Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-02-27

dSTSShDIC 10 utI. 1DIIlgS Went OH III
this way without any definite result IN
til Fred received a sudden summons
home on account of his mothers illness.
When he came back to renew his visit,
he insisted upon staying at the Oakville
Hotel rather than wear out his welcome
at our house, and finding remonstrance
unavailing, there he went. The land
lord (honest old Downsbury-I wonder
if he yet lives) gave Fred, at my sugges-
his best bedroom, mo. 20"-I am par
ticular in mentioning the number.
''He shall have No. 90" said Downs
bury. "Any friend of yours, Master
Augustus, shall have the best
1 have to give as longs
I'm landlord" 1t was pleasant room,
looking out On the distant hills and the
beautiful winding branch of the Black
water; but what cared Fred for scenery
he was IN the hands Of the blind god,
and could not see even as far as his
nose, except in the direction Of Bellies
cottage. [ used to go over to Fred's
room and smoke my cigar, while he,
poor wretch, expatiated on his suffer
Iings, doubts and solicitudes. Did she
love him ? that was the question which
disturbed every moment ofhis existence:
and to which, with the closest reasoning,
he could not bring himself a satisfac-
tory reply. Sometimes he thought a
word or a sign settled the point beyond
a doubt in his favor; at others he
fancied he read GOODNESS and indiffer-
ence in her eyes. In this condition OF
uncertainty he dared not press the
question lest a hasty step might bring
him to grief.
At Fred's earnest solicitation [ prom
ised to sound Belle as to her senti-
ments, if a favorable opportunity pre-
scented itself, or at any rate to let her
know, in an indirect way, that Fred was
languishing in distress on her account,
and thus give her no excuse for unne-
cessariIy prolonging his misery. 1t so
happened, however, that my services
were not called into requisition. Belle
| Bronson, because of the sudden arrival
at her house of some country cousins,
was obliged to give up her rOom-her
mothers cottage being small One-and
to occupy for single night room at
| the hotel. We would cheerfully have
offered her guests accommodation at
our house, but we were in the same
predicament. An agricultural fair In the
village had brought many strangers in
to the place, and our own guests were
so numerous that [ had given up my
room to two Of them, and had intended
asking Fred Evans to let me pass the
night with him.
For this purpose [ went to the hotel at
late hour, and proceeded at once to
Fred's room, but to my surprise found
no one there. | did not even notice that
his trunk was gone, or suspect the fact,
which afterward became apparent, that
'to oblige some lady guests for this
night only" as the landlord expressed
it, Fred had consented to give up "NO,
20" and occupy a small room in the
rear of the building. The gas being
turned up, took book to await his
return, and, hearing at last what app ear
ed to be steps approaching the room,
and, suppOsing it to be Fred, IN mo-
mentary impulse 10 play joke upon
him, / slipped under the bed, @ large
and high one, intending to initiate a Cal
! (of which animal [ knew he had a de-
testation) so soon as he entered the
room. The door opened, and / was on
the point of INDUCING in my ventrilo-
quail faculty by giving long-drawn
n1ieOaU when from my hiding-place be-
held Belle Bronson take quiet possession
Of the apartment!
My establishment was so great, and the
sense of modification so intense, that
did not, as I should have done, make
myself Immediately known to her
Thus the opportunity for discovery anC
explanation was lost. Idared not move
a hair, but hoped sincerely that some
excuse might take her out of the room
for moment, and SO facilitate my es
cape. She, however, locked the door
removed the key, and, as knew by the
sound, prepared to retire. Finally she
kneeled down beside the bed, and clasp
ing her hands and bowling her head $50
fearfully near to mine that could heal
the soft words in my very earl, she of
fered up her evening prayer in man
ner so full of feeling, and with sucf
sweet accents of Womanly tenderness
and devotion, that felt as if she was al
angel bending over the vilest of mortals
That prayer went to my heart; but one
portion of it went through it and held i
captive. Never shall | forget my feel
ings of surprise and deep emotion whel
[ heard her utter these words: "Bles
my dear mother, sisters and friends
| bless all around me, and, 0 God! bless
him [ love, Augustus Evergreen, anC
shower down thy mercies over him
Amen" "Ah, Augustus" said my di
vinity to herself, as she arose from he
devotional attitude, 'if you but knew
that named your very name in ny
prayers, you would be less indiferen
to mel"
If [ breathed short before, after thi
my breath seemed to desert me entirely
and [ verify thought that the beatin;
of my heart would betray me. Belle
pure as an angel to me then, and whit
as snow flake, proceeded to turn OF
the gas and to get into bed. felt he
soft pressure over my head, and shrunl
closer and closer to the hard floor upon
which was extended. What thought
rushed through my brain! Above NJ
lay a young and unsophisticated gil
, wholly unconscious that the one sh
loved lay so close to her, and who hat
for the first time been made aware 0
her interest in him, by hearing word
which she supposed went only t.
Heaven! | knew then that the nigh
must pass away, and the morning
come, and that Belle must first leav
the apartment before | could ventur
to change even my position.
Belle had lain perfectly motionles
for several minutes, and was, l aattere
, myself, losing herself in sleep, whe,
suddenly she exclaimed to herself
/ THERE haven't looked under tn
: heidi, A horror ran thrnroh me. all