Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-03

with q sweet sportive laugh. ''How do
you like this dress Rufus?" holding up
the cleaning folds of the pink satin.
81 shall wear it on Thursday evening""
''Do you think, Rose" said the young
man gently, THAT it is wise for us to
go so much into society on our slender
income?"
That arrow came from your moth
er's culver, Rufus!' said Rosamond
with another laugh. ''She was always
preaching about your income
"And, after all, said Rufus, what
do we care for the fashionable people
~ WHOSE muses. we ~, anu WHOM we
invite to our parties? They wouldn't
one of them regret if we were to 90 to
the Rocky Mountains tomorrow"
Il would as soon die at once as live
without society,"" said Rosamond. ''Do
leave off lecturing me, Rufus! Society
is all that makes life worth having for
me-"
And, with a deep sigh, Rufus held
his peace.
That was long lonely winter for
Mrs. Mildmay, senior, at The Hem
locks.
Snow set in early; the river froze
over, as if it were sheeted with iron,
except in the one dismal place down in
the raVine, where restless pool of ink
black water boiled and dubbed at the
foot of a perpendicular mass of grey
rock, under the shadow of gloomy
evergreens; the sunshine glittered with
frozen brightness over the hills, and
the old lady was often secretly sad at
heart as she sat all alone in the GRIM
son parlor by the bic fireplace, when
the logs blazed in the twilight.
And rs the New Year passed, and the
bitter cold of January took possession
of the frozen world, a vague apprehen-
sion crept into her heart.
Something is going to happen" she
said. 81 am not superstitious, but
there are times when the shadow of
coming events stretches darl1ly across
the heart. Something is going to hap
penr'
And one afternoon, as the amber
sunset blazed behind the leafless trees,
turning the snowy fields to masses of
molten pearl, she put on her fur-lined
hood and cloak.
Il will go and take q walk" said
she. 81 shall certainly become a hy-
pochondriac if l sit all the time by the
fire and nurse my morbid fancies like
this"
She took a long brisk walk down BY
the ruins of the old mill, through the
cedar woods, across the frozen swamp,
and then she paused.
81 will come back by the Black
Pool" she thought. cit is a wild and
picturesque spot in winter, with icicles
hanging to the tree-boughs, and weird
ice effects over the face of the old grey
rock"
1t was dark and gloomy place,
funerally shaded by the hemlocks,
which grew there to giant size; and
when Mrs. Midway got beneath their
bOughs, she started back.
Was it the Elusive glimmer of the
darkening twilight, or was it really
man who stood close to the edge of the
Black Pool?'
''Rufus! Oh, Rufus, my son!'
She was barely in time to catch him
in her arms and drag him back from
the awful death to which he was hurl-
ing himself.
When they reached the cedar-wains-
coted parlor, where the blazing log cast
ruddy reflection on the red moreen
curtains, Mrs. Midway looked into
her stepson's face with loving eyes.
''And now, Rufus" said she, ''tell
me all about it. The Lord has been
very good to you in saving you from a
terrible crime.''
Mother, why did you stop me?" he
said recklessly. Il am q ruined mani
[ shall be dishonored in the sight of the
world! Death would be preferable, q
thousand times, to disgracer'
Rufus" said the old lady tenderly,
edo you remember when you used to
get into boyish scrapes at school? Do
you remember how you used to confde
your troubles to me? Let us forget all
the years that have passed. Let us be
child and mother once again"
So he told her all-of the reckless ex-
penditure on Rosamond's part-his
own, also, he onfessed-which had
woven itself like fatal web about
his feet-of the unpaid bills, the clam
Oring tradesfolk, the threats of public
exposure, which had driven him at last
to the forgery of his employers sigma
ture, in order to free himself from one
or two of the most pressing of these
demands.
':And if my investment in those bonds
had proved a success" he said eager
ly, 81 could have taken up every one
of the notes before they came due
But there was a change in the market,
and now-now the bills will be present
ed next week. and my villainy will be
patent to all the world! Oh, mother.
mother! why did you not let me fling
myself into the Black Pool?"
Rufus" said his stepmother, ''what
is the amount of these-these forged
bills?"
1.-TWO thousand pounds, he answer
ed, staring gloomily into the fire.
Exactly the amount of the Govern
ment bonds which your father left me-"
said Mrs. Mildmay; ''they would have
been yours at my death. They are
yours now, Rufus"
Mother, You don't mean"
Take them," said Mrs. Mildmay,
tenderly pressing her lips to his fore
head; $50 to the city the first thing to-