Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-12-05

prophet e iHstE,4 - Fiflfi. &
Without waiting for an answer. he
bowed and disappeared amid the throng
of dancers, seeking her no more that
night.
! is Miss Chassdane engaged TO that
MANI" he questioned Of his friend Nor
ton.
81 believe there is nopositive engage
ment," was the reply. 'Mrs. Chass-
dane, it is said, objects to it."
Con what score does she object?
Money!"
"Oh, no; Stonor has small, compact
estate close by, and is we'll off. On the
score of his uncertain health. Also,
they are cousins"
What is it that is the matter with
him."
''Some complication, connected with
both the lungs and the heart, which, l
conclude, renders treatment difficult"
for him?''
II don'tthink she loves him, Edbury
if that's what you mean. Itseems to
me that shelikes him more as a brother!
When eligible attentions are paid to
girls they feel flattered you know, and
respond accordingly. Nine out of ten
Of them understand nothing of their
own feelings, and mistake friendship
for love. Robert Stonor and Miss Chass-
dane have grown up together-have
been like brother and sister"
Frequently they mot after that. It
was unusually gay season at Spatield,
and entertainments abounded accord
inglv. In the morning drinking the
water, or making believe to drink it; in
the afternoon sauntering in the gar
dens, or on the parade; in the evening
at the rooms, or at private parties; two
or three times did Mr.. Edbury and Miss
| Chassdane meet. and linger together,
and converse with each other. Robert
| Edbury's time was his own, and he
stayed on. He could have stayed for
ever. The two or three weeks sojourn
he had intended had more than doubled
itself. For he had learned to love her
passionately; and all the world might
see it for aught he cared. She, too,
might,see it if she chose; but whether
she did or not, he could not tell, judg
ing from the grave and sweet dignity
with which she met and bore back his
eager attentions. & So 1ASE
At length there camean evening when
he was determined to put his fate to the
test; to 60 on in this uncertainty was
worse than torment. They had not been
much disturbed by Robert Stonor; a
paroxysm of his complaint had con-
fined that gentleman to his own home.
And so Robert Edbury went up to
the old gabled house, before which his
horse had halted that first night, and
sought an interview with Miss Chass-
dane. She was quite alone. The long
French window by which she sat was
flung wide open, and the low, red sum
light, streaming in over her, lighted up
her fair, gold hair and the roses in her
dress.
Chow beautiful she is !" he thought,
as he took her hand to his. "What if |
should not win her after all? But [ will
make hard fight for it,"
Jessie looked up inquiringly into his
face. "You are very silent" she said;
and then, catching the earnest look in
his eyes, she blushed violently and drew
away her hand. st2< e AS
II love you," he passionately broke
forth in a low, tremulous tone, breaking
his emotional silence. "Ihave come to
you this evening to risk my fate by say
ing this, to win or lose all. Jessie, you
must know how | love you; how have
loved you all along, from that very first
night that | spoke to you, neither of us
knowing the other. Will you not give
me some hope of love in return? Do
not send me from you an utterly broken
and discouraged man.
Jessie was silent for a monochrome
long, cruel momen to Robert Edbury-
then the small sweet face was turned
to him with gentle dignity. He knew
his doom beforehand ere she spoke the
words.
"You must know how useless it was
to speak to me of this" she said. "You
knew, surely you must have known,
that l was engaged to my cousin, Rob
ert Stonor."
"Enoaged to him ?"
eyes. We are engaged"
! Neither spoke for time. The scent
of the flowers, blooming in the lonely
grounds on this side of the house, away
from the dusty and busy highway,
seemed to mock them with its sweet
ness; the clustering shrubs and trees
waved gently in the summer evening
breeze. So @@
He could not speak at once; the sense
of this bitter loss was too great. The
setting sun streamed in upon him,
lighting up his distressed face. 1t
seemed to him that the great old-fash-
Toned clock in the hall licked out the
| jeering words:
Lost Lost Lost !
Engaged p he said, at length, with a
long drawn breath. II did not know
it. But engagements, where no love is,
have been broken many times before
now ~
"Hush r' cried Jessie. ''Do not speak
like that again. 1t would kill him !
You do not know what you are say
ing"
xiii him !"
eff he heard it, | meant. He says he
trusts me-"
"And you are sacrificing yourself for
him for a fancy! Hear the truth,
Jessie. You care not for Mr. Stonor.
except as cousin or brother. Elk
anime your own heart. and it will tell
you that you do not. You care for me.
You love me- Many half word, half
look has betrayed it to me. Yes, my
darling, it is Robert Edbury you have
learned to love, not Robert Stonor.
Your bushes, my love, are betraying it
now. YOU
''What was that ?" shrieked Jessie.
| A low, smothered sound, half groan,
half cry, had come in from the open
window. 1t was so full of pain that a
man would not care to hear it twice in