Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-01-08
A MOMENT OF TERROR.

Rena Grange was the prettisst GIRL
in Bolton, and the biggest fiirt.
All girls tlirt, You say? Well, per-
haps, but ] think know several who
do not Rena certainly did. She
could never see man without making
eyes at him, and very handsome eyes
hers were, and eloquent; she could
make them say anything.
| think Rena was really so much in
the habit of flirting. that she tried her
| hand on the women sometimes.
Certainly they were almost as much in
love with her as their sons, which
proves that, Notwithstanding the story
am going to tell you, Rena must have
had kind and generous heart, and a
great many other good qualities, or the
women whose sons she fooled would
not have been so ready to forgive her
and take her to their arms.
am not making any excuse for flirt-
ing. / consider it one of the meanest
devices Satan has ever invented for the
beguiling of man. But | knew the GIRL
| call Rena Grange well, and confess
i never could see that she had but that
one fault. She was the most truthful
girl l ever knew, and the most unsel-
fish. She must have been born d flirt.
cannot account for her being one in
any other way. After all, it only
amounted to this:
She had what she thought was an
innocent fashion of laughing and jest
ing with young fellows, of lifting her
small rosebud face confidingly, of look
ing their hearts out of them with eyes
whose cxpressiveness, perhaps, she did
not herself know
Among Rena's married friends there
was one, much older than she, of
whom she was especially fond. Her
name was Mercer.
She was widow, having lost her
husband, under peculiarly painful cir
cumstances, when they had been mar
ried only two years. She had never
married again, and seemed to live only
in her son, her only child, who was in
California, where he had been for five
years past. Rena had never seen him.
Mrs. Mercer thought Rena the sweet
est, loveliest girl that ever was made.
She did not think that she had one
fault. Even that foolish habit she had
of trifling with gentlemen quite amused
her, till her son Fred wrote that he
was coming home.
Then, indeed, the mothers heart
misgave her.
She knew that Renas parents would
never consent to her marrying even a
young man with her Fred's projections,
without money.
She was one of those women who
tell all their thoughts, except now and
then, when they keep secret that de-
stroys them.
"Rena DEAR she said frankly, the
first time she saw her favorite after her
son $ letter, Il want you to promise me
that you won't tlirt with Fred"
Rcna laughed, and then made a
face.
Now, Mrs. Mercer, you are as bad
as the rest. You know | never flirt. ;,
81 know you do, my darling, dread
fully, and | don't suppose in a general
way it matters much. Most men have
tough hearts. But now and then there
is one whose nature is so infammable,
that for pretty girl like you to smile
and look sweet at him is like a spark
to gunpewder.
'Rellly, you quite flatter me- said
Rena gaily. Il had no idea / was SO
dangerous.
The elder lady looked distressed.
.'Dear Rena." she said, ''you know
how | love you, and how dearly, if
such thing were possible, 1 should
like You for daughter But even if
you liked Fred, which is improbable,
you know as well as do that your
parents would never consent, and so,
dear, wish you wouldn't flirt with
him. Now, that is frank, is it not?"
There was look of trouble in Mrs.
MERGERS face. which Rena was quick
to see, but not to fully interpret, not
having the key. If her friend had told
her all, it might have made difference
and it might not. Who knows?
As it was, she really did mean to be
careful about Fred Mercer. She had
already one or two unpleasant remin-
iscences connected with young gentle
men to whom she had been too kind,
and she did not wish to add to the list.
Still she had heard so much of him
from his mother, his good looks, his
manliness, intelligence, his affectionate
disposition, his passionate temper,
that she was very curious to see him.
She was disappointed in him. In
stead of the gay, eager, impulsive
young fellow she had expected, she
saw tall, cold, naughty, reserved
man, who looked much older than he
really was, and in place of appearing
at all dazzled by her charms, showed
her only marked GOODNESS and avoid
ance.
Rena's vanity was piqued.
''He shall at least treat me decent
ly," she resolved, and set to work, as
only woman can, to make him do so.
The result anyone could have fore
seen.
In week he was at her feet, not as
others had been though.
II did not want to love you," he
said simply, '.my mother told me you
had no heart, but you must have, or
you could never look at a man as you
have at me. am sure you love me,
Rena. If you do not, Heaven help
metz
Rena hung her head. The agony of
his voice. his looks, pierced her like
knife. She had led him on; she knew
that she had enticed him with every
sweet word and look.
II am a wicked GIRL she said to
herself Il deserve anything-and
after what dear Mrs. Mercer said to
me, too
'.You do love me, Rena? was sure
of it, he said. .'My mother told me
no, that you looked at everyone the
same way, but / would not believe it.
You will be my wife, darling?"
Lower, lower went the bright head.
Mo- she said; mo-
But she could not look at him.
He turned cold.
''You don't mean it-you can't mean
itr' he cried passionately; mo woman
could do by man as you have done by
me, and not love him.
LAS long as | live Rena thought,
Il will never fiirt with anyone again"
Fred Mercer fell on his knees beside
her. Her handsome face was white.
The despair and entreaty of his looks
were frightful to see.
You do--you must love meih he
said once more.
Rena turned away her head.
No. she answered again; ssno. If
marrying you would right the wrong 1
have done you, l would be your wife.
But you know as well as do that no
woman could wrong a man more than
by marrying him when she did not