River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-08-31
MILLICEST'S HERO.
BY kILIoT N CoRMICK


which from the first ne had entertained
toward that young lady and ask her to
reciprocate it.
1t is evident that he counted without
mis- host, as the following remark by
Miss Brunen plainly shows:
"But this needn't be the end" APP
.ealingly; sit needn't disturb our
friendship, Mr.. Wendover. l like you
so well as friend better than any one
I know, only not as 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 q red spot on each cheek.
al have not the least doubt but that
SHALL" she said coldly.
Jack rose from mis- chair. "Well,"
he said, YEARLY, 81 suppose you know
best. | never set out 10 be hero
gOOu mgnt, Miss MllilcCnI.
Now, Millicent supposed that Jack
Wendover, rejected as her lover, would
be content to remain her trlend-On
the same intimate terms, that Is, as
had hitherto existed-She showed
small knowledge of that young mans
nature and 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 as any pursuit does on
which Il mans heart is bent, hut 1t 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
ed a dull sense of disappointment which
Millicent'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 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 it must be said,
Il little indignant. Her father too,
without knowing the cause, perceived
the desertion.
sHaveut quarreled with Mr.. Wen
dover, have you" the old gentleman
asked suspiciously, after month or six
weeks had gone by.
81 am sure, papa, l 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."
Mllhcent felt indignant with herself
for blushing.
"rm sure, papa, loftiiy, " Mr.. Wen
dover isn't at all the kind of a man
should like" Tue 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 pooc-house."
Millicent turned pale.
"What do you mean, papa"
II mean, my dear, his company has
taken my boulevard lots off my hands
and saved me from being bankrupt"
1t was brief statement Of a dis
agreeable fact. Millicent did not like
TO think that she even might be poor.
And to owe their wealth 10 Jack Wen
dover, who had given her besides, alt
the love and devotion of his life, was
nardely tolerable. If her father was
indebted to him how IN UGH more was
she? and how could she ever pay tine
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,
unconsciousiy perhaps to herself, of
measuring other men by his standard
and finding them little and msatisfac-
tory, but this did not prove that Jack
was at all heroic
Ii was about six months after his dis
appearance that Millicent discovered
Il 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 yGt to learn. The
way il happened was this: There came
one das little Kate Finnegan, the wash
er-woman's daughter, saving that her
mother was sick and couldn't wash that
week, and wouldn't Miss Broom be 50
good as 10 Reuse her.'-The child has
been often enough to the house before,
but Millicent had never seen her look
ing so neat and tidy.
'Ot course I'll excuse your mother.
she said; "but Katie, how nice you
look"
The little wan face lighted up.
cts shillen caGcer, " she said proud
", gathering up the dress for Milliceut's
look at 'em, Miss Broom. Isn't they
lovely?'
My" exclaimed Millicent. How
perfectly elegant. Where did you get
such fine things, katic?"
eyes.
1T was Mr.. Wen'ver," she said softly,
las give EN- To me.
MIR. Weu'ver, repeated Millicentin
puzzled way.
The child nodded % We got his name
here on a card ne Civ TO me" a&d she
brought out one of the little Sunday
school picture cards in which children
everywhere take such mysterious de-
light; Milliceut took it curiously from
her hand On the back, in his familiar
manly hand, we're the words, Jack
Wendover."
'Why, Katie. exclaimed Miss
Brunen, "how did you ever know Mr..
WendoveI?
Size shook her head vaguely. In
her ewes was 4 far or uncertain look.
II don't know, Miss she said, II
guess the Lord seot him. He came
into Bridget Moneys house one day
that's the frs: house from Avenue
C-and wanted to know where the
Wilder Fluncgan ana her six children
lived. and Bridget sent him to our ten
ement. 1t was just the time, Miss,
Milkev Mas sick with the fever, and
Mr.. VIEWER he nusSed him through.
Ii il weren't for Mr.. Wen'ver, guess
Mickey would hs' been an angel fore
this. It's Mickey as says the Lord sent
him.
But Millicent knew, If the child did
not. what had sent Jack TO the widow.
1t was the Lord, no doubt, but the
Lord had seen fit to s.nd the message
through herself. She felt humb.ed
,,J convicted moi only that he should