Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-02

Oh! the precious boon of golden
sunshine and Gods pure air, free alike
to all, health giving blessingsi Poor
humanity, come out and breathe this
fragrance = forget the bitterness of
disa p polntment and sorrow, for one
brief hour Such thoughts were in
Myra's mind those delightful June
afternoons, when she and George
were rowing on charming lake, two
miles from home. Hour after hour
passed in perfect enjoyment there On
the secluded, crystalline lake sur
rounded by the most exquisite scenery
Myra's eyes shining, her face glow
ing with happiness under those sweet
and helpful Influences. OH wonder
full world Of nature, why should we
not always seek thee for rest and for
strength!
Yes, Myra, I think that will Go
now, and fastidious, aristocratic Mrs.
Atwood gazed at her mir ored refec~
ton with III concealed admiration
the feathers droop perfectly" at
last she continued, turning her class
&c head critically, land I am sure
there will not be lovelier hat at the
seashore!"
Tits certainly elegant and very be-
coming" said Myra, patiently, but
she could not forget the many changes
in ribbon and feathers that had been
thought necessary before this highly
satisfactory result was reached, She
longed for the lady to go, as she had
several hats to trim before 3 o'clock.
and the days were getting oppressiveIy
warm.
80 Myra-I had almost forgotten
you are to have a pew customer in the
fall-Mrs. Harold Farley, most de-
lightful lady. I shall recommend YOU
highly" said Mrs. Atwood, with ex>
IRENE good nature. "You have
heard" she added, talking very rapid
ly, ''of the splendid mansion a. Maple
Grove. That is Harold Farley's. He
lived here in his uncle's family years
ago-perhaps you may have heard of
him. He married a beautiful and
wealthy English girl, two years ago,
and they have decided to settle here
permanently. Mr.. Farley, we under
stand, thinks there is not levelier
spot IN the whole world. We shall
probably meet them at Newport this
season, and in October I think they
will occupy their lovely home-quite
an addition to our society, I can as
sure your Mrs. Atwood adjusted her
bonnet strings, prefectly unconscious
Of the effect of her words, and with
out even glancing at Myra, soon left
the house.
For four or five years Myra had
heard absolutely nothing from Harold
Farley. Previously she had received,
at long intervals, friendly letters,
manifesting great interest in her life,
but strangely silent regarding his
own. She knew that the first yeacs of
his absence were passed IN several
western cities; the news she had just
heard Of his great wealth-his mar
riage seemed incredible. Harold
Farley, her friend, would have come
to her when good fortune came, that
she might rejoice with him; but, if all
this were true, there was only one
way to explain it-rich Harold Far
ley was no longer her friend; he had
forgotten her years before, and the
circumstances of life would hence
forth separate them; they would
meet, If they met at all, as strangers.
A few hours of daily freedom, pass.
ed in rambling with her brother
through the quiet, fern scented woods,
or rowing on the lake, had wonder
fully improved Myra's health. MANY
times during those long summer DAYS
she thought of Harold Farley's return
and gradually there came to be an
indefnab!e JOY in it-as though in
some mysterious way his coming
were to bring her happiness; perhaps,
for her fathers sake, he might some>
time advise her in regard to the future
of her brother-a subject which had
troubled her greatly. He was a stu
dious boy, exceedingly fond of school,
and she wished to keep him there, but
the struggle with povetry had been
long already. Oh, if Harold Farley
were only the friend of other days!
September came with its clear, crisp
air and wealth Of autumn hues in
ripening foliage. Society had return
Myra and her brother still foated on
buC 1dhO bhCSS UI1IlldGG allSFuOOuS,
and caught occasional glimpses,
through the trees, of Mr.. Farley
residence, half a mile away. One af-
ternoon she was alone on the lake,
having left George attend to his
squirrel trap at the edge of the woods.
She was listening for his signal-a
peculiar whistle-when she would re-
turn for him.
At the upper end of the lake very
elegant boathouse had recently been
completed, and as Myra was looking
at it, and wondering why it need be
such an elaborate affair, boat was
pushed from the landing and came
directly toward her. The only occu-
pant, gentleman, was not rowing
simply for pleasure, evidently, for the
boat shot out so rapidly through the
water that before she had time to
think of returning and leaving the
lake to the monopoly of the strange
gentleman he was almost within
speaking distance. She had nothing