Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-08-25
MILLICEST'S HERO.
By ELLIOT MCCORMICK

come for him TO express the deVotlon
which from the first he had entertained
toward that young lady and ask her to
reciprocate il.
II is evident that he counted without
nis host, as the following remark by
Miss Bruncn plainly shows:
But this needn't he the end" APP
.ealingly; at needn't disturb our
friendship, Mr.. Wendover. l like you
so well ~ n friend better than any one
| know, only not rs the man" the
color 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 will 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 color
came and went on her face, leaving
only red spot on each cheek.
81 have not the least doubt but that
I shall" she said coldly.
Jnck rose from his char. "Well,
he said, YEARLY, 81 suppose you know
best. / never set out to be II hero
good night, Miss Millcont.
Now, Mllhcent supposed that Jack
Wendover, rejected rs her lover, would
be content to remain her Iriend-on
the same intimate terms, that IL, as
had hitherto existed-she showed u
small knowledge of that young mans
nature and limited appreciation of
such affairs. With Jack the friend
ship had been only preliminary to
his proposal From the first he meant
TO marry MiliCent, if he could, and all
mis- visits and attentions Were 80 many
means to this end. They had gwen
him pleasure, az any pursuit does ON
which II mans heart il bent, hut 1t was
mixed with restlessncss and uncertainty
and pain. The chief elem, mt Of plea
sure was the possibility that some day
or other she might be his. Now tins
was taken away. In its place remain
ell dull sense Of disappointment which
Milliccnr's sentence could not empha-
size. What he wanted waS not her
society for an occasional evening, but
MiliCent herself and if he could not
get that he would not expose himself
to the tantallzlng fascination OF her
presence. From that evening, there
fore, his social visits At the Brucns
came to an end.
This was something MiIlicent had
not bargained for. She felt grIeved
and disappointed, and it must be SAID,
little indignant. Her father too,
without knowing the cause, perceived
the descrtlon.
Haven't quarreled with Mr.. Wen
dover, have you ?" the old gentleman
asked suspiciously, after II month or SIX
weeks had gone Ivy.
al am sure, papa, | never quarrel"
"We!i, then, don't know what's got
into the man unless he's found II girl
Strange if he hadn't. Might just us
well have had him yourself, Milly."
Milhcent felt indignant with herself
for blushing.
"Tm sure, papa" loftily, Mr. Wen
dover isn't at all the kind of II man |
should like" Tho father shook his
head. don't know any fellow like
any better. Besides, | owe him u debt
of gratitude. TIT due to him more
than any one else, MilIy, that we're
not III the poOr-house.
Millicent turned pale.
"What do you mean, papa"
81 mean, my dear, his company has
taken my boulevard lots of my hands
and saved me from being bankrupt"
1t was Il brief statement of n dis
agreeable fact. Mlliceut 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, I'LL
the love and devotion of his life, was
hardely talerahle. Ii her father WAS
indebted to him how much more was
she? And how could she ever pay the
debt, save by acknowledging him rs
her hero, which she WAS no more
ready to do than before. II is true
that she had lately got int, the way,
unconsciously perhaps to herself, of
measuring other men by his standard,
aud finding them little and un5 ttisfac.
tory, hut this did not prove tn t Jack
was ut all heroic.
1t was about six months after his dis
appearance that Miliic2nt discovered
Il new phaue IN Jacks Charactcr-ncw,
that -, to- her. She had known him
hitherto ~ man of high principles
and strict sense of duty; bur his deeper
instincts and the sympathetic side OF
his nature she had vet to learn. The
way it happened was this There came
one day little Kate Finnegan, the wash
er-womans daughter, saying that her
mother was sick and couldn't wash that
week, and wouldn't Miss Bro II be st
good AS to 'xcusa her. The child has
been often enough to the mouse before
but Nilheeut had never seen her look
ing SO neat and tidy.
cot course III excuse your mother
sh' said; "hut Katie, how nice vou
look"
tue little wan face lighted up.
Its shlllen cahCer,' she said proud
ly, gathering up the dress for Nilhceut',
inspection. And the shoes! Jus
look at 'cm, Miss Broom. Isn't the,
lovtlN%
MY exclaimed Millicent. How
peri ctlv elegant. Where did YOU get
such fine things, kstir?"
A tender light came into the child,
eyes.
1t was MIR. VIEWER, she said softly
''aS give 'em to me"
"Mr. Wen'ver," repeated Millicent ir
puzzled way.
The child NODDED. :" We got his name
here on y card he Civ to me-" awd she
brought out one of the little Sunday
school picture cards in which chlldren
everywhere take such mysterious de.
light. Milliceut took it curiously from
her hand. On tho back, in his familiar
manly hand, were the words, Jack
Wendover."
"Why, Katie exclaimed Miss
Brunen, chow did you ever know Mr..
Wendover?'
She shook her head vaguely. In
her eyes was far of, uncertain look.
Il don't know, Miss" she said. II
guess the Lord seut him. He came
into Bridget Moneys house one day
that's the frs; house from Avenue
C-and wanted to know where the
Widder Fnnegan and her six children
lived, and Bridget sent him to our ten
ement. 1t was just the time, Miss,
Mickey was sick with the fever, and
Mr.. VIEWER he nussed him through.
If il weren't for Mr.. Wen'ver, | guess
Mickey would ha' been an angel fore
this. It's Mickey as says the Lord sent
him."