Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-03-10

Z
the room rushed toward Vivian. She
had cast herself almost at full length
upon a couch, and was shaken by a
wild hysteria. Peal after peal of mad
involuntary laughter broke from her
lips.
Leave the room, gentlemen!" said
the bishops wife.
The guilty major took his way with
the rest. Tears will relieve her."
were the last words he heard. They
fell from the lips of the hostess.
Observe, john" said the bishop,
chow your inconsiderate desire for dan
gerous adventure operates upon your
fellow-beings. Mr.. Geoghaghan res
cues you at the risk of his life, and the
excitement of the story has brought
most terrible attack of hysteria upon
Miss Blake. Let this be warming to
you"
Jack shot a glance across at the ma
jOr, who replied by a rueful lifting of
the eyebrows. The glance meant,
did you teil?" and the lifting of the
eyebrows, II told, bad luck to mem To
the utter amazement of the bishop
Major Phil. Durgan, and the bishops
eldest and second sons, Jack had pre-
cisely such an attack as that from
which Miss Blake was suffering.
Unhappy boy p exclaimed the bish-
OPP, Juggling wildly at the bell rope; "the
excitement has been too much for
him."
The major stood like one dazed. The
Ho1
hope in it or Joy in it. But, for all that
the fierce throes of unconquerable
laughter were upon him. He was an
Irishman after all, and the situation
had an element of comedy. The bish-
OPP, and the bishops eldest and second
sons. and Phil Durgan, began to think
the world gone mad when, with one
helpless yell the major flung himself
into an armchair; and laughed until he
fell out of it.
Hal ha! haw came family from the
drawing-ro0n, through closed doors.
"Ha! ha! har' screamed Jack, as he
writhed upon the floor.
"Hal ha! hap roared the major, in a
voice which startled a passing wagon
er upon the high road, fifty yards
away.
1t is fact worth chronicling, that the
bishop, and his sons, and Phil Durgan
are all a little more puzzled at this
time than they were at the moment
when the amazing scene just described
was before their eyes. They are all
persuaded now that there was some
thing at the bottom OF it.
Vivian lZo10f tho Cncrot 1nuollyy ~
course Julia knew it, but she kept it.
Shamus Murphy and his wife knew it,
and did not keep it; but between their
customers and the episcopal palace was
u great gulf fixed, and the story never
passed over it.
The Major was dOubly serious after
his laughter, and begged leave to re-
tire. The Bishop accorded the per
mission somewhat stiffly. In the morn
ing the Majors portmanteau had ar
rived, and he was dressing to depart,
when Jack entered his room.
you're not going, Major?" said the
youngster, brim ming with impudent de-
light.
YES" said the Major, sadly "the
ruse was failure"
"Was it? ?" demanded Jack, holding
up letter.
The Major dashed at 1t, tore it open,
and read
'NIiss Blake presents her sincerest
apologies to Mr.. GeOghaghan for her
conduct of last evening. Will he af-
ford her an opportunity of making her
apologies personality"
Only last month Mrs. Geoghaghan,
of Ballykillrowdy Castle, being in the
act of comforting young lady whose
love-affairs were little involved, made
this remarkable statement:
give no patience with the people
that let their lovers run away from
them in novels, when a sensible word
would set the matter right at once.
And [ don't mind telling you, Lucy,
my dear, that [ met Theophilus half
way"
remember that the Majors Chris
tan name was Theophilus, and putting
this fact with the rest, think we may
conclude that the Major married Miss
Blake. Thine.
THE cheapest method to cheat the
undertaken (who is generally around
| when Coughs and Colds prevaiN is to