Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-07-10

eral topic OF conversation. Nj. de Be
land1 felt dull, having lost his guest,
and then there was the reaction and a
hatness consequent on the unusual
excitement. Besides this, Elise was
never now seen in her old haunts; when
he went to the house she was not in the
drawing groom. He feared she was
annoyed with him, and purposely
avoided him whenever she could do So
When meeting was inevitable there
was a greater reserve and an uncer-
tain manner, SO different from the old
gentle pleasantness, that it made him
unhappy.
81 don't know what ais her." com
planned the old father one day to M. de
Belandi. 'She pleased herself, or might
have done so. But she is no longer the
same girl. I was saying to her mother
wished you might call; for if any one
can rouse her or find out what is the
matter. it is yourself"
To please the poor old gentleman,
NJ. de Belandi went at once to find
Elise in a small boudoir where she
sometimes sat. He had often been
privileged to enter this room; and now,
as his knock met with no notice, he
pushed upon the door without scruple.
Elise had been crying; but as she
turned and saw him blush covered
her face, and she nervously tried to
hide what looked like a photograph,
which she had evidently been looking
at.
"What, another photograph" he ex-
all cd t,r,J fn ~ th0 Al
awkwardness he felt by a Joke. "Why,
Elise, is 1t possible that there was q
reasons for your failing to see the
charms of VILLAIN? Have you, too,
been caught by a carte-de-visite? ?"
To his surprise, instead of meeting
his joke with smile or saucy retort,
she bent her head, striving to hide her
tears, and the hand which held the pic
ture actually trembled.
"My dear, Elise. what is it? Your
father is quite unhappy about you.
You are not an undecided person; but is
it possible that you regret saying Nc ?
A lady is allowed to change her mind. "
Still her agitation seemed to increase,
and she could not keep down her sobs.
Presently she snatched her hand to her
head, stammering some unconnected
words about not being well. She forgot
for the moment the photograph, which
was by this movement exposed to view.
M. de Belandl's establishment was
great indeed to see by-a-no-means fat
tering full-length photograph of-him-
self
He stood transfxed for a few mo-
ments, while a veil seemed to be sud
denly raised from his mind, disclosing
old things which had hitherto been but
dimly guessed at, and then suddenly
hidden again. and while he was so gaz.
ing and so thinking, she looked up and
discovered what she had done.
By way of correcting the mistake she
made another; catching up the photo
graph with little exclamation of alarm,
and then, with sudden perception of
what she had done, choking her sobs,
she tried to explain "that she had been
turning out her desk, and so-and
So"
But his eyes were now bent so earn
estly on her face that she was in man
ner compelled to meet his look.
elise, is it possible ?" he whispered.
Then presently he held out his arms.
In moment she was in them, clasped
close, her tears falling softly. But a
sudden change came over her face, and
she struggled to release herself, say
ing
''Leave me Instantly You have
taken advantage of like you as a
friend, of course, but-you misunder-
stand"
"And [ love you not as a friend
Elise. l have done so. But I would
not allow it to myself even. l was too
old for you; you only thought of me as
a grave relation and mentor. [ know
now what it all means; my dread OF
losing you"
" But you urged me on" she inter
rupted. ct was your words which
nearly all induced me to consent. You
seemed to have set your heart on it,
{" Not so. Let us sit down and quick
ly talk together little" he said.
This they did, and he managed to
convince her that if her heart had been
given to him, it was not until she had
full possession of his. But how could
he, at his age, be so vain as to suppose
that ne had the shadow of chance
He had tried to stifie every feeling
bravely; too much so, indeed. But
now, surely, she would not punish him
for this? ..
The result of it all was, to the utter
surprise of M. Borno, his friend M. de
Belandi made formal proposal for the
hand of his daughter Elise. The old
gentleman had to seek for, and then
put On his spectacles before he could
believe that he heard rightly, looking
first at one and then at the other In a
way to bring up bushes as we'll as
smiles on the face of Elise. When he
really took it In, consent was fully
given, and after a little more talk be-
tween papa and mamma, they began
to wonder how it was they had never
thought of this before. So this was
why Mile. Elise had shown herself so
difficult to please.
In the course of time she confessed
that she had only given up all hope
when M. de Belandi had so urged her
to accept Villain; and in the pain of
that moment she had very nearly been
driven, in fit of pride and despair, to
follow his advice.
There was gay wedding; and when
it was over, and the Mason Pontneur
was restored to its wonted quiet, old
Name. Borno, sitting in her easy chair
after the fatigue OF the morning, ex-
claimed: "And it was all owing to a
photograph after all!'
An Epist0lary Button.
Troy Press