Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-02-12
dozen others had sauntered up the
piazza steps.

piazza steps.
''You are looking grave, fair tragic
queen' said Melville, drawing his
| bamboo chair trife closer to her.
May one Of the humblest of all your
slaves venture to ask why?"
"Did you ever kill or MAIN a but
! terfy?" demanded Pauline suddenly.
GA great many times, l am afraid,
/ in the thoughtlessness of youth. But
why do you ask2"
Because have just done the same
thing.
Mr.. Melville glanced questionably
round.
"Oh," laughed Pauline, sit wasn't
real winged insect, Mr.. M elville. I
was but speaking metaphor cally
! After all, that's a matter of no partic-
ular consequence-only a lesson the
child needed to cure him of something
very like presumption. It's little
Ralph Montacute; he had the imperti-
nence to tell me he loved nae. The
idea of child like that taking advan
tage Of the encouragement one may
have thougktlessly given him to i'm
agine-but it's too ridiculous.
"Faith, I don't see the ridiculous
side of it." said Melville, sternly.
''Montacute is young, but he is man
ly fellow, and-pardon me, sovereign
lady of all hearts-but you did en-
courage HIM most markedly"
IT never thought of anything
Serious" lisped Pauline, with an art
lessness truly angelic; ''it was only
the chance amusement of an hour"
Melville shrugged his shoulders.
"a good deal like the story of the
frogs and the boys, he said. "But to
dismiss all less pleasant subjects
what do you say to row on the sea by
starlight?"
ST shall be delighted"
And the merry group vanished into
the enpurpled dark kness, their voices
ringing on the air lang after their
forms were imperceptible.
Then, and not till then, tall figure
raised itself from the bamboo settee,
or couch, just within the wide open
windows, where the cool muslin cur
tains waved softly at every breath Of
the soft summer night breeze, and
Major Harry Livingstone coolly walk
ed out upon the piazza, igniting his
cigar as he did so.
1.-THE coQuette!' he muttered be
tween his set teeth; 'the heartless fiirt !
! Now I begin better to comprehend
poor Ralph'S varying moods of late.
She has broken the boys heart, and
cares no more for it than if she had
cracked one of the china cologne bot
ties on her dressing table, Well, this
is strange world! IF Pauline had
taken handkerchief, or purse from
Ralph's pocket the iron hand of the
law would be down upon her imme-
diately, but she steals his heart right
out of his bosom, and society looks on
with smiling face and folded hands.
'Why is there no law, made and
enacted, to punish such heartless
crimes as these? For crimes they are
black, treacherous crimes, even
though perpetrated so charmingly by
beauties like Pauline Sedley and her
sister coquettes! And this fair, inno-
cent boy, whom loved like brother:
the coldest heart might have spared
him. By Cupid and all his attendant
deities, will be revenged on Pauline
Sedley for this!"
At almost the same moment Ralph
Montacute came slowl y up the piazza
steps, The lightness and elasticity of
his gait were gone; he walked like one
who bad received mortal wound.
'Ralph!n
Montacute started at his cousins
voice.
you here, Harry?"
eyes, all alone. Sit down beside me,
old fellow; why are you not with the
boating party"
81 did promise this morning to make
one of them; but-but- somehow I
don't feel like it tonight"
Livingstone took his cousins hand
and pressed it with firm, loving
grasp.
''I know all about it, Ralph, he said
mildly. Don't be cast down-she
isn't worth one pang of memory. The
world is wide; life is long you'll out
live this blow, if you only have
patience to wait.
Montacute's head dropped on Harry
Livingstone's shoulder.
"Oh, Harry I did love her-I loved
her dearly
"Take courage-she is not worth
it,
And The stalwart soldier, soothing
away his boy cousins woe, was as
gentle as a woman, even while he
wondered to see that Ralph took it so
keenly and bitterly to heart.
From that day the gay little world
of the fashionable watering place was
astonished at the devotion accorded
by Major Livingstone to Miss Sedley.
Pauline herself was more than aston
ished, she was elated and overioyed.
Major Livingstone was man who
was sought and courted by all the
bellies of society-a man whose mag
netic eyes," as she herself had phrased
it, and tenderly modulated voice were
enough to set any feminine heart in a
blaze. He walked with her, he rode
with her. he read poetry to her, he sat
with her during the long golden Sep
tember twilights. until Pauline felt
that life beside him was the brightest