Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-10-04
A FRIENDLY SACRIFICE.

'.Well, Tclford, now tha;u's al over
what arc you going 10 doe"
'.Ah that's the mischief Tt the
Squire was like many a father I've
known. there woald be fewer &. l1icnlticS
in the way.
bad business. this mavvi01. I
shall be IN no hurry ID slip my head in
sucn i moose.
The speaker was a tail, handsome
man of EIGHT and twenty. though blythe
undou0ted Indications of slight wrinkles
here and there upon his fair, compla-
ccnt-iooking countenancc. YOU would
have presumed that he was much older.
His blonde hair curled in short ring
lets over a brow rs clear and white rs u
woman,s; his long .mustachc almost hid
from view the rcddest lips 4 man ever
possessed, while violet eyes Of the deep
est hue. and u round. dimpled chin
completed the Charm of q face which
the beauty OF q single one Of these fCa-
lures would have sufficiently endowed
with extraordinary attractivcness. He
was Il man such as \ certain class Of
women would have worshiped rs y
hcro-a ynritabIe Cupid in a scarlet
coat, for this Adonis was q soldier in
her Maiesty's Forty-scyenth, and had
seen such service rs many Il hardened
veteran would scarcely care to pass
through. His companion, Capt. Tel
ford, was exactly his opposite in manner,
figure, and general appearance. He
was Of rather portly build, shorter in
stature. but much heavier than the
dra@oon, not as GOOD one ut five
barred cate, or across country on q
nimble hunter.
He was the elder of the two by some
ten OF twelve years, but appeared much
younger; his honest, fresh-lOoking face
glOWed with the health and vitality of n
lad of IS. No marks of dissipation, of
late hours, of endless champagne sup
pers married the rugged beauty of
face on which manliness and simplicity
shone from every feature. But it wore
q somewhat anxious and troubled eX-
preston as he coniided to his friend the
results of two years service in India.
They were sitting in private room at
the Waterloo, their feet extended in
careless ease and manly fashion to the
back of 4 huge armchair before them
let the Captain tell his own story:
You see, it was rather sudden" he
the blue wreaths from his cigar curled
into innumerable clouds of misty color
and floated out through the open win
dow. My father always gave me to
understand that he wanted the pleas
ure Of picking out the future mistress
of Darlington Court himself. |, the
person most seriously concerned in the
matter was to do nothing but marry her,
be she fair or ugly, good-natured orother-
wise. Well, he was very kind, sent me
out with the Eighty-tirst Dragons when
they went with Wellington to the PENN
sula; in short. permitted me to cut out my
own line of life when he would much
rather I'd have remained at home.
The eldest son. he used to say, has
nothing to do but to enjoy himself, and
leave soldering to the younger son, if
there be any; if not, to the younger son
OF some other family But, bless you, I
never could be idle, so here | am, Cap
tain OF rs fine q company-long life to
'em-as you'll find anywhere. So if the
old gentleman wishes to even things by
reserving the choice of my wife to him
self, little blame to him, saw
ooh you sly dog!" putin the other.
''You may well declare that when
you're married already"
''And there's where the trouble comes
IN, admitted the Captain, candidly. IF
he hadn. t treated me so well / could
just march home
''And z forced march it would ben
interrupted the blonde dragoon.
''No Joking [ said, 1 could Just
start for home without the least embar-
rassment, and say, Here's my wife.
father, and bad luck .toyou if you don't
happen to fancy her. But after all his
kindness to me [ haven't the heart to
tell him, and yet [ suppose it must soon
come to that" The Captain leaned his
head upon his hand as he concluded,
and sighed as if in much perplexity and
doubt.
Garry Worthington blew Il mouthful
of smoke clear across the room. as if in
direct aim at an empty wineolass.
laughed heartily, and said:
just cheer up, old fellow, and let us
see if we can't make the best of the
affair. And first tell me if your worthy
parent has any one in view. If not, it
will be easy sailing towards an expla-
nation. Ii so. then may the Lord help
you, Rich, forI never can. Which way
is it?"
''Why, the wrong way of course"
returned Telford. Ever Since 4 distant
relative of my mothers died and left
his daughter some ESQ, 900 he has set
ms heart upon her, and naturally thinks
III Go the same But she's not nv
style. and
Cant be now
And wouldn't be if it were possible.
fol hl Al
Garry. They're treacherous as a cat,
and
'.HaYe as many lives,' said Worth
ington with chuckle.
Unmindful of this second interruption
the Captain proceeded: ''And this es
pecial one always disliked. She NAV
have changed, though 1 don't think
time could bring much improvement to