one" Arethusa"
The person who uttered it was a man.
His seat was on the opposite side of the
car, and little in advance of that which
Miss MallOWs herself occupied, and she
now observed that there was something
odd about his appearance. His head
and shoulders were massive and finely
formed; his face seen in profile was a
good one, with kindly eyes and strilz-
ing forehead, broad and benevolent.
But there was something dWarfish in
his attitude, and when presently he half
rose to shut the window, it became APP
parent that he was a dwarf There was
no deformity, but the large head ant
broad shoulders were balanced by
miserable pair of little legs not longer
than those of child Of ten. He was
not young, for there were grizzled hairs
about his temples and in his full beard
and altogether his appearance was half
repulsive and half attractive, and aWoke
q feeling compounded of good will and
pity so strangely mingled that it was
hard to tell which predominated.
His COMPLIMENTARY the Are
thusa " addressed, was a girl not over
twenty, of that delicate type of pretti
ness known rs American, which fades
so early, but is charming in its brief
fiower-time Her new gray suit, with
crepe lisse ruffies at throat and wrist,
and crisp feather in her hat, even the
shining red leather of her travelling bag,
and the perfectly fresh, carefully put-On
gloves, bespoke the bride, but there was
something very unbridal in the face
which these tineries surrO unded. The
eyes, blue III tint ana beautifully shap-
ed and set, were swollen with crying,
the lips quivered nervously, every YES
tige Of color had fled from the round
childish cheeks, and the hands in the
new gloves were pinched together with
a tightness like terror. Once or twice
as Miss Mallows watched, she fought
with emotion and called up wan little
smile in answer to something said to
her, but she never spoke. Her COM
paniOn on the contrary, talked inces-
sanity in low-voiced steady strain.
Miss Mallows could catch only word
now and then, and her curiosity about
the couple grew so strong that she felt
that she would pay any price to know
their story. There could be no doubt
rs to their relation, she thought; they
were husband and wife, and just marri-
ed. The little man evidently had no
thought except for his bride. Mile after
mile he talked and talked,
devOuring her with his eyes the while.
and she sat with half averted head,
never meeting his gaze or replying by
a word to any thing he said. Once she
turned and looked full at Miss Mallows
with wild appeal in her face which
was startling, but she instantly looked
away, and presently laid her arm on the
window-sill and her head on her arm,
and began to cry in still, dreadful
manner, not sobbing aloud. but trem-
bling all over with a pent-up feeling
which was worse than outbreak. The
man tried in vain to sOOth her; she re-
PEELED him gently but decidedly, and at
last he gave up the attempt, and silently
sat beside her with a grave, troubled
face.
81 shall die if | can't find out about
those people," thought the excited OBJ
server on the other side of the car.
But she didn't die, neither could she
find out. One can not walk up to per-
feet strangers and demand, Your story
or your lifer'-it is impossible. So
Miss Mallows sat still, her conjectures
afame and her fingers fairly twitching
with Impotence, till at last the train
stopped at a small-way station, and the
little man, rising from his seat-and.
alas! looking even shorter than when
he sal, said, in gentle, deprecatory
tone, "Now, Arethusa."
With that they vanished, Miss NAL
lows had one more glimpse of them,
getting into a brand-new carry-all,
which looked as though it might be a
part Of the wedding outfit, and then
the train bore her away. Her thoughts
remained behind, with the people in
whom she had taken so sudden and VIC
lent an interest.
q wonder, wonder, who they are, and
why on earth she married him?" ran
her reflections. so young and pretty,
and so evidently unhappy! And for all
her prettiness, it wasn't an educated
face, or lady's-he looked far nicer
than she. Ifeel exactly as though Ihad
dipped into the middle chapter of an
exciting novel, and then somebody had
taken away the book. What wouldn't