Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-13
from the pouons me orouno.

AS she touched the soft turf, again
the laugh rang out, and she shook a
small white hand after the unconscious
unfortunates who had so innocently be-
trayed themselves.
Mary Hilton? Certainly. Who else
would be out so bright and early,
climbing into all sorts of places with
all manner of fancies running through
her busy brain! Describe her? No.
He who attempts to paint beautiful
woman with words as his colors must
needs be possessed of skillful hand to
do the subject justice.
A month passed. Tom met Mary
Hilton, and was surprised to find her
so different from the figure he had seen
when they drove past the judges.
He had come to be quite visitor at
the mansion. at was so lonely there
at the house, you off at the ranch and
Alice at her housekeeping" he would
say to Fred in excuse.
He found a magnificent piano at the
Judges, and, although Mary protested
ignorance or lack of skill, Tom was no
mean performer, and he would play
for hours, while the girl reclined in
some easy-chair near and listened en-
| tranced.
At other times they would read some
| common favorite, Tom finding an APP
preciatiVe listener when he read, or be
stretched at full length at her feet on
the grass, and found it very pleasant
to look up into the brown eyes in
which was Swallowed forth every
thought or fancy of the author and
hear the sweet voice which Tom insist
ed could be made to sing, but which
he failed to hear accompanied by an
instrument.
Another month passed. The very
best month for game IN the year, Fred
told him, and his gun was yet in it's
case, not having been taken out since
it was packed into his trunk. The day
after Fred spoke of this neglect, the
gun came out, and Tom started off, os-
tensibly to hunt.
But Alice, running over to the
Judges for moment, an hour after
wards, saw very familiar-looking
game-bag, shot-pouch, powder-fask.
and gun lying on the grass, and, hear
ing voices, came upon Mary, swinging
in the hammock, and luckless Tom sit
ting by reading ''Evangeline.
Il thought you were going hunting"
exclaimed Alice innocently, though her
eyes sparkled with fun.
''Well, THAT isl hurt changed
my mind. You know it isn't very
good day for hunting" stammered
Tom, painfully conscious that he was
blushing like a schoolgirls; ''I-I guess
I'll 90 now. 'Tisn't such an awful bad
day, after ALL" and he caught up his
huntingdon and fed precipitately,
followed by volley of feminine laugh
ter which made him tingle all over
He was so excited that, although
game was plenty, and he was ordinari-
~ good shot, when he came into the
house at evening, he had only brace
OF rabbits to show for his days work.
AT sight of him Fred began to laugh.
He was about to hurl at the discom-
fitted hunter one of his keen cutting
bits Of sarcasm, when he was cut off
with:
Erred, if you open your mouth to
say what is on your mind, I'll fill it
with bird-shot. Come now, be easy on
a fellow for once, can't your
The gun stayed at home after that.
In some way a change was coming
over Tom. He could not think of it in
| just the awful light that he did former
| ly-the terrible idea of being bound for
a lifetime to a woman.
He had come to think it would not
be such a wonderful evil-nay, in some
cases, perhaps, it might be very pleas
ant Gust here the brown eyes of Mary
Hilton would rise before him) for some
| body.
He never really knew who ''some-
body" was, until, one day, going over
! to the mansion, he encountered hand
some dark young fellow, who cast on
Mary such looks of admiration as made
! Toms fingers itch to grasp him by his
collar and assist him speedily from the
house. He restrained himself; but
from that time forward, when he
dreamed of the brown eyes, it was
with the thought that, perhaps, they
might be appreciated by him.
He even went so far as to picture to
| himself how the old dark, heavy din
ing-hall, which had been used by the
Burtons for fifty years, would brighten
up II those eyes were to be opposite
| him at the old-fashioned carved oak
table, looking at him from behind the
antique silver tea-urn, or the quaint old
| English server.
Finally Tom made resolution. He
would ask her to be his wife. Fred
would chaff him-sure. He would be
great bore. When Fred made jokes
at his expense, Of late, somehow he
couldn't think of a bright answer until
| it was too late; but he must expect to
| sacrifice something.
Thoughtless Tom. Hadn't thought
but that she would accept him. Why,
he was wealthy, had been smiled upon
by many designing mamma, and still
more designing daughter. To speak
truth, in all the years of his life he had
been made an idol by his mother, in
| dulged by his father, bowed down to
| by the world How could it be other
wise than that he should become a tri-
| file confident of the result?
Can one wonder that he was startled