River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-04-07
Don CARLOS.

and terrier-whom | had trained from
early puppyhood and made the con
slant companion of my frequent artist
rambles III the country.
Not that | was an artist by profess
sion-oniy IN IN amateur sort of way,
when / happened to have little leisure
on hand. On these occasions it was
nv custom to run down to a certain
picturesque village in that prettiest of
the South of England counties, Surrey,
and there, accompanied by Don Carlos,
indulge my taste for sketching the
beauties Of nature.
/ had with much pains and labor
taught the pup to keep watch over my
sketch-book and otEer paraphanalia,
while moving my camp-stool about.
He was. must confess, rather dull
and slow IN learning; but an accom-
plishment once acquired, he never for
got, and / firmly believe would have
died at his post rather than desert the
least scrap of paper Entrusted to his
care.
1t was on one of these Bohemian ex-
cursions that | became acquainted
with my first love-my beautiful Inez
She was the only daughter and heiress
of the late Honorable j. Poythess, and
ward of his brother-in-law, Squire
Wingfield, Of Wingfeld Manor, in the
neighborhood of which / was sojourn-
ing.
She was barely seventeen, just eman-
cipated from the jurisdiction of gov
erness and tutors, and Overlooking with
poetry. What wonder that we two q
! : Il g,f Il
twenty should have recognized each
other rs cOngenial spirits, and sprang
ut once into that magnetic sympathy
of soul and heart-cOmmunlOn which
only natures such rs ours could know?
On my first visit to the manor, the
old squire received me politely enough;
but as my calls became frequent |
could not be blind to the fact that he
perceptibly cooled, and at length be-
came barely civil.
The cause of this | soon discovered
to be the marked attention paid Inez
by a certain middle-aged and wealthy
widower the prospective heir to a
baronetcy.
In view Of this desirable alliance, the
squire took every means of dlscOurag-
ing my attachment to his niece; and
finding this useless, at length plainly
desired me to discontinue my visits to
her, since he could never consent to
her marrying me, and, moreover, had
other views IN regard to her.
Under these cruel circumstances,
what was left rs but to meet in secret?
Attached to the manor was small
park, and here Inez and myself con-
tr,,.ol to llrr n0ph thor
until, my holiday coming to an edd, L
was compelled to return to the city.
In these interviews, Don Carlos had
invariably been present, and Inez, in
consistency with the old adage. Love
me, love me dog" had noticed and ca
ressed him, until the dog appeared to
attach himself more to her than to me.
So when compelled to tear myself
away, | made her present of the
creature, to be reminder of me IN
my absence, and faithful companion
in her henceforth solitary IA bles in
the park. And then, with innumera-
BILE VOWS, we parted, promising to re-
turn in as short a time as possible, and
by fair means or foul secure ner for
my wife.
Unfortunately, | was, Immediately
on my return to the city, dispatched
to America on some business connect
ed with the affairs of our firm, and it
was nearly Il year ere | had an oppor
tunity of revisiting Lynham and keep
ing my promise to lnez.
| found that though she had not
dared venture upon correspondence,
she had been true to me. In our first
delicious interview, Contrlved after
much schemipg, she told me how I'M
utterablv wretched she was, how her
cruel and unfeeling uncle wished her to
marry Colonel Grisby-the afore-men-
toned heir to he baronetcy-and how
She was certain that if this state of
things were to continue much longer
her heart would break, and she would
be doomed to till an early grave.
And, in despair at the thought of los
ing my beloved, proposed an mined
late elOpement, to which she, without
hesitation. assented observing, with
sweet disinterestedness, that, though
she wouldn't claim her fortune ur.il
she were eighteen, yet that we could
meantime live blissiully happy in IL
cottage upon bread and cheese. and
water
Unfortunately upon our plans, our
interview had been discovered, and
thenceforth | in vain sought meeting
with her. | succeeded, however in
sending her note, in which
implored her to let me know
when she would be ready for an elope-
ment. and at what hour and place to
meet her with a travelling carriage.
In reply. She babe me 90 each day
toa certain ancient oak tree in the park,
in the hollow of which, about six feet
from the ground, | would some time
find note informing me of the exact
time and spot for the meeting.
And, lest my visits to the tree should
be observed and excite suspicion, was
not 10 approach to closely unless | saw
a sprig Of holly projecting from the
aperture in the trunk. This would be
token of the presence Of the note.
Thenceforth each evening saw me ON
pilgrimage to the tree in question.
Disguised as a sportsman; with bag and
Gun. | wandered about the adjacent
fields until satisfied that the coast was
clear for a secret entrance INTO the park,
when would hasten within sight of the
fateful oak. only to retire, in disappolnt-
ment on pereeiving the absence OF the
token agreed upon.
Either Inez had not matured her
plans. or else was too closely watched
to permit OF her depositing her letter
in the appointed place.
And thus. ON each evening, | return
ed TO my inn rs | had left ii, with gun
and bag but minus bird or rabbit, to be
greeted with the secret jeers Of the vul-
Gar rabble, and to Overhear low Jokes
passed upon the ''cockney sports.
Blu. at leugth-ah, what tumultu-
Gus throb thrilled me at the sight
discerned projecting from the small
hollow of the old oak Il tiny sprig OF
holly.
fastening my steps, was somewhat
surprised on beholding at the foot OF
the tree dog-a good-sized, spirited
looking dog, which, at a second glance
recognized rs my old protegee, Don
Carlos.
The dog eyed me as l approached
at first inquiringly, then doubtfully
and finally with low, warning growl
Had he forgotten his old master
But. no! for, as | called to him, he
wacged the tip Of his stumpy tail il
recognition, and looked with a sort o.
wistful sheepishness; but he did no
the less cease his hostile demon