Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-01-23
ONE NEW YEAR IN A THOUSAND.


to call her a 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 golden, taWny skin with
n crushed crimson on the cheek; deli
cate features, with a fine curve to the
thin nostril and short one to the red
lip, that gave glimpse of little white
teeth; and great black eyes, whose flash
only the long shading lashes subdued to
soft glow. Yes, Betty Wilmarth was
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,
bat which was in the next moment, all
sweetness; impulsive, warm-hearted, q
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 Wilmarth 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
illiped off as lightly as the rest; and
that was her mothers young step-cousin,
Will 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 d
clown. Not that Will Maunder was a
clown, by any means-his mother,
lady who carried her ladyhood into the
woods, had attended to all that; and
certain wild grace and rude courtesy
accompanied his every action. But he
was brawny, long-legged, stalwart-fel-
low, for ali lhat, and his fair face had
been sun-kissed with many freckle,
and his fair hair curled close TO his head
in tight rings; but Betty knew nothing
about any Greek head with close curls
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, Il perfect countenance,
long auburn locks
''dlscolored, as if a crown
Encircled them, irayed the baSnet where
sharp, white line divided clean the hair;
GLOSSY above, and glossy below"
She would not have liked it all, if she
had seen it SO; and ifshe had but known
It, the massive limbs and shoulders of
viii 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 chivalry are over now"
said Betty, with Il 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
tsked, from where he sat at her feet.
ooh, because they arep 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 Wills 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"
Il would-for you, Betty"
ooh, dear mel How tired / am of
hearing you say so! They would, for
anybody, Now, please don't, Will, any
more! There are no castles here; [
don't want anything of wild beasts;
and you're giant yourself, you know"
Il wish | wasn't, Betty. I'd change
with that little hop-o2my-thumb, Fred
Sammis, if"
ooh, that shrimp? do detest him
he's such a-such a spoon?"
Il thought you didn't like slang,
Betty"
Il don't-from anybody else"
But if you use it yourself, you've no
right"
ooh, dear me! if only those criticised,
who were perfect themselves, what a
delightful, easy-going world it would be-
1t 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, Will. Do be still
with your incoming! Come in and sing
this new song with me; it needs great
rolling bass"
And so Will would go in and sing with
her, his voice trembling as he heard
hers; would go out and walk with her,
to be left for the next gallant that sought
her side: would be her abject slave,
waiting on her least wish and every
breath, and would get no thanks for his
pains.
"' ~ isn't it enough for him that l
Ii. MIN as he is?" she would say. "He's
all very we'll as cousin-a little too
good as step-cousin; but | should as
soon think of falling in love with satvr.
He's like the great Newfoundland, al
WAYS tumbling at your feet" And so
she would go on, while sac looked in the
glass at night and made her toilet for
sleep-the only time the little witch had
for much confidential conversation with
herself-and lightly troubled by the