Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-08-28
SYMPATHY ANDLOVE.

tion recalled some of the friends of
our younger days, and he surprised
me with this remark: "A woman S
sy1npathies lie nearer her heart than
her love" But he surprised me more
by the story he told to prove it.
| guess 1t was seven years, he said,
that our chair of astronomy renamed
vacant. You know of DR.. Merdon.
It vas justly that the world finally
gave nm lame, Well, after kis
death the trustees were at loss to fill
his place. a weak man would have
been insuferable there.
Do you reraember his family 2
Charming wife and daughter. They
spent several years abroad, after his
death, and when they returned, not
withstanding that the widow still
wore mourning, the number of our
little social events was doubled. The
daua liter had a string of young mil
HOnares after her constantly. Female
society, perhaps you know, wasn't
unlimited, and it was with a founda
ton of truth that the fellows grimly
joEsd about calling on the girls that
fathers had courted before them.
d
girl as her III .ther had been, SO said
the old folks, and it was to her that
young Prof. Lutz quoted from Horace,
"Oh daughter, more beautiful than
thy beautiful motherm when lie
brought down on himself the rldicUle
Of the mountain-day party. Yes, she
could have had the pick from a dozen
very rich boys and think she would
have taken it too, if she hadn't dis
covered that her mother was trying to
influence her in their favor
At the senior party, that year, Char
lotte held her court, as she did every
where. She was surrounded, [ re-
member, by the rich fellows of Charlie
Eltiott's set. Elliott was happy that
night. Charlotte had been unusually
gracious, and her mother had made
her favor clearer than ever.
ed" said he, turning to his chum,
Il tell you what will be great sport.
Bring Seymour up and formally pre-
sent him to Miss Merdon. It will CON
fuse him. He won't know what to
do, and there'll be deuce of a scene"
The chum complied and in a mo-
ment had the reluctant Seymour by
the arm. The scene that followed
must have been all that Elliott desired.
For moment the poor student stood
before the belle. 1t was not unlike
the tableau of the beggar and the
princess. Her easy attitude contrasted
strangely with his painful awkward
ness. The effect was immediate. All
eyes were turned toward the couple
and a smile went around
Charlotte MerdOn saw it, and her
cheeks famed. She had OWNED the
heartless Joke. To the surprise Of
to be seated insisted that he should
be seated. Then she tried to draw
him into the conversation. But it was
impossible. Embarrassment seemed
to have driven his wits away. Only
one remark he ventured. CHANGING
at portrait on the wall. he stammer
ed out, That's good picture of the
president" The portrait was taken
thirty years before aud was anything
but good likeness of the president
as he then appeared. The unfortun-
ate remark caused another smile. Ell
lott was delighted. His joke was
splendid success. Poor Seymour
twisted about In his chair and hung
his head His discontinue was COM
plete.
Miss Merdon took a deliberate look
at the picture, and did not smile.
YES she said, sit is called a very
good likeness of him just after gradu-
alton. Have you seen the presidents
flowers, Mr.. Seymour? Let me show
them to you"
Rising and excusing herself, she led
the young man into the greenhouse
adjoining the parlor.
The devilr' said Elliott. 81 didn't
look for anything like that"
Seymour, rescued ia this way from
his trying ordeal, hardly knew what
to say or do. He felt as if a milestone
bad been taken from his neck. The
pain and the manner of relief worked
strangely on his sensitive nature. He
felt that he was IN great debt to his
com panlOn. He wanted to kiss the
hem Of her garment. He wanted to
cry. He knew he was feeling and
acting like fool. He expected that
he should make a greater fool of him
self tnan in the parlor. But some
NoN l1O olIAl LIZ hcso IOSb al
fear of the beautiful girl Her act of
mercy had brought her nearer than
years of acquaintance could He
talked rapidly of The flowers, for he
knew of them, and Charlotte listened
listened, wondering why she cared
to listen, little thinking that her SYM
pathy had brought the awkward stu
dent nearer than he would have been
had she known him half her lifetime
and had never seen him in pain. So
when he pointed out the observatory
where he worked, the queerly shaped
building that showed its dark outlines
in the moonlight, just over the camp
us on the hill, she wondered what it
was that prompted her to beg him to
take her there, to exact promise
from him that, on the very next eve
ming, he would conduct her through
the building that had been built after
hor fathar'S orders She OerSuaded