Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-02-17

then he allowed himself to be coaxed in
to consent. saw her slip her small
hand into his in her thanks, then, amid
gay speeches and merry laughter, he es.
corted them to their Carriage.
We'll, Janet" said Mr.. Chisholm. a
little later, with sudden change of man
ner, what do you think of Miss Raw
mond?"
II think she is very lovely, sir" I an
swered, quietly, ''and must congratulate
You on your future happiness.
He arched his heavy eyebrows comic
ally.
Won't she make my home happy?'
he cried. Wont she be a patient
| Griselda? She'll never give a thought
to other mems admiration after the knot
IS tied-no, not she! And she'lllook well
at the head of my table; these large
women make much better appearance
than small ones do.
PLEASE do not speak so; wish YOU
wouldn't. Indeed it is not honorable, :"
| broke in.
he walked over to my desk, looked at
me with queer expression.
'Oh, pray continue! BY all means
show me my duty to my future wife, nee
| MISS Helen Raymond Janet, you GER
| family missed your vocation; Won should
have gone in for the pulpit or the plat
form; those demure eyes would surely
| have gained You many convert. Now,
| by way of n reward for your defence of
the absent, let me tell you that her part
ing advice was to get rid of YOU as soon
1 nnSSfhla ruD,,ll l. l.
more useful" Suddenly LAYING his hand
| over mine. pen and all. "What do Won
know about how much in earnest / could
be? There-don't be prudish-I shan't
hurt your Then, abruptly walking
away, ''Bahl you women make grand
mistakes sometimes. in spite of your
Wanted intuition. / could swear love
my future wife with my whole heart
and must positively be paid by the 18th
of the month.
lifted my head in amazement at the
Sudden change in his voice. Mr.. Jarvis
stood in the doorway.
For all Mr.. Chisholm's assertions /
| would not have changed places with Miss
| Raymond; better be his clerk and be
treated respectfully, than be his wife and
be sneered at.
After this he was away from the Office
a great deal, and when in it was full of
plans for the future. ] was n good deal
puzzled by his manner; sometimes he as
sured me of his love for his future wife.
and expressed great hopes for his happi-
ness, then again, would sneer at her
friyolousness, being gloomy and sarcas-
tic; still he was uniformly kind to me, and
| felt sorry to see him so tossed about by
inward hopes and fears.
One night as was getting ready to go
home he snid abruptly:
"My wedding day is drawing near;
will you come to the church to see me
married, Janet?"
''No, sir, ] answered, II think not:
you know holidays are rare, and if have
one ON that day no doubt [ shall find
| plenty to do at home, and you viii be
married just as happily without my pres
ence.
''No, won'tl' he cried vehemently
Promise you'll come, promise, Janet
or declare I'll keep you here till you
do"
His face was flushed; the hand that
barred my way actually trembled. / was
astonished, but not afraid.
''If you really wish me to come, Of
course viii do SO, f" said, smiling at his
earnestness.
Thank you, do. Good night, Janet;
you are a good little girl; the bride shall
send you an extra large slice of wedding
cake. And this extraordinary man
bowed me out with smile.
The next day was Sunday. Meta and
| were enjoying sweet, pure Farrar,
| when our small servant made the unpre-
| cedented announcement:
"A gentleman for you, miss, waiting
in the hall.
Much surprised, I went down. At the
foot of the stairs stood my master, hat in
hand looking sallow, gloomy and cross.
evil you do something for me?" he
began, abruptly, without even offering
his hand. "Put on your things and
came to the Park with me- Don't he
piudish: let Miss Raymond go to the
| dickens" (only it was a stronger word
''for to-day, and come help me get rid Of
the gloomy thoughts that have been
Fostering me ali day Come. Janet, ]
want YOU If you refuse. I'll just sit
down here on this step and stay the rest
Of the afternoon, and think, !" grimly.
entertaining me ont of doors will be the
easiest.
He was fully capable of Ike eping his
word; he looked i'll and unhappy. / sud
denly resolved / would go with him;
was not, could not be, afraid of him, my
love was too thorough for that, and ]
might win him TO better mood; but
also resolved, with swift consciousness
Of my own weakness that it should be
the first and last time After all, it
would be better for me when Mr. CHS
! holm was married.
BY the time we reached the Park he
was more amiable. Sitting on the plat
form of the tower. we two alone, he told
me the story of his life. His father died
7 suddenly while Miles was at college,
preparing to graduate; he had been re-
called to darkened home, to find, when
affairs were settled mp, that the business
was in very bad condition. College
was given up, and he devoted all his
energies to paying off his fathers debts,
and keeping his delicate mother and
sister in MS luxurious style as before the
failure. 1t had taken TIE best part of
his life, aud, just as fortune really came
within his grasp, death claimed his dear
ones, and he was left alone His expert
ence Of life and people had not inspired
very great trust in his fellow beings.
/ pitied him with all my heart; tears
were in my eyes when he held out
both hands with wistful eyes and said,
earnestly:
"Once more life begins to look bright
I am being educated in goodness and
purity; you are doing it, my little Janet,
with your sturdy honesty and simple,
pure womanliness. Oh, child, you can
never know the world of good vou have
done me, the new light and life that has
come to me with your dear presencel
With You | nm good, my evil temper is
exercised. / want you--I want you for
my own wifei Don't send me away! 1t
will be a sorry day for your master, my
darling, if you refuse to marry him. /"
| ''But Miss Raymond, | gasped,
shrinking from him. "You are engaged
to her
II am mott never was" he broke In,
eagerly "Miss Raymond is nothing to
me. Did you think ! could marry such
woman, Janet, with you before my
eyes? / have never made love to her;
she knows would never marry her.