Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-06-18
DORA'S DILEMMA.

nut, KISS or no KISS shall rest your slave.
E. G. LEROY.
DORA'S DILEMMA.
Lou Mayne stood before the tall Dress
ing-glass, brushing out her long, silky,
black hair with what seemed unneces-
sary energy, while her dark eyes flashed
and the rich color in her velvet cheeks
deepened.
Dora Lorn, fluffy mass of white
muslin, blue ribbons and yellow curls,
was tucked away, like a kitten, in
big. blue-velvet easy-chair, and sobbing
in that gentle, subdued way that is, of
all displays of grief, the most aggravat-
ing to witness.
Lou turned and looked at her once,
with the brush elevated, as if she had
more than half mind to fling it at
her.
upon my word, Dora" she said,
''you are the greatest idiot know of
What are you crying aboutP Surely
not because that old aunt of yours is
deadp Why, you never saw her in your
life! 1t is quite absurd. "
"Whatl When she left all her money
to Harry and meP'
"Oh, is that what you are crying
about? Well, reallyr'
mo, of course not. You know it is
on poor Ned's account. He will be so
cut up"
"Will hep Whyp"
Dora glided off into another little
patter of weeping.
'Pye-got-got-to marry Harry
L 81
left us on that condition"
"And you mean to give up the man
you love for that old woman's dirty
money!" calculated Lou, in incredu-
lous scorn.
"You know" murmured Dora.
plaintively, ''that the wishes of the
dead ought to be respected"
''Nonsense!' exclaimed Lou, irrey-
erently. 1.-The eccentric within of a
superannuat j old woman, who never
saw either of you"
She finished adjusting her magnifi-
cent coronet of hair, biting her red lips
all the while.
Marry Harry, will she?n she was
saying to herself, in mingled anger and
amusement. What little fool she is!
! wonder how he feels about the
legacy"
A little later, Lou Mayne was saunt-
ering down the street in all the glory
of a new winter toilette, a scarlet
winged toque perched coquettishly
above her jetty braids, and archest mis-
chief smiling from Der velvet eyes.
Not far away she met Harry Werner.
81 am so glad not to have missed
your he exclaimed, eagerly. Il was
just going to your house to ask you"
"And | am glad to have met YOU"
interposed Lou. II wanted to congrat-
ulate you"
"Indeed" he questioned, with a
puzzled look. "What for?"
''On your approaching marriage"
Harry stared a moment, and then
laughed and colored.
''You mean my aunt's legacy? How
does Dora take itP''
Like a lamb" returned Lou, de-
murely. "Sheds few natural tears to
poor Ned's memory, but declares her.
self ready for the sacrifice"
Harry laughed again, and them
You're going to the ball tonight,
Lou. Win you let me drive you over?"
Lou bridled up, and pursed her pref
ty lips.
''What will Dora sayP"
"DoraP Ned will take care of her, Of
course!''
Lou shook her head very gravely.
''She wouldn't think of going with
him now. She intends to marry you"
''Indeedr' laughed Harry; "but it
takes two to make bargain. You'll
go with me tonight, Lou?"
GDarbons ~ cp,i1aJ ~, ord swami
on.
The moon had not yet risen when
the party set forth, but it was bright
starlight, clear and frosty.
AS young Werner drew up before the
house in which Lou Mayne and Dora
Lorn both lived, Ned Cuthbert was just
behind him; and the two girls came
out together, both so muf1led and yelled
for the night was cold-that in the
obscurity one could hardly be told from
the other
IL never should have known it was
you, only for your hat" said Harry, as
he tucked rug round his precious
freight, with smiling glance of recog-
milton at her scarlet-winged toque.
at is all right" whispered Lou
Mayne, as she stepped into Ned's trap.
81 changed hats with Dora; she thinks
Harry wanted her to ride with him,
and he thinks he has got n'e,"
They both laughed. The next moment
they were off
Harry had two horses, but he man.
aged to drive them with one hand, thus
leaving the other free to gently insinu-
ate itself about the little muflled shape
besides him. For he meant to lose no
time. Something in Louis air that
afternoon had perhaps warned him of
breakers.
To his delight, no objection was
made to the position Of his arm, which
was not at all like coquettish Lou.
Greatly emboldened, he ventured to
extend the circuit, and bending his tall
head. murmured in the tenderest ac-
CENTS
'.DarlingP"
The figure he elapsed gave little
convulsive start.
''You know already that love you.
don't you, dearest?" he proceeded.
Something between gasp and sob
came from behind the thick veil, but
no words.
"Will you be my wife, dear one?"
he asked, just as the other vehicle came
dashing up, making such a racket that
he could not catch her reply.
However. he must have been satisfied
as to its purport, or he would scarcely
have strained her so fondly to him, and
at convenient turn in the road,
pushed up corner of her veil to print
an impassioned kiss on the sweet lips.
The ride was to eliminate in dance
at a country house few miles out.
Having arrived at which place, amid
much Publication, tho ladies were duly
assisted into the house and fastened
to get warm and repair any damages
to their toilettes.
They were very merry in the ball
room soon after-all, perhaps, but
Dora, whose baby-face. usually glow
ing with pink prettiness, had a white,
drawn look and pitiful culver about
the small mouth that no one could help
noticing.
what ails Dora?" someone asked.
- .asl I ~, b,,t bod =