Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-09-30

turn my eyes resolutely away, an,
look through the open windows mex
door. 1t is fairy scene. Curtain
of foamy lace part and wave back
revealing glowing pictures, and pal
pure statues, all cleaning from
among masses of deep cool green
Everything that money can procur,
to sdd enchantment to the scene il
there and the bright faces see
though little burnt from the morn
ing picnic on the beach, are be.
witching in their gayety. l see AL
lies dark head, with its one white
rose, floating about in the light. She
has been with me most of the day
but l insisted upon her going over
tonight: l watch Maude smiling
among her guests. Why did l moi
go? | am perfectly aware that / am
acting like child, and yet my obsti.
nate mood continues. When Maude
begged me to go, | said, bitterly, q
am paid to do my work here-not to
enjoy myself 7 And when she
showed me the folly OF this excuse
as my duties surely do not last all
day. said, No one wants me:
shall only be in the way, l would
rather not GOT Then, when Mr..
Murray said, 'Maude, do not press
Miss Lowell; she is quite right to
stay at home if she prefers it, | bit
my lips hard, and vowed to myself
that | would not go-and l have
kept my determination. Mrs. Weaver
used all her persuasions in vain
even little Alice has gone. | saw
her run off toward the Myrtles Just
now. Isabel and Allie implorad me
in vain, and Isabel smiled as she
went. | know they all despise me,
and think me silly child, and | can
give them no reason for my conduct.
But | will be honest with myself. Il
is because | cannot bear TO see him
with Isabel cannot bear to move
in the fairy scene which | feel he has
coDjured up for her. l draw back
suddenly and hold my breath, for
they are passing under the window.
Mr.. Murray is talking in a rapid,
earnest way, quite unlike him,'I have
looked forward to it for SO long, he
is saying do you think / would
have tried so hard to make every
thing beautiful tonight, if it were
not for My mind easily fills up
the blank, though 1 hear no more.
what fool | have beenr l say,
with burning cheeks. Never mind
We all separate to morrow, and | 60
back with Allie. l hear steps out
side, and have barely time to seize
book when they enter.
'We have come to try again to in
duce you TO join our party Mr.. Mar.
ray says. twisting his hands as he
stands before me.
Again ? | ask, in what l imagine
to be very cutting tone; Il was not
aware that you had tried before
Only because l was sure my per.
suasions would mot sr,ail. where 9TH
ers had failed, he said, win a .litfsr
stir visible in his habitual calm.
= HHSabel's. for instance / say, and
glance at her. She is standing e:oct
and graceful by me with the delicate
folds of her pale green silk lying still
about her feet, and her stately head
rising out of mist of creamy lace.
How well she suits that splendor
yonder, | think, and look down at
the shabby brown dress | have
scorned to change since morning. Is.
abel is looking at me with a peculiar
expression-a sort of quizzical amuse.
ment. 1t makes me indignant. Il
prefer my solitary quiet | say, de-
oisively, 'to everything beautiful next
door,
Mr.. Murray moves quickly to.
wards tho door, but Isabel puts her
hand gently on my shoulder. 'We
hate to leave you here alone she
says; even Mrs. Weaver ia next
door. Think better of it, dear, and
come"
| shake her hand off roughly. Il
usually mean what l say--I prefer
to be let alone land as they leave
me and go in among the dancers
next door. feel that have lowered
myself. l have acted throughout
from impulse. Have you good
heart ?'--again l hear the calm ques.
ton, and Indignation, grief, disap.
pointment and shame overwhelm me
and | sit and moan to myself in the
dim room.
Now l go out to cool my hot
cheeks. All the strollers have gone
in now, for it has grown strangely
chill, and the sky is very dark-but
| glory in the wild breeze that has
sprung ur, and fly along the beach
like spirit. Suddenly | remember
that l have not seen Alice return,
and start # swiftly towards the
Myrtles. Surely the child cannot
have fallen asleep! | take the route
along the beach, for the heavy sand
further in makes fast walking diff.
cult. Then l make a straight cut
across the rocks, and in towards the
Myrtles. Alice is not here. | search
through all the bushes and spreading
paths, but with the same result.
Then low, moaning sound strikes
my ear-s strange murmur. l look
back and see that a white sheet of
foam has spread far up on the beach
over the path [ have taken. The
sky is inky black, but the light from
the Murrays' windows spread far
enough for me to see that the waves
are creeping up in their awful white.
ness, almost to the door. One path
still remains to me--the path Isabel
and Mr.. Murray took q while ago,
across the sands. I do not under
stand such tide at this hour, but |
make a rapid calculation. and decide
that this must be the gale predict.
ed for the month of September.
And, as if in answer TO my thought,
the wind seizss on my skirts and
whirla tharn fnriOueIvy ahont Tho