Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-08-04

Buddington. ITO oblige me, abandon
the festival p
"Not II" said Angela, lightly. 81
love music and am devoted to the
water, and I exult in moonlight. /
shall gop
Doctor Buddington looked sadly at
tine sweet, defiant young face. Was
Georgia right, after all? Was there an
inharmonious chord in Angela's nature
which would scatter discord through
their whole future lives?
He was a man who, although gentle,
slow to decide, and judically impartial,
was apt, now and again, to act on the
spur of sudden impulse; and thus he
spoke.
"Do as you please" said he. "Bot
remember, Angela, that if you 60 to
this summer. night picnic it will be in
defiance of my plainly-expressed
wishes, and l shall interpret it in but
one way"
So he went away, leaving Angela
more determined than ever.
Il am not to be coerced like a
child" she said. "And 1 will go p
What glorious night it was I! The
moonlight like beaming gold, the trees
along the river bank full of mystic
shadows, the band playing Strauss
sweetest waltzes. The fact that Kate
Belmont had brought with her the
brother whom Angela SO vehemently
disliked, was only temporary dsmper
to her enjoyment. And she danced,
dreamed, watched the golden line of
ripples that followed in their wake,
and tried to forget Doctor Budding
toms face-and all the time she was
miserable.
eve are to stop here for water"
cried Kate Belmont rushing up to her,
"fifteen minutes. And there is glen
with an ice-cold spring and Dora Fa-
vassi and l are going ashore. The
captain says there will be plenty of
time to gather maiden-hair ferns at the
spring. You will come with us, An
gela?"
And scarcely pausing to think An
gela joined the cluster Of tumultuous
young girls who were hurrying across
the plank into the woods.
"Kate!" she cried. "Dora wait for
me-"
But almost before she knew it she
was by Hugo Belmont's side, in the
darksome recesses of the glade.
"Where is the spring." she breath
lessly demanded. "Where are the
others?"
"It will be all right" said Mr.. Bel
mont, with the smooth, plausible smile
which she so disliked. "Don't hurry,
I beg! There is plenty of time. Take
my arm. know of short cut
which"
"But l don't like short cutsw said
Angela, angrily, as she remembered
that she was alone with this man in
the woods. "Take me back at once!"
Mr.. Belmont laughed in sinister
fashion.
"You don't like short cuts" said he,
land you don't like me! But 1 like
you, my pretty princess, and Kate has
been obliging enough to play into my
hands. There they go back to the
steamer. They have hardly had time
enough to get much maiden-fair fern,
eh?"
LET us hastenl" cried breathless
Angela. There the boat whistles
nowp
But Mr.. Hugo Belmont planted his
stalwart figure resolutely across the
path.
owe are not going. back" said he.
"Now don't tremble so, Angela
know some very pleasant people who
live down this road, and am going 70
take you there to spend the evening.
All is fair you know, my dear, in love
and war"
Angela burst into a wild shrek.
Help - she cried, spurning the
sneering villain away-'help help /!
Oh, is there no one to hear me ?"
At that self-ssme second tall, dark
figure seemed to glide like a shadow
across their patk-Hugo Belmont fell
backward like log. measuring his
length on the dewy grass, and Angela
felt her arm drawn resolutely through
that of-Dr. Frank Buddington
"You here? 7" she cried, with a little
hysteric gasp. "Oh, Frank, 1 am so
glad-so thankful !"
owe must walk quickly" he said in
n low voice. The steamer has already
sounded her signal of departure-we
have not a second to lose"
1t was like troubled dream-the
shifting moonlight, the dewy thickets,
the glisten of the river, the conscious
ness that they were once more afloat,
with the sweet clamor of "The Beauti-
full Blue Danube" again Ginning in
her ears, the colored lights of the boat
shedding a rainbow-iike glory on the
thronged deck.
Doctor Buddington led her to q Sc
cluded seat, and stood in silence be-
side her. She was very pale-she
wrung her hands.
"How came you on board ?' she
asked in low tone.
Because, Angela, l felt that you
needed n protector-because did not
dare to trust my treasured lamb among
wolves. Do you know, DEAR" he added,
impressively, chat you have had n
most narrow escape?"
eyes," she answered, shuddering,' oh,
Frank, | have been so mad, so willful,
that almost deserved the worst which
fate could award me. l have been try
ing an experiment with my own heart,
and it has failed me. Dear Frank, can
you forgive me? Can you credit me
when / tell you that l shall never defy
your better judgment AGAIN."
He stopped down in the shadow and
tendely kissed her brow.
"My own darling" he said, 81 can
credit anything which is good and true
of you! You are only a little willful,
"But 1 never will be willful again"
she whispered, "for love you, Frank,
and ifmy folly had estrauged you, L
should have been wretched for life"
And that was the end of Angela's ex-
periments; and Mrs. DR.. Buddington is
the most graceful and dignifed of young
matrons, so that even Mrs. George says
wonderingly:
81 never could have believed that
she could turn out such a perfect wom-
an. Frank, You were right, after all. -
Helen Forrest Graves.
From Poverty to Aflluence.