Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-03-07
MADGE'S COUSIN.
Cassell's Magnzi: C.

INV dear" said Mr.. Selwyn, walking
up and down and stroking his gray
beard in perplexity, III want to talk to
you about Jack"
"Ohl please, not now, Papa Selwynw
She called him Papa Selwyn when she
ment to he coaxing, and that was near
ly always.
+" But, my dear, that is all nonsense,
/ must talk about Jack some time.
Yesterday il was oh! please don't
my head il aching; and the day before,
Oil please DON'T want to go out with
Gcrty.' Come, lot us face this affair"
And sitting in the easy chair behind her
hassock, he drew up on lis knees the
hand that held the broken flower and
proceeded TO lecture his unmanageable
charge on the endless subject Of "Jack."
Madge was charming charge for any
kind old mans heart To nave. No one
could look into her large gray eyes
without seeing the great warm heart,
whose tale they told every moment;
and yet the bright quick glance and the
saucy set Of tho lips showed that Madge
had will Of her own, md with
cleyerness enough to carry it out.
This lecture on Jack was the same as
many others had been. IL consisted of
two parts, the first being devoted to
proving That she ought TO throw her
own whims and pleasures aside, and M
dutilul girl fulfill hor dying fathers
request and marry her cousin; and tho
second was an eulogium on the many
good qualities OF Jack Tcwkesbury.
"Do, Mr.. Selwyn," laughed Madge,
after he had been milking out that even
jacks awkwardness camo from m
oyerplus Of good nature: "do throw him
nj Gerty's head ns you throw him Mt
mine, and II shall make him over to
her, and they will DO happy for life
Gerty was Mr.. Selwyn's own daugh-
ter, and nj tho mention Of her name u
strange expression crossed his face
which Madge could not read.
"Throw him ut Gertys headl--whnt
words you use, child!n no oxclaimod
His annoyance for II moment escaping
his control. "lwish you had half Ger
trudo's good sense. You fnncy jack
thinks of her--is TINT III llo il the
soul of honor, and M lar M il de-
ponds ON him your fathers word will
he kept,
"Ohl Pnpa Solwyn, don't be vcxod
with me; am 80 sorryl' md her face
was hidden on his large rough hands in
u burst Of sorrow, quito childish IN its
passing intensity.
"Checr up, my darling girl" he said !;
you made u miHtake-th NIL. Why,
ono of these days you will forget poor
Papa Selwyn altogether, when you full
in love with your cousin"
"Then won't" cried Madge, with NIL
tho strength of her heart
All her life, oven 30 far back ns her
childhood, she hud dreaded tho fnto
That bound her TO marry her cousin.
When Jack Hnwkosbnry came on tho
scene and stayed on visits vt tho house,
she dslilsed and ridioulod him without
mercy Another, one like fnir-hairod
Gertrude for instance, might have nc
oepted tho inevitable and been happy;
but Madge's active and independent
nature made her run against fate. And
now there WIS only one month loft bn-
fore her 21st birthday and botrothal.
Often she told Gertrude sho wished he
would go homo and stay there; and
Gertrude would only laugh, with n
deeper lingo Of color OH her llir incc.
The girls went out but little, nm mr.
rangement against which Madge often
rebelled, believing ii was i'll some way
connected with the safe management
of the marriage with her cousin. But
there were two pleasures in prospect
now, MI afternoons boating with Jack
and friend Of his and Gertrude md
party TINT the Ponsonby Joneses welo
going To give, to which the Solwyn
family were soon 10 be invited. First
came boating Ahl TINT oyer-memor-
able day--how many years it
would take 10 make Madge forget III
There were four in the boat that passed
with the measured beat and ripple Of
jacks pnir of sculls, along by the reody
shadows md green-wooded banks Of
tho upper Thames. The two girls
shared tho cushioned seat nj the stern,
their white wooden shawls guarding
them from tho chill of the autumn
wind. Gertrude was Watching the
shores and the running ripplos, think
ing in her quiet, easy-gong why.
Madge, bright with excitement, was
talking--not with Jack, but with the
hNih-HthIdti, IHNtibIiilANu Hlhiii Nllu
was resting from his turn ut tho scnlls.
lie was charmed with the way she
chatted and listened To his tales of half
the world with u refreshing absence Of
self-consciousness. Whit would ho
have said il he hid known the thought
that strovo for entrance III her heart
Oil If Jack-awkward, laundering,
good-natured Jack-could bo changed
INTO this stranger that She called timid-
" Mr.. Fitzallen, and Jack and hcr
guardian had greeted rs Hcrhertl
AT last there was pause in tile talk.
She gave deep sigh, prompted by Il
sad longing to do right, vague fear u
first suspicion Of the change that was
coming over her impenous heart
Arc you cold Madgep' asked
Jack pulling away and bending 70 his
strong arms. Keep your shawl well
about your shoulders. And, my dear
girl, look % your steering. You have
been sending the boat into curves like
4 corkscrew only ! did not want to
disturb your ieie fefe
pnnr rn.a,. Ia,l.t G6n jrn,. tt,r