Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-02-26


was sole heiress to large fortune; if
dead, her children would inherit.
"Wel I remember poor Rachel,
said Mr.. Gwinne musingly. she
was the handsomest girl [ ever saw.
She gave up all for love, and made a
clandestine marriage with a man OF
whom her parents disapproved. Poor
Rachel! I wonder if she is alivew
Mabel rose from the table, and went
to Mr.. Gwinne She was very pale,
but her eyes shone with excitement.
''Rachel Freeland was my mothers
maiden name. Oh, my kind benefac-
tor, how little you knew whose child
it was you were befriending! But for
you she would be sleeping in q name
less graver'
Truly, the ways OF God are mys-
terious!" said the kind-hearted old
gentleman, taking off his spectacles to
wipe away the sudden Hist that blur
RED them.
Mabel had no difficulty in proving
her claim, as her parents marriage
certificate was found among some pa
pers slowed away In an old chest. So
the orphan waif adopted by Randolph
Gwinne was now Independently
wealthy In her own right.
Mabel was now fifteen. she had
not changed much in personal appear
aRce during the year of her stay at the
Gwinnes'. She was still slight and
rather undersized. Her complexion
was rather sallow, and though her fea
lures were regular, she was undenia-
bly plain. Her luxuriant shining hair
and lustrOus eyes, were. however,
sufficient to redeem her from positive
ugliness.
Chauncey was still q student, com
ing home only for his college vaca
tions, and then burying himself in his
beloved books, SO that he was only
visible at meal times.
Suddenly Mr.. Gwinne's health fail
ed, and he was ordered abroad. Mabel,
and Miss Clay, her governess, accom-
panied him. They remained away
from home three years.
Then word came to Chauncey that
they were coming home. They were
tired of travel, and Mr.. Gwinne had
quite recovered his health.
| Chauncey met them at the station.
He was handsome and Indifferent
looking as ever, but was truly, ia his
whole appearance, king among mem
to Mabel's partial eyes.
AS the little party he had cone to
meet drew near, he gave his grand
father cordial shake of the hand
and turned towards Mabel, to find
himself confronted by q tall, stately
girl, with flashing dark eyes, set in a
face of such loveliness that he was,
for a moment, dazzled.
II beg your pardon, [ Thought it was
my cousin" he said, turning to the
other lady.
I Bu5 when Miss CIay's familiar fea-
lures met his eyes, he asked:
"Where is Mabel? Have you left
her behind"
"Don't you know me, Cousin
Chauncey?" asked merry voice be
side him, and the beautiful apparition
he had mistaken for stranger put out
her gloved hand in a half playful,
half friendly way.
From that time the young Students
tortUre commenced,
Mabel, who had left home a half
grown girl, had gained with maturity
the rounded suppleness of form as well
as the queenly dignity of q young
Diana; and with the rich color, which
had chased away the paIlor of her
cheeks, had coae that delicious, deli
cate complexion SO rarely seen with
dark hair.
An older and more experienced
judge of beauty would, years before,
have seen its promise in those regular
features, and straight, though at that
time, angular outlines-but to her
adopted cousin i was B surprise.
He looked upon it as upon a mira
Gle, ssand every new glimpse Of her
bewitching face served bat to deepeH
the impression.
But Mabel had changed in other
things besides beauty. She was in :
comprehensive to him in her varied
moods.
Now grave-now gay-now ma-
Jestlc as a prlncess-now gentle and
simple as a child.
Chauncey knew not what 10 make
of her. But he was fully conscious
of one truth; that be loved the very
ground her tiny feet had pressed, He
was her shadow.
At last be grew desperate,
She should not thus hold him aloof
and play with his feelings any longer.
It might be amusement to her, but it
was making his life a torture.
So he captured her in the library
one morning, before the rest of the
family had made their appearance
and pressed his suit with earnestness
which would have moved heart of
, stone.
But to all appearances it had no eff
feet upon Mabel She answered with
a careless smile:
in house like this, where 'one
more or less dosen't matter, it would
be well for you to think twice before
offering yourself to me-" and she
swept from the room, leaving Chaun-
cey lost ia a maze Of bewildermeat
and anger
Her debt was paid; but was Mabel