Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-30

near her sister, while Mrs. Creswell,
magnificent IL velvet and diamonds,
spoke hurriedly:
Here is strange news, Meta. Mr..
Jarvis has asked permission to bring \
friend, and who do you suppose it
ISL"
81 cannot guess" said Meta, Ian
guidly; ''some musical man, | sup
pose, DIS Mr.. JARVIS is SO devoted TO
Euterpe"
No; it is Morris Tucker! Oh Meta.
I am SO glad you have not positively
accepted young Cooked"
Il thought you were very anxious
to be mother-in-law to his $500, GOO?"
But not since I have heard MIR.
Jarvis news. Ny love, John Tucker
has some land claims in California
that Morris has hunted up and sold
for more than double young Cookies
fortune. He has come now, and is
settling his uncle's estate, being his
heir for everything"
Uncle John eleadr' cried Clarice.
Eyes, more than a year ago, though
Morris has idst returned. The bell!
Some one IS coming!"
Ia the crowded drawing-roonn. an
hour later, Morris Tucker bent grace
fully over Metals hand, and responded
politely 10 her cordial greeting. He
met all her advances with such EVIL
dent pleasure IN his welcome that her
heart beat high with hope. Life had
been struggle for rich husband
ever since she had made her debut in
society, and now there was one paving
her deferential attention upon whose
heart she had once made a deep i'm
preston. Would he forget that cruel
parting interview, and lay his fortune
once more at her feet?
Mr. Cooke, a young man about half
witted, possessed of $500, 900, watched
the brilliant beauty, who had smiled
SO sweetly upon him all winter with
Jealous eyes after Morris entered the
room, but Meta forgot him In her now
born hope. All the evening Morris
lowered about Meta, wondering where
Clarice had hidden herself; but when
the supper call thinned the rooms
Meta missed her cavalier. In the con-
servatory Morris had seen a vision of
agOldan head and white, futtering
dress; and Clarice, half hidden by a
Towering screen, saw hin desert Meta
to come beside her.
Longing to see him, in an agony of
maidenly shame at the secret she had
revealed when they parted, she hid
there to watch him unseen. But he
came swift Y across the Eower- border
ed path to her side, and taking her
hand in his, said:
"CIarice I have come all the wav
from California to try to win your
love. Little one, with al nv heart I
love you. My sole hope of happiness
is the hope that you will be my wife
Must [ 60 back again desolate or will
you bid me stay?"
She looked into the earnest face
the pleading eyes, and her heart grew
faint with her own happiness as she
whispered:
Stay, for love you, Morris"
Meta saw the sister she bad always
despised for her t1midity, and the
lover she had thrown aside for his
poverty, enter the drawing room to-
gether, and her heart was full of
jealous anger as she read the secret in
their happy faces.
She has been for three years the wife
of a jealous miser, whose sole aims in
life are to save money and to keep his
wife out of society. In their unhappy
home their is constant quarreling,
while Morris blessess every hour the
temporary poverty that led him to
appreciate the heart % his little wife,
and won for him a knowledge of the
treasure of her love. There is tod
ding boy named John, who Icails
Merris papa" and in the peaceful
happiness of her home life and moth
er love Clarice is rapidly conquering
her old timidity and letting the world
of society see sometimes what an ac>
complished, graceful lady Morris has
won for his wife.
Aud Morris, holding her to his
heart, will often say tenderly:
The happiness of my life common
ced, Clarice when your tender SYM
patby greeted me at the time was
under cloud"