Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-02-09

dress to the care OF Deacon Stevenson.
shall remain with him while I preach
here"
It was a pleasant summer, despite
the dizziness of the place. How good
the quaint old Deacon was when one
really knew him. How motherly was
Mrs. Stevenson? AS for Mary, she
grew sweeter every dayl I have often
wondered what Angelina would have
said could she have seen me helping
her to pick blackberries, to find the
runaway cow, to carry home the milk
pail, driving her over to the country
grocery, and returning with a freight
of groceries-Angelina. who knew
nothing of domestic details, and whose
monogramed and perfumed letters
were often brought over from the Office
in company with the paraffine can. l
wrote my sermons at one end of the
round table, while Mary sat at the other
sewing. Between us was lamp with
a green paper shade. Now and then a
big bug would fly into the window and
go humming abont OR heads, or a
moth would try to SINCE its wings over
the chimney, and I would drive it out.
The old people would go to bed after
while, and then Mary and myself
would find ourselves hungry, and she
would go into the kitchen to find
something good" l always held the
light for her. And when something
good was found we ate it In the back
porch, sitting side by side on the step
like two children.
She was so like a child, that little
Mary, that it seemed no harm to ask
her to kiss me good night, or to mold
her hand in mine, as it rested on my
arm, in our long walks home from
church on Sunday evenings.
The summer passed; October came,
Angelina returned to the city and
wrote to me. 1t was while we were
eating peaches and cream in the back
porch that evening that said to Mary:
will tell you a secret if you will keep
it for a while, Mary"
ooh, of course / will, Mr.. Mactag-
CART"
"I am going to be married this au-
tumn, Mary" said. "Those pretty
letters you always thought came from
my sister are from the lady who is to
marry me. She is very beautiful, very
rich, very stylish, but very kind. You
must come and see US, Mary, when we
are married. shall tell Angelina how
good you have been to me-what a
sweet little sister l found out here in
the Vale of Cruix, Why Mary"
For, as l spoke, [ felt the little hand
grow Geld and heavy in mine. saw
her sink backward. The big china
bowl of peaches and cream slipped
with crash to the ground and shatter-
ed to pieces.
l caught the poor child in my arms.
In moment she came to herself, and
said she had overtired herself, she
thought. They had been baking all
day, and it was warm. And now she
babe me good night But did not see
her next day, nor the next. She kept
her room, and was not we'll enough to
bid me goodbye.
Poor little Mary | felt very miser-
able. However, Angelina met me at
Glasgow. She was more beautiful than
eger-more elegant in contrast to my
simple country friend-and very soon
| laughed at myself for the thought
that had been in my heart. OF course
[ said it was the baking that had over
come Mary-it was not my news. /
had only been to her as a friend-as a
brother. | had not made love to her;
above all, had not f1irted with her
But [ thought of Mary a great deal
and | missed her every hour exactly
oh, yes, exactly-as [ might sister.
| wrote to Mrs. Stevenson, and hel
answer was very brief.
81 haven't much time to WRITE" she
said in her postscript. "Mary is sick,
and besides being driven, L am anx-
ious."
This letter was in my pocket ON the
day when Angelina and | went to-
gether to the bazaar for the benefit OF
the Church of St. Matthew.
After we had roamed about the bazaar
and bought all sorts of knick- knacks, !
escorted Angelina to seat, and there
sat down to wait while one of the ladies
who, con this occasion only" was doing
good, onerous, hard work, brought us a
tray of refreshments.
AS we sat there slipping our coffee,
two women sat down at the next table
WIFI Gn6lr BACKS 10 us.
81 am very tired, are you not, Mrs.
Russel?' And the other answered:
eyes, I am tired. [ don't think that
it is worth the while to come all the
way from Vale of Cruix to Glasgow
sight seeing"
This was the voice of Steyenson's
nearest neighbor, and I liked her and
respected her, yet [ did not feel quite
sure how Angelina would like an intro
duction, and so RETAINED from looking
round and making myself known.
81 think we had better have tea
said the voice. cts more refreshing
than coffee. Oh, how is Mary to-day.
Think of my never asking before"
MARY is poorly" said Mrs. Russell
ooh, Mrs. Cullen, what pity it is that
flirting young minister came down to
| Vale of Cruix. don't know what Mrs.
Stevenson was about to let him do as he
did. We all thought he was counting
Mary. She did, poor child. She just
loved him dearly. And the day before
he went away he told her he was en-
gagged TO some girl in Glasgow. I'm
afraid it's broken her heart. She told
me all about it. ooh, Aunty Russell,
she said, I know | ought to be ashan-
ed, but can't help it. He seemed to
like me SO. | hope / shall die of this
fever, for life is nothing to me now.
Ashamed Why, it's he who ought to
ashamed. Of all the things, minister
20 be cold, cruel firt, and that is what
Hugh Mactaggart is"
T 1iStaood hr1t couId NOT ,,,o,-o -,