Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-03-12
MY LITE BOY.
Sherley Browne.
I was a widow.

was widow.
A young widow, I suppose, for no
ore would regard three -and-twenty as
a very venerable age. And q pretty
widow, people said Whether they
were right or wrong, ] cannot take
upon myself to say. OF c0urseI knew,
whenever / looked in the glass, that /
was not - absolute fright-and SO,
when my cousin, Mrs. General Fox
ley, lnv5ted me to spend summer
with her at the Oriental hotel, where
there were balls aud SOjreeS, lawn
tennis and archery breakfast going on
all the while, and Iwasn't at all sorry
that Mile. Chatelage had sent home
my lovely new half-mourning dress,
all trimmed with pearl and lavender,
sparkling Jet, and prismatic clair de
lu1eS, and that Aunt Lavinia, our
family etiquette book, " had decided
that it was quite proper to wear nay
diamonds if I pleased. For / was
decided brunette, and dark women al
ways look well in diamonds.
Not that it had occurred to me that
I should ever marry again. Ny old
commodore had been very good and
kind TO me, but he was feeble and
ailing, and required a great deal Of
care, and my general impression of
matrimony was that it involved
trouble and soIicitude, and a constant
burded of responsibility.
And now, I was free, and intended
to remain sol felt like Gagged bird
that had managed to give its golden
wires the slip-a butterfly in the blue
June airl / meant to go to the
Oriental hotel and have q royal time,
Waiting, dreaming-even coquettipg
a little IN a harmless sort Of way, if
it seemed good to me-but as to mar
rying again-no, not |! Even
Priscilla Bent, my companion, who
was the most logical of creatures, de-
clared that I would be the greatest
fool alive to do that!
But we never knew just what is
going to happen to US. The very
night before we were to start for the
Orient, came into the room where
Priscilla was packing the lace things,
which were too Rice and delicate to be
intrusted to Fifine, the maid.
''Prissy," said I, ''look herei A
telegram from San Domingo! Ny
cousin, Fanny Black, is dead!"
Dear me, how sadw said Prissy,
putting on the regulation look of
affiiction, although she had never in
her life seen Mrs. Captain Basil Black,
of II. nj. 14th Fuslleers, stationed in
the West Indies. But [ suppose
that won't Interfere with our trip to
the seaside, will it?"
But that isn't ALL" said I. "She
has left a son. And with her dying
breath she charged it on her attend
ants that L should take him to this
country and make a home for him. :"
''How old is hel" said Priscilla Bent,
looking aghast. And"
LET me see" said I, counting upon
my fingers. Basil Black,-that's his
name, for | remember cousin Fanny
writing about him to mamma when I
was mite OF a thing-must be one
and-twenty at least by this tlme."
BLESS mel" calculated Priscilla,
and you are only just turned % your
selfr'
''Prissy," cried I, with mischievous
elee, you're as good as book of
datesln
But it won't be proper," said Pris-
ella.
''Not proper" echoed I. "Why
won't it be proper? Isn't the dear old
commodore's house big enough for all
of US? And aren't you here to mat
ronize US? think myself it will be
rather fine to fit up a suite of bashelor
apartments -smoking-room; dressing
room"
'sElsie" cried Miss Bent, in despair,
ssI believe you would make fun of any
thing! Don't you see how outlandish
this plan would be? Write at once to
these San Domingo people, and tell
them it is out of the question"
Its too late now, Prissy," said I.
''They are on the way here, don't you9
see I shouldn't wonder if the steamer
We're in port now. And you know,
Prlssy, I've always wanted to adopt a