Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-12-03

Joe never hungles about anything"
she said.
is he friend of yours" said Mr.,
Morton, modulaung his voice tos won
derfully gentle tone.
Never mind what he is, replied
Kitty, hotly; but he's no hrnSler-of
that you may be sure"
Here she slipped away and vanished
upa dark little staircase, ana suddenly
all the charm went out of the picture.
That central figure taken away,
said MIR. Morton to himself. rs he pick
ed his way To the Comstock farm, of
course the whole effect is married but
il Was i fine interior-very fine"
That central figure" followed Mr..
Morton 10 the farm, and all the way
down to the railroad. He found Joe
Comstock up and ready to accommodate
him. and had to concede with Kitty
that Joe was no hungler; there WAS
quick capacity about the sturdy hands
that handled the reins, and natural
grace and vigor in all his movements
the little that he said WAS terse and to
the point but Mr.. Morton found him
taciturn and reserved AFTER the first
mile or two, He had yentured 10
speak Of the inmates of the cottage
II think il probable the young girl
WAS one Of the nutting party ofto-dsy.
said Mr. Morton.
"More'n likely" said Joe.
Isn't her name Benson--kitty Ben
SOM"
II shouldn't wonder if twas, said
Joe, and relapsed into gruf monosyll-
ables. The road was rough and dark,
and the drive was exceedingly di.a-
greeablc. Mr. Morton was glad to fall
back upon his memory and imagina-
ton for amusement The bit of in
terror he could recall wildly enough.
Kitty had been asleep for three hours
1T least and Joe Comstock had been
dreaming Of her under his patchwork
quilt, when Mr.. Morton reached the
city. Ii was long after midnight when
he got To the reception. and at least
one young heart had lost all zest in the
entertainmcnt-two hearts, for an old
one in the vicinity had grown exceed
ngly heavy rs the hours Wore away
Its strange Morton don't come
Madeline" Mrs Van Nleet said TO her
daughter.
YES, mamma, said poor Madeline.
Didn't he say he would he here,
Madeline"
ooh, YES, mamma; please don't say
any more about it; and then the elder
ladywalked maj estically away, the fcath-
ers upon her head nodding in mourn
ful unison with her thoughts. And at
that moment Mr.. Morton entered,
making his way ts Il group of exquis-
itely dressed and beautiful women,
who received him with enthusiasm;
there really We're SO very few available
parties that season, and Mr.. Morton
was So unexceptionabe i'll every way,
and had shown some decided inclina-
ton to range himself and make some
body comfortable in their mind about
the wretchedly uncertain and procras-
tinating future. He waS still in the
market, though his attentions had been
rather pronounced of late to Miss Van
Nleet but she was cold and reserved,
and must take her chancc-the tourna-
ment was open to all; so all these beau
their softly modulated musical voices
said charming things to the tardy arri-
val But Mr. Morton, with many
winning smile and whispered compli-
ment, went listlessly by. His face wore
that vacuous and bored expression
which is considered in society an evil
dencc of cultivation, but in truth it was
only that he was still absorbed in artis-
tic reflections. He went on to the fur
Their end Of the room, where in fever
ish, naughty, uncompromising but ago
mother had nudged and frowned and
beckoned, all to no purpose, when Mr..
Morton entered the room.
"You can ut least allow yourself to
be seen" said her mother, acrimoni-
ously.
"lfhe wants me, he can find me,
said Madeline, with Il sharp pang of
fear and distrust, which dcepcned when
at last he reached her side, and said in
the most commonplace way in the
world:
''Did you save that waltze for me?"
And when she looked up i'll his face
WIN tnflll OF .uellSnt, ana iotlnd no
response there, only that vague, list
less, dreamy expression, her own beau
tiful face grew almost haggard with the
intensity Of her emotion; it was all she
could do to keep the hot, wretched
tears out Of her eyes.
"WhY are you so absent tonight"
she said Mt last what is it YOU are
thinking Off And then, AS they were
whirling-no, not whirling, but Ian
guidly stepping about--in the waltz,
he told her Of his accident, and des-
cribed to her infinitely the bit Of int
rior which had so charmed him.
And there is Sydney, now-you'll
excuse me, won't you, If | go over to
him o.
Certainly she would excuse him.
What else could the poor girl do
Mr.. Morton led Madeline to her
mother and that ponderous female
eagerly whispered HAS he spoken,
Madeline-only tell me dear, has he
spoken
"Of course not, mamma; how could
be, in the waltz
~