Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-01-22
ONE NEW YEAR IN A THOUSAND.

QUAINT little beauty she was. They used
to call her changeling; for where she
found that Spanish face of hers, nobody
knows. Somewhere far back in her an
cestry, it may be, an old beauty be-
Queathed it; but out ola race OF blondes,
her face had blOssomed as dark and
rich as the pictures of those Spanish wo-
men, where the lovely colors seem to be
retiring every day farther into shade of
the canvass-a golden, tawny skin with
a crushed crimson OF the cheek; deli
cate features, with fine curve to the
thin nostril and a short one to the red
lip, that gave q glimpse Of little white
teeth: and great black eyes, whose flash
only the long shading lashes subdued to
soft glow. Yes, Betty Wllmarth was
a beauty, and somehow as fascinating
as beautiful; full Of innocent caprices,
that set you to wondering what would
be the next, and kept your interest
alive: with a temper that struck sparks,
but which was In the next moment, all
sweetness; impulsive, warm-hearted, a
charming, wilful piece, setting her lovers
by the ears, and making all the other
girls devoutly wish she would be mar
ried and done with it; for of course,
there was no chance for anybody else,
so long as Betty Wilmarth was round
But Betty Wilmartn was in no sort of
hurry to marry; one by one, she filliped
off her lovers lightly as thistle-down.
Petted and carressed and INDUCED to
death, as people said, she declared she
wanted neither to be an old mans dar-
ling nor young mans slave; and old
lovers consoled themselves and new low
vers took their turn. and she was heart
whole and happy, singing her Way
through life, and counting her twenty
years In the sunshine as a child might
count row of brilliant beads.
But one of these lovers was not to be
flliped off as lightly as the rest; and
that was her mothers young step-cOusin,
VIII Maunder. He had come down to
Freneboro' from his mountain home in
the deep forests, after the disastrous fire
that left him only bare rock for his in
heritance; and where, save for his
mother and some old goodies, he had
never seen a woman; and Betty struck
him as goddess might have struck a
clown. Not that Will Maunder was a
clown, by any means-his mother, a
lady who carried her ladyhood into the
woods, had attended to all that; and a
certain wild grace and rude courtesy
accompanied his every action. But he
was a brawny, long-legged, stalwart-fel-
low, for all that, and his fair face had
been sun-kissed with many a freckle,
and his fair hair cur'ed close TO his head
In tight rings; but Betty knew nothing
about any Greek head with close curs
of the same description, and would have
liked it no better if she had an idea of
the face and form and mind and man
ners that were to win ner On some dis
tant day-a day distant enough to bor-
row enchantment-a slender, knightly
shape, perhaps, perfect countenance,
long auburn locks
''disco ored, as if crown
Enclrcled them, SO trayed the baSnet where
sharp, white line divided clean the har
Glossy above, and glossy below"
She would not have liked it all, if she
had seen it SO; and ifshe had but known
1t, the massive limbs and shoulders OF
Will Maunder were much more like the
ancient knights she dreamed about than
possibly could be this absurd and puny
ideal she had set up.
"The days of cnivalry are over now,'
said Betty, with sigh.
Mighty disagreeable, cold, cherries,
dangerous and uncomfortable DAYS
you would have found Them" said
Will.
Cherries, or not, they're over"
''What makes you say SO, Betty?' he
asked, from where he sat at her teet.
ooh, because they are!" she an
swered, throwing up her pretty arms
and clasping them above her head as
she leaned it back among the honey
suckles, and looked as sweet as they.
and made poor Willis heart beat with
looking at her 'Oh, because they are!
Who would dare great adventures for
anybody now-scale castles, kill giants,
enter the dens of wild beasts"
II would-for you, Betty"
''Oh, dear me! How tired | am of
hearing you say SO! They would, for
anybody, Now, please don't, Will, any
morel There are no castles here; |
don't want anything of wild beasts;
and you re giant yourself, you know"
II wish | wasn't, Betty. I'd change
with that little hop-o'- my thumb, Fred
Sammis, if"
"Oh, that shrimp? do detest him
he's such a-such a spoon?"
II thought you didn't like slang,
Betty"
Il don't-from anybody else"
"But if you use it yourself, you've no
right"
''Oh, dear mel if only those criticised,
who were perfect themselves, what a
delightful, easy-going world it would be!
Ii seems to me, Will Maunder; that
you are always finding fault with me,
and"
You've not been used to it. | don't
see any fault in you, Betty" he added,
presently.
''Oh, there, there, VIII. Do be still
with yonr incoming! Come in and sing
this new song with me; it needs a great
rolling bass"
And so Will would go in and sing with