Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-08-31
MILLICENT'S HERO.
BY EILIOT NJ CORMICK

more or less Intimately Tor SIX HOHlHSy
Jack Wendover felt that the time had
come for him to express the devotion
which from the first ne had entertained
toward that young lady and ask her to
reciprocate it.
1t is evident that he counted without
MS host, as the following remark by
Miss Brunen plainly shows:
But this needn't be the end" APP
.ealingly; cit needn't disturb our
friendship, Mr.. Wendover. like you
so we'll as a friend better than any one
| know, only not as the man" the
colcr rushed up into her face, but she
kept on bravely- mot as the man
whom | would marry. He must be a
hero-like Sir Philip Sydney or the
Chevalier Bayard."
Jack smiled humbly.
"Do you think you viii know him
when he comes?" he asked.
1t was not happy question. She
thought he was ridiculing her, when
he had no such intention. The co'Or
came and went on her face, lnavi lg
only a red spot on each cheek.
az have not the least doubt but that
| shall" she said coldly.
Jack rose from his chair. "Well,"
he said, YEARLY, 81 suppose you know
best. / never set out to be hero
good night, Miss Millicent.
Now, Millicent supposed that Jack
Wendover, rejected as her lover, would
be content to remain her friend-On
the same intimate terms, that is, as
had hitherto existed-she showed q
small knowledge of that young mans
nature and a limited appreciation of
such affairs. With Jack the friend
ship had been only a preliminary to
his proposal. From the first he meant
to marry Millicent, if he could, and all
mis- visits and attentions were so many
means to this end. They had given
him pleasure, rs any pursuit does on
which q mans heart is bent. but it was
mixed with restlessness and uncertainty
and pain. The chief element of plea
sure was the possibility that some day
or other she might be his. Now this
was taken away. In its place remain
Millicent's sentence could not empha-
size. What he wanted was not her
society for an occasional evening, but
Millicent herself and if he could not
get that he would not expose himself
TO the tantalizing fascination of her
presence. From that evening, there
fore, his social visits at the Bruen's
came to an end.
This was something Millicent had
not bargained for She felt grieved
and disappointed, and 1t must be said,
q little indignant. Her father too,
without knowing the cause, perceived
the desertion.
Haven't quarreled with Mr.. Wen
dover, have you ?" the old gentleman
asked suspiciously, after month or six
weeks had gone by.
81 am sure, papa, | never quarrel."
"Well, then, [ don't know what's got
into the man-unless he's found girl.
Strange if ne hadn't. Might just as
well have had him yourself, Milly."
Milhcent felt indignant with herself
for hlushing.
'Tm sure, papa" loftily, " Mr.. Wen
dover isn't at all the kind of man |
should like" The father shook his
head. | don't know any fellow | like
any better. Besides, / owe him a debt
of gratitude. lit due to him more
than any one else, Milly, that we're
not in the poor-house."
Millicent turned pale.
"What do you mean, papa?"
81 mean, my dear, his company has
taken my boulevard lots off my hands
and saved me from being a bankrupt"
1t was brief statement Of a dis
agreeable fact. Milicent did not like
to think that she even might be poor.
And to owe their wealth to Jack Wen
dover, who had given her besides, all
the love and devotion of his life, was
nardely tolerable. If her father was
indebted to him how much more was
she? And how could she ever pay the
debt, save by acknowledging him as
her hero, which she was no more
ready to do than before. 1t is true
that she had lately got into the way,
unconsciously perhaps to herself, of
measuring other men by his standard,
and finding them little and unsatisfac-
tory, but this did not prove that Jack
was at all heroic.
1t was about six months after his dis
appearance that Milicent discovered
new phase in Jacks character-new.
that IS, to her. She had known him
hitherto as a man of high principles
and strict sense of duty; but his deeper
instincts and the sympathetic side of
his nature she had yet to learn. The
way it happened was this: There came
one day little Kate Finnegan, the wash
er-woman's daughter, saying that her
mother was sick and couldn't wash that
week, and wouldn't ''Miss Broom be so
good as to 'xcusG her."-The child has
been often enough to the house before.
but Millicent had never seen her look
ing so neat and tidy.
cot course I'll excuse your mother"
she said; "but Katie, how nice you
ook."
The little wan face lighted up.
''It's a shillen calicer," she said proud
ly, gathering up the dress for Miliceut's
inspection. "And the ,shoesl Just
look at 'em, Miss Broom. Isn't they
Iovely?'
"Myl" exclaimed Millicent. How
perfectly elegant. Where did you get
such fine things, Katie?"
A tender light came into the child's
eyes.
at was Mr.. Wen'ver," she said softly,
cas- give 'en to me"
"Mr. VIEWER" repeated Millicentin-
puzzled way.
The child nocded. 4" we got his name