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

tefeSUlnS thlngs ike this are happening
in real life all the time? Let LIE see
where was it that those people got out?"
consulting her ticket. "Upham Cor
ners-that is only ten. eleven, thirteen
miles from Patunxet. Perhaps Mar
garet Lenox may know something of
them. III ask her"
Felicia am tired of calling her
Miss Mallows, which name, besides,
seems to belle her frank. impulSive ma
ture-had her desire gratified sooner
than she had dared to hope.
Mr.. Lenox was late to tea that night,
and explained the fact by saying, Il
went four miles out of my road to see
David Dalrymple's new steam-thresher.
and, behold, when [ got there it was
locked up, and he away with the key in
his pocket. And what do you think,
Margaret had gone to be married.
Not really?"
''Really. [ tried to pump old Sally
as to the age and antecedents of the
bride, but she was deaf at once, and not
a word could | extract. Master David
had told her to have good fire and boil
a ham, and she'd got good fire and
she'd boiled the ham-that was all;
and she wasn't one 10 ask questions
about things as didn't consarn her.
Then she pinched her lips tight and be-
gan to poke the fire; and as it struck
me that the remark about things which
didn't 'consarn' people was meant to be
| personal, | gave it up and came away"
ooh dear! what dreadful woman do
you suppose has bounced on that poor
| little David? An old maid, of course, or
some happy of a widow"
II can't say as to that, but imagine
she's good looking, and that David is III
/ love with her"
Dear, what makes you think that?"
30, because of the pains he has taken
about the house. Lots of new furni-
ture, and everything redded up. He's
bought a carry-all, Sally said"
"Who is this person that you are
talking about" asked Felicia.
"a neighbor of ours-seven miles
of, to be sure, but that counts as neigh
borhood in the country. Such a nice,
clever man, Felicia, a good farmer, too,
and thoroughly respectable in every
way; but, poor fellow ! so unfortunate
in appearance-a dwarf almost, with
the head and shoulders of grown per-
son, and stunted legs no bigger than a
childs."
"Ohw almost shrieked Miss NAL
lows, " that must be my little man in
the car. | came all the way from New
Haven with him and his BRIDE" and
she plunged into a description which
left Mrs. IenOX as much excited as her
friend
81 must see her p she cried. "We'H
drive over in a day or two"
Weather was unpropitiOus, however,
and the day or two proved nearly a
fortnight. Mrs. Lenox had a double
errand, being provided with basketful
of Zonale geraniums to be exchanged
for cuttings from old Sally's famous
chrysanthemums; but when, after
knocking long time at the seldom
used front door of the farm house, they
made their way round to the kitchen,
and from thence to the family sitting
room, no one was visible, and the fire
less hearth and neatly piled books,
and papers on the table made it evident
that the apartment had not been used
of late. While they fingered and
wondered, a creaking step came down
stairs, and old Sally with a tea-cup in
her hand, entered the room. She
saluted the ladies grimly.
Thank we, Miss LenOx. I'd like
the geraniums we'll enough if I'd time
to tew round with 'em, but just now my
hands is full, without taking care of
plants, amusing Miss Dalrymple"
"Mr. Dalrymple's wife? Is she i'll ?"
" Yes, she is and she amt. Tain't
no pertikilar kind of sickness as [ can
see: but she's weak as water, and looks
bad. [ give her pennyroyal when she
fust come, thinkin' it might be she'd
ketched an inside cold on the journey;
but it didn't do no good, and she KEEP
on not eatln' nothin' and gettin' more
and more peakin', till finally she took
to her bed, and to-day Mr. David's gone
over for the doctor. He set up with
her last night She didn't want him
to, but he said he shouldn't sleep any
how, and he'd ruther. 1t don't seem as
if it need take up any time a-waitin' on
her, for she don't ask for anything
from days end to days end; but
sickness takes steps any way you fix it,
and [ hain't done much except go up
stairs and down agin these four days"
Dear me p began Mrs. Lennox.
But Felicia, moved by an impulse, broke
in.
81 think | must have come in on
the same train with Mrs. Darymple.
[ wonder if | might go up and see
her ?"
Rather to her surprise, Sally made no
objection.
"She haint said she wouldn't see
nobody, and mebbe it'll rouse her up a
bit" was her ultimatum, and Miss
Mallows ran lightly up. A door stood
half open; she tapped, and in answer
to faint Come in,'' entered the bed
room, where, covered with resplen-
dent star-patterned patchwork quilt,
lay her late feliow-traveler
The pale cheeks, from which much
Of the childish roundness had wasted,
flushed at sight of her.
Il hope you will forgive me for COM
ing up so unceremoniously, began
Felicia, speaking rapidly to hide her
own nervousness. your old house
keeper gave me leave, and-well, [ felt
sorry for you, sick and alone in a
strange place, that [ wanted to con- e.
If it tires you, you must send me
away"
The girl looked at her a moment in
silence. Then she said, "Won't you sit
down? There's chair"
Miss Mallows sat down. She was
pleasant object too look at in her olive
greens and pheasant browns, with
cheeks and eyes frightened by the
frosty air, and the invalid felt it.
You was in the car the dav | came,