Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-08-28
Seymour told her had been left there.

=
cope room of the observatory. The
roof had been let down and she was
watching the stars.
Il wonder if father often studied
them from this room," she said.
whenever the sky was clear"
IT wonder if he can see them now"
mo, think that through some one
Of them be is looking at u.s."
Far from science and astronomy,
far, very far from his scholarly stand
point, the mans childish reply had
taken him, but it had carried him
nearer the heart Of the girl that he
| dreamed
Mrs. Mcrdon's dlsapproval of her
daughters visit to tho observatory with
Seymour brOadened into anger as his
calls were repeated. and repeated often.
| An intimacy grew between the young
| people that, even to themselves, they
did not undertake to explain. The
girls friendship had opened 3 new
world 10 the hard worked student. Had
he known more Of life, he would have
known that he was falling in love.
Over the other a secret was stealing as
steadily as comes over us the morning
4 month had passed since tho senior
party. The two sat again in the tele-
scope room. She seemed to be study
ing the stars.
And do you remember" she was
asking, 'that, that evening, you
| thought through some one of them
father was looking at us?'
Eyes"
"Do you suppose he can see US
now?"
YES" Gin surprised way.)
"Then," (hesitatingly) ''do you
think he is glad-is glad to see us to-
gether?'
Wont you" (the voice was very
husky = won't you answer for
me?"
Yes" she said, in voice clear as
harp chord, II know he is. "
Seymour wondered if his senses
were going away. He hardly knew
what followed He meaut to ask
he tried to ask if she didn't think her
father would be glad to see them al
ways together. Somehow that SEEM
ed long and heavy and he couldn't
make the words come. He had a
choking sensation in his throat aud
his eyes were blinded with tears He
felt Just as he had in the greenhouse
the night of the senior Parry. He
wanted to kiss the hem Of her gar
ment. He felt that he was in debt to
her and falling deeper in debt every
moment. He knew that he was max
ing fool of himself, but he didn't
care. He was the happiest fool that
moment in Gods happy world.
You are just as much mine," she
said a. last, her han&s resting on his
head, which some way or other had
found place Ia her lap,-"you are
just as much mine as if [ had not
done all the wooing myself"
The Merdon mansion had never seen
such storm as followed Charlotte's
avowal of her betrothal Her mother
insisted that she would Fever consent,
never in the world, and the girl who
had always honored her wishes above
verything else was in distress.
''But you did not marry rich man
yourself, mother; why should you
want me to-" she urged.
II married a man who was great
whom everybody knew; why, If you
were to marry the man, whoever he
is, who will fill his chair, should be
happy forever, but this fellow, and
her Indignation almost overpowering
her she left the room.
It was late in the evening when
Charlotte stole upstairs. Passing her
mothers room she saw that the door
was partly open. She knew what it
meant. Women, even among them
+hnin Int
gracefully, gradually. She pushed
the door wide open, as her mother had
intended she should, and went In. The
lady sat by her writing table; her
head rested on her hand, and she was
evidently sleeping A little pile of
letters Law before her, a picture beside
them. Tears had dropped upon the
letters, and the picture bore the stain
of tears. Charlotte looked at the pic
ture closely. The face was familiar.
Surely she had seen it before. But
where? She could not place it among
her acquaintance. Whose face was
it? She started. A broken, uncertain
voice seemed to say, "that's a good
picture of the president" Her lovers
awkward remark at the party, the
portrait on the wall, the picture that
her mother cried over. 1t was all
clear, very Gear, but she didn't care
to read the open letter by the pic
ture.
"My poor, dear mother!" she
thought, as without awakening her,
she glided to her own room, carrying
thither the greatest secret of her life
time, save one.
It was after midnight when Mrs.
Merdon awoke. She had hoped her
daughter would come in. She want
ed to tell her that she was no longer
angry. She had been carried back
over parts of her own life and she
wanted to tell Charlotte that after all
she must follow the voice of her heart,
that her own experience had taught
her so. She vas almost ready to CON
fess to her that although she had
i 1