Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-06

Dub III is certain IuaU he
standard included high integrity. reso.
lutte purpose, a noble aim in life, and
other things OF which Gcrvoisc had not
the faintest conception. 1t need not b.
supposed from this that Miss Murie
was a dull, heavy, solemn young wo
man-far from it. She was as bright
and Joyous, us full of vivacity and in
telligencc as any girl of her age NIGH
wish to be; but her vivacity was tenn
pcred by her W perfect honesty o.
thought, and her acknowledgement O:
the responsibilities of life.
Utterly unconscious of the character
of the girl whose affection he proposed
to himself i'm his idle, careless, con.
fident way to win, Gervoise com.
mcnced the siege without y suspicion
that failure could possibly await him.
and that very confidence stood him in
good stead, for it gave him a firm and
upright bearing before the girl which
she, in her innocence, might and did
take for outward evidence of the qncns
conScia rect. Up to a certain point
Gcrvoisc seemed to carry all before
him. The respectful admiration with
which he began his approaches soon
gave way to the less restrained inter.
course of q naturally agreeable init.
macy. which, in its turn, drifted into
the lively fricndlincss possible between
those whose tastes in the less serious
matters of life are similar. Gervoise
was now keenly anxious to advance
still further; but here he met with his
first check.
Tn NlIecE Ny,,,.tn ,,nt1>o, ~: ---.
different matter to consider man as q
pleasant companion for Il day, and to
allow her mind to entertain for q mo-
ment the idea of that man as the prop
and mainstay of a whole life. 1t was
not enough that the mental should ap-
pear to be gold-it mustb be hall-marked
and true to the core. Nevertheless,
her. mind was often deeply moved by
the obvious advances of the man who
knew. i'll his worldly wisdom, how to
work upon the sweet weakness of a
woman's mind, and who did not fail to
hint that had hesuch q one as a guide
and counselor, his life highland should
be more useful i'll the future, and all his
forgotten warnings after the good and
noble should revive within him. And
all this wcll-acted humility and delicate
t1attery, applied to the point which was
her weakest. because she thought it was
her strongest, took more hold upon
Miss Merriewether than she dared to
admit to herself or he to hope. He
looked capable of great things. Strong,
handsome. genial, clever, and well-con-
nected. he might be the very partner
OF whom she had dreamed. who would
aid her with every gift belonging to him
IN the great purposes of good which
she had i'll her mind. Why should she
not be the means Of rousing him from
the slumbrous ~frivolity of his present
lie? And yet-her money! He was
poor. she knew. Was she never to be
sure of being wooed for her own sake
aloneP She must Judge for herself. and
1t must be no hasty Judgment. She
Would be very circumspect, and vet as
the idea of cold calculation with regard
to this man passed through her mind,
she felt Il pang at her heart which told
her. unwilling though she might be to
admit it. that the poison had begun to
work. How it is possible that limo
cence and truth should hold their own
against worldly wisdom and guile un-
less a miracle should interpose on be-
half of the formelHs
A morning shoonng-party had ended
/ II 81 lunch i'll u Observation-Disclosures
nook. at which the ladies had Joined
the sportsmen, adding materially to
the picturesqueness and ~vivacity OF the
scene. but considerably interfering with
the continuance of the sport after
lunch was over. and eliciting sundry
savage and ungallant growls from GER
tain old and ardent sportsmen, who
considered women utterly out of place
anywhere but in a drawing-room. Ger
Nolse. however. was not one of these,
and he had willingly laid aside his GUN
and consented to stroll home with some
OF the ladies, tho more readily as he
seemed to see an opportunity OF press
ing his suit to a successful issue. This.
however. was denied him: but when at
last he parted from his fair companion
he left her in little doubt rs to his
speedy intentions. and in a great and
conflicting state OF emotion as to the
result of them. Nothing was said,
however. that day, and, after a most
pleasant evening. the gentlemen re-
tired to billiards and cigars, and the
ladies to rest, or rather to those myste-
rious rites which preeede thatact. Like
the others. Muricl retired to her room.
and, without much delay. to bed; but.
finding her mind unsettled with the oc-
currences of the day. aud longing for
sympathy and advice. she at last rose
hastily. and, DOMINIC her dainty dress
ing-ggown and slippers, made her way
to the room of her hostess. with whom
She often enjoyed s. late chat. and in
whom she was half inclined to coniide
her difficulties. This bestowal of con-
iidence. however. was a harder task
than she had counted on; her friend
was tired and sleepy. and not by any
means i'll good mood for receiving con-
tslential u~tterauces, and it is only into
a really sympathetic ear that such ut
tcrances can be poured: so. finding it
getting late. Muriel said good night.
and, Selling her bedroom candle. rushed
of to her own room once more. Her
very haste. however. led her into diff
culties. for NJ the first corner she came
to = sudden blast blew out her candle,
and left her i'll absolute darkness.
Never mind. She could find her room
i'll the dark: it was not very fax. She
| could hear the gentlemen still maxine