Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-03-26
WILL SHE MARRY?

pretty country cnurCnyaru Qear mamma
had slept since Kate was a wee baby,
and Aunt Jane had come to care for
the motherless children of her brother
as soon as the calamity fell upon him.
We are a rosy-cheeked, healthy set
of girls, rather good-looking, Nell be-
ing our beauty, and I the only invalid.
am a cripple, but l am not going to
bother you with my story, excepting
as my observations are recorded.
1t was in the spring, and my sisters
and Aunt Jane were very busy with
homework. [ was in my room knit
ting; papa was wandering about, dis
consulate at the invasion of bis study,
and consequent interruption of his lit
erary work, when the murmur of voices
from the porch foated up to me, and I
mentally exclaimed
'sDear me! Chris is proposing to Nell
again
''And nobody ever will, or ever can
love you as do" Chris was saying.
Then NelPs voice struck in
There, that window fairly dazzles
you! Who says [ can't clean glass?
Oh, beg your pardon, Chris. No, of
courser'
''But, Nell, do listen to met
''Chris, did you ask me to marry you
when was in my cradle? [ am sure
you have asked me once a week ever
since. | won't you know, or ought to
know, by this time. Why can't you
ask somebody else, just for variety? I
am sure any of the other girls will make
a much better wife than [ will; that
is, said Nell, with sudden spasm of
loyalty for the rest of us, ''if any of
them would take YOU"
Glow can / care for anyone else
when my whole heart has been yours
all my Iife?" said Chris, disconsolateIy.
ct is cruel to trife so with true and
honest love"
Don't be an idiotr' said Nell, sharp
ly. Il told you that you were q hor-
rid bov, and / would never marry you,
when you used to steal apples to pre-
sent to me, and never, never told you
anything else did I?''
''No," sighed Chris.
''Then why don't you let me aionep"
Here Aunt Jane, her head tied up in
a manner that defies description, came
upon the scene, saying
''Oh, here's Chris! Chris, do run over
to Smiths and get me paper of car
pet tacks!"
Chris departed
Presently Smiths boy brought the
carpet tacks, and Nell was let alone
for the remainder of that day, as far as
Chris was concerned. The next day
the cleaning went forward briskly, but
it was still early in the morning when
Nell came to my room equipped for
walk.
Amy letters?" she asked carelessly.
4 am going down the street"
None" said; Il did not think you
could be spared"
''Aunt Jane is rather grumpy about
it," said Nell, adjusting a coquettish
wreath of apple-blossoms upon her hat;
''but want to get the smell of soap
suds out of my nose. I may stop at
Gllmore's; have you any message?"
only my love to Mrs. Gilmore.
Now, Mrs. Gilmore was the mother
OF Nell's persistent adorer, Christopher
Nelson Gilmore, and the families had
been intimate for years. Still, for Nell
to take the middle of house-cleaning
week to call on Mrs. Gilmore was lit
tie out of order
She fitted away, her sunny curls
dancing in the soft May breeze, and |,
putting two and two together, remem-
bered that Chris had not been in the
house for twenty-four hours. Vainly
| tried to recall a similar interval when
he was in Wrayburn. School, college,
business had called him out of the vii
lage, but his home hours were always
fairl Y divided between his mothers
house and ours.
Something must be the matter! 1
catastrophes, till was not surprised to
see Nell coming in at the gate in a sub
dued frame of mind, apparent upon her
pretty face. She came directly to me,
as they all do, even Aunt Jane and
papa, in emergencies.
Belle" she said, in low, grave
tone, ''Chris has gone to Cape Town"
Gomez l cried. ''Why, he was here
yesterday"
He went to London yesterday after
poon, and he has gone tovisit his uncle,
!he one who offered him a business
opening some time ago. Chris did not
want business opening, as he has
plenty of money, and, Belle, Mrs. Gil
more says that it is all my fault that
she is left alone and chiidless.'
Scarcely your fault, DEAR" I said,
my heart aching for the piteous strain
in the sweet voice, the pain in the
bright eyes. ''You were right to
refuse to marry a man you do
not love, and l am sure Chris will find
q wife and return -
But Nell only grew winter, and went
slowly to her own room. After that,
in al the family lamentations for Chris,
so many years a sort of adopted broth
er in our midst, Nell never spoke of
him.
The next winter, Meg, our eldest,
was married; and, as if matrimony was
a contagion, Janey followed her ex-
ample; then Maud. Lizzie. and even