Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-06-03
a NOBLE GIRL.

NO. NY 4OLlRAhOO AhiD'
Bendelpool, seated in her dressing
room, with one finger pressed critically
to her lip, as she inspected two ball
dresses of blue and mauve. ~ really
think you must have new ones for
such an occasion. A girls whole for
tune is often ruined through an unbe-
coming toilet, or a faded or an ill-as-
sorted ribbon. This blue looks any.
thing but fresh in the trimmings; and,
Nora my love, though the mauve was
your choice, never did think the color
became YOU"
Nora and Glare Bendelpool were by
go means 10th 70 agree with their par
ent-new ball dresses being in perspec-
tive. Only Clare. bending forward, her
chin in her hand, wistfully suggested:
"But what will papa say to the ex
pense, mammal
''Leave that to me, dear. To use
his own words, hell never spoil the
ship for a ha'porth of tar On such an
occasion he would not have you appear
worse than your neighbors. You, Nora.
are twenty-one; you, Clare, are twenty.
1t is high time you should be establish
ed in life; and why should not one of
you be Lady Stockinham as well as
anybody else ?"
They say" remarked Clare, very
thoughtfully, chat Sir Archie is very
handsome"
Every. and so manly None Of your
insipid drawing-room dandies," said
Mrs. BendelpOol, contemptuously, of
that class among which for the last two
years she had been angling to land
suitable establishments" for her daugh-
tiers. "He has travelled until they say
he is as brown as q bum"
"Bronzed,! | fancy they said, MAN.
ma"
"Well, bronzed as bun. He has
been all over Africa, shot gorillas in the
mountains of the Moon. hippopotami
on the banks of the Nile, and, dear
man, been nearly twice eaten alive by
liens. Now ne comes to find q WIFE"
"The unheard of danger he has pass
ed through having given him sufficient
courage TO undertake SO perilous an en-
terprize," broke in a merry voice.
pray, aunt. was it the lions claws that
suggested to him matrimOny"
The speaker was young lady who
had entered unheard, and now stood,
the skirts Of Der riding habit in one
hand, while with the other she famed
herself with her Gainesborough nat.
"Vi, how incorrigible you are" ex-
claimed Mrs. Bendelpool looking
round" "As to ever finding you hus-
band | despair, you brighten every suit
or away byyour outspokenness."
Because, aunt, | never nave come
across one care to keep, laughed the
girl, dropping into chair. "Pray take
no trouble about me; L am twenty four,
so have to set myself down already as
an old maid.
elk a lassie had a lsddie,
Ne'er ane haze l, >"
she began singing; then concluded with
an "Et cetera, ct cetera," she added:
but pray, aunt, tell me about this
Amadis de Gaui, or of gorilla and hip
popotami. | confess | am curious to
know of whom all Shallowtown is talk
ing about. Remember, / am almost a
stranger here myself"
1T is simply this, vi: Sir Archibald
Stokinham, on inheriting the hall at his
fathers demise, becoming his own mas
ter, aroused by the explorations of Liv-
ingstone, determined to DO Africa. He
has done Africa, and is now returning
to settle down at Shallowtown."
"And find WIFE" broke in Vi, lat III
ing. 81 wish him every success"
'And vi" smiled Nora "may proba-
bly, carry offthe baroaet herself"
"Who, II" was the reply. ''No, in
deed; give me real born English lad,
not half-baked African. Nora or
Clare must win him, and I'll dance at
the bridal"
II would" remarked Mrs. Bendel-
pool, with sigh, ''the thing We're pro.
bable; but there's mystery about the
baronets selection of wife,"
"a mystery!" and three young faces
were turned quickly toward the
speaker.
mo less" proceeded the elder lady.
"You know he comes back with young
George Sumner, of the abbey, and that
it is the Summers who give this ball as
a welcome home to him."
eyes, yes; exactly. Go on"
"Well, this morning, when Mrs. Sum-
ner was telling me all about it she read
me her sons letter, and in it he writes,
in his lively way you know, that the
DdIUn66 Is COlllIllS 10 seek VIE, out
that the girl he selects must possess one
peculiarly rarely to be found in fash
ionable young ladies. If she fail in this
be she as lovely as possible, Or"
''Be she farer than the day
Or the fiowry meads in May"
chimed in Violet.
Gust so-he has vowed never to wed
her."
"But what is this pecullarity?" de-
manded two voices.
''That he keeps profound secret.
Even George Sumner is not taken into
his confidence further than he knows
this whlm, or what you will, was form.
ed while in Africa"
"Bahl" remarked vi, rising and toss.
ng back her brown hair. The poor
man has had a sun stroke, or his brain
is added by the heat of the tropics,
which matches ostriches' eggs. In my
idea the man is contemplate who
shows his conceit by imagining that he
has but to walk into gardan of bloom
ing English girls and select Just what
he pleases.'
my dear VIZ said Mrs. Beudelpool,
with contentious wisdom, world acQuir-
cd 1When the man is q haronet voupo