Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-05-21


der that young man who has such
an ear for discord can't make better
music of his own, especially when he
is the owner of, besides the cat, q
genuine Paganini uolin. There, [
have got some of the southern wood
on me, and If they smell me in ad-
vance they will thinka whole village
Sunday school is coming. Goodbye,
goodbye"
The two young people went away
in opposite directions, and Miss Payne,
left alone, sat for a long time in the
little room in the lowering sunshine,
silent, but quite sad at least her smile
was stronger than her tears, and held
its place on her placid mouth. For it
was Tessy she was thinking of, the
pretty, young, brown-haired maiden,
between whom and utter loneliness
and helplessness in a hard world was
only her own frail life-and Joseph.
Joseph loved the charming, home
sweet Tessy; Esther was sure of that.
But Tessy2 All she was the "weisse
Blume" truly-the white flower about
which the swan might circle, singing
its plaintive song till it should die.
II wish, oh, I wish"-and Esther
clapped her hands together with nerv-
Gus force-''I wish Tessy could love
him. could die happy then"
The large tears rose and fell.
Surely, girls heart is not so hard
to win-if oAe knows the way"
And the trouble was that Joseph did
not know the way" He was good,
he was gentle and kind; he would
flush and stammer when the merry
little maid asked him but to do some
thing for her; then he would rush and
stumble over his own feet dOz 3n
times IN the effort to obey her, and
Tessy would laugh a him.
whilst du mir NIGHT einen kuss
geben?"
81 think" said Esther to herself,
I think if Joseph would say that to
her some day in earnest and claim the
kiss and take it as his right, he might
win my little Therese."
But just here the trouble was. Jo-
seph was afraid. HIS great love for
the poor young girl, the white
flower" of his song, made nina cow
ard; out it was a noble Gowardice, and
might 90 far to help him some day to
high, heroic deeds.
It was late when Tessy returned.
Miss Payne had been sitting gloomily
alone in the room, where shaded
lamplight and flooding moonlight,
pouring through the open window and
door, made the place bower of golden
dusk.
Tossing aside her hat and little
white shawl, Tessy flung herself on
the floor at her siser's feet. Esther
placed her loving hand on the soft,
brown, curling locks yelling the
bright head.
did you have a happy day, my
Tessg?"
"Oh, yes" was the answer, given
with magnificent indifference.
'And-was Joseph there?"
"Josef-you mean old Josef, the
bandmaster-of course he was there.
How could there be brass band with
out Josef to lead it2" replied again
Miss Tessy.
Miss Esther Payne touched with
finger of gentle reproach the naughty
lips of the naughty speaker.
DO you think I should inquire
after such person as that?"
"Oh, then you meant your friend
Joseph-the one who makes quota
tions in German to show that he is
learned. Yes, certainly, he was
there, but dio not see very much of
him"
But why?" And now Miss Payne's
face grew grave, her voice fell. ''But
why, my Tessy? Surely"
ooh, don't know" Tessy stretch
ed up two slender white hands, clasp
ing them indolently over her head.
you see, Esther, when he first made
his appearance on the scene, we had
left the grounds. Most of our girls
were IN the big pavilion getting our
tea at the tables; and that horrid
Nelly Marchmont was there, and
stayed there long time,"
well. what then3" Tessy had
paused in her recital, and was lying
half kneeling. Her soft flushed cheek
resting on her sisters arm. She
smiled little gravely when Esther
spoke.
"What then? Oh, nothing but this:
first, suppose should not have
minded it, but got fateful fancy
that it was only because of her dress
that he fingered by her; and that he
was ashamed to be seen with me-"
''Tessyw
oh L know it w8smean of me; but
she was beautifully dressed She is
dark you know-dark; and she was
all in dark tissue, with broad bands of
gold on her arms and waist and in
her hair. 1t was very becoming to
her, and I suppose Joseph paid her
compliments in German.
'Child''-and Miss Payne pinched
with smile the little pearl pink ear.
well, at all events, he couldn't
call her his weisse bIume CHS white
fower) could he?" quoth Miss Their
csc, triumphaptly. She sat up and
rested her chin on her arm to begin
again.
Aud so, when at last he began to
make his way across the lawn, mean