Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-09-20

people cOuIU nave IuclulY 0XOlalnGQ.
And the precise manner in which he
had spoken at last, the shy confusion of
her answer, the parting with hopes, re-
grets, love Unutterable, was still mere
mystic, enhancing, delicious remem-
brance.
But there was the ring. glittering
tangible reality. So what wonder that
Dorothy turned it up and down, and
under and over. and kissed it in sheer
JOY of heart?
Over ut Mrs Evans Miss Abigail sat,
her sunbonnet united and pushed back
on her head, her spectacles perched on
her accommodating rigid nose. deep
in the perusal of the Cyclops Courier.
''Too bad, eh?" queried Mrs Evans,
quickly topping gooseberrics.
''1es! assentcd Miss Abigail, 'safter
all his years OF saving. All, what's
this?"
,'What's what?" asked Mrs. Evans,
startled ut her guests tone She was
staring straight ut the sheet, her eyes
verr troubled and her mouth grimly
set
Dear, dear, Miss. Byrnes"' exclaim-
ed Miss. Evans, in feeble alarm, = do
tell. :"
But her visitor made no reply, only
reused herself with an effort, tied her
sunbonnet strings with an energetic
jerk and marched straight out OF tho
house. the CyclOp5 Courier in her hand.
Mrs. Evans stared after her moment.
Then she tapped her forehead signiti.
cantlv, muttcred y single word, and
went complacent y on topping her goose
berries. Dorothy sitting still by the
yine-wreathed window, twisting the
bright circlet round and round on her
slim. brown finger, started as Miss.
Abigail banged the garden gate behind
her and hurried up the path.
A heavy tread on the stairs, and the
door was flung wide and she stalked
into the dainty chamber, all pink silecia
and snowy dotted muslin, like herald
of war.
'Dorothy!" she said, in quite an aw-
full voice.
''AuntH cried Dorothy, rising.
''Lo0k here! Rcadn'
She held up the paper, and waved
her arm with tragic gesture of com
mand.
Dorothy glanced at the paragraph
pointed out and read rs hidden.
And this is what she read:-''The So
cial exodus has begun. Among the
names of the pleasure seekers leaving
this evening on the steamship Asia to
summer on the continent, we notice
those of Paul A. Carlisle and wife
Dorothy looked at the paper blankIy,
then she began to read it over again.
''Well?" questioned Miss. Abigail,
sternly.
The girl stood up, white to the very
lips and trembling little.
''There's mistaken she said.
Miss. Abigail gave distrustful
snort.
''Ifthere is she said, Twelve made it!
He's q scamp, my DEAR" and then wax
ing emphatic, "a double distilled
scampr'
You mustn't speak sou said Doro-
thy, striving to swallow the great lump
in her throat. 1T is-some other-NIr.
Carlisle. ="
Yes, - Knocked Miss. Abigail. scorn-
fully, ''Uery likely! DO you think there
are two men with exactly the same
name-dOwn to the middle initial
whose departure would be considered
worth chronicling in the Cyclop5 Cour-
jer-do you?"
But Dorothy sprang to the door, and
ran down the stairs, and out into the
shadowy old orchard like thing pur-
sued.
And there she flung herself down on
the smooth, short grass, dry-eyed,
white-lipped half mad with soaring in
credulous pain.
And up in the room she had just left,
Manufactured Miss. Abigail sat down
in DOrothy's particular, beribboned
rocker, and tiinging her blue apron over
her face, cried for very sympathy. The
day wore on. The sweet, warm August
day. And Dorothy still lay crushed ard
faint, and heart sick under the bio
apple-tree.
The Courier was dated the 10TH
this was the 18th. City papers were
mellow when they reached the little viii
lage. He had been gone two days
but then he hadn't gone! There was
some mistake, she kept telling herself
over and over, though in her innermost
soul she didn't think there was.
Within, Miss. Abigail went around
ILe LOuSG Will livery SIGIu COuuIGuduce
and very red eyes.
''IIl make some strawberry puff balls
for supper" she decided gravely. "She
was always powerful fond of puff balls,
and maybe they'll comfort her some!"
But then Miss Abigail had never been
in love herself, and it takes more than
strawberry pun-balls to cure some heart
aches.
The soft, purplish dusk lay over the
farm, when Dorothy felt soft touch on
her shoulder
Come in to supper, child. You'll
catch your death O cold"
She rose up slowly.
81 am not going into the house, she
said, 4 should smother.
Miss. Abigail held forth the tempting
bait within, and shook her head in sor-
rowful foreboding, rs utterly Disregard
full. Dorothy walked away. Down at
the gate she paused-the low, wide,
green gate where she had so often stood
to listen for the ringing footstep coming
up the country road