Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-17
FLORENCE'S ADVENTURE.
Philadelphia Call.

Dearest, / aen AFRAID you are Gull
here with only your grandfather and
myself to keep you company" said
Mrs. Danvers to her niece, girl of 18
what will you 20 this stormy after
noon-no callers, the piano out Of tune
and your grandfather laid up with
gout?"
It was a somewhat dreary prospect
for a young girl used 10 a large fam
lily and lively house, and Florence
Danvers had been feeling rather as if
she had wandered into a forgotten
corner of the world; but now her
grandmorther's question reused her,
and she triedkh to answer cheer
fully.
ooh, granny dear, don't mind me;
Pm all right; it is very kind of you to
be troubled with me while The chill
dreD get over their scarlatina; it is a
pity it looks so gray out of doors, but
it does not rain, and thiak will just
take d lace and see what the sea is
like; it will frcshen me UP, and then
I will come III and do nay letter writ
ing"
''Don'E go far" said Mrs. Danvers,
for it is hardly fit for you, The wind
is 100 high.
But Florence was out of the room
before the old lady's sentence was fin
he'd and IN another two minutes was
making her way to the cliffs, her head
bent down, and her cloak held tightly
rO9nd her in fierce contest with the
wind.
At first her thoughts were rather
gloomy. Another month down here?
How can / survive it? If only moth
er had let me visit at the Leighs in
stead; [ would not mind if I was do
ing any one any good" she said to
herself, "but the old folks are quite
happy together without me, and, in
fact, it rather worries them to have
to amuse me. There l could have had
masters, and gone on with my music.
or, indeed, would far rather have
stayed at hoMe; | am not afraid OF the
fever, and I could have sat up with
little Laura, now nurse IS SO worn
out. But here one seems to do no
go0d with ones life; have only to
eat aad drink, and take walk and go
70, he'd" And Florence heaved deep
sigh.
She had been reading good deal
lately upon the idle, useless lives girls
often lead, and she was In hurry,
DOW that she was released from the
school-ro0m, to try and do better, to
be- very useful in this world, and then,
Just to spoil it all, as she thought,
same this Punishment to Sandman,
her grandfather's place. Nothing to
do indoors Or out. She could not help
wondering why God had allowed her
to be sent there when He knew how
anxious she was to 90 good IN the
world. So she wandered on till she
felt chilly, and mended her pace. By
and by, for something to do, she bent
her steps toward the cottage of an old
woman who lived at the Point, as the
place was called, where the cliffs took
an abrupt turn westward.
Bridget More was bedridden, and
always glad for some one to chat
with. This time, however, Florence
was amazed and distressed to find the
usually cheerful Irish woman sobbing
most bitterly over a scrap of paper
which she pushed into Florence's
hand as she entered, being unable to
speak. 1t contained a few lines from
the surgeon of the ipfrmary in the
nearest town.
''Your son, Robert More, has been
brought here suffering from coreus
sion Of the brain. having fallen off
the cliffs near the town"
''Cheer up Bridget" said Florence,
eheerfully, sit may not be so sad.
My father fell off his horse last year
and had conclusion of the brain, but
he got well. 7 will ask my grand
father to send TO the infrmary
80 ask after Robert. But how shall
you manage without him? Who will
attend to you now? You must have
little girl from the village"
And Florence began 10 wonder who
could be found to wait on the old
woman.
But Bridget tried to step her sobs
while she said
at isn't Robert frets me, Miss Dan
Vers; do not SO much mind that-the
lads had many crack On the head
afore now, but it's the light, miss. He
can't stir to do it." and she sobbed,
and wept afresh.
Robert, the old woman's son had
charge of the light house, which stood
on a rock easily reached at low water.
His duties were very simple, consist
ing merely Of supplying the light with
oil. That morning he had CHANGED to
break the vessel containing the reserve
oil, and had gone to town in quest of
more when he had met with his acci>