Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-25

They had been nearly an hour in the park,
and were returning to the house through q
clump of trees, when Sydney's companion.
running on before her, cried: Here's papa ~
Her first impulse was to draw back behind a
tree in the hope of escaping notice. Linley
sent Kitty away to gather a hosegay OF
daisies, and joined Sydney under the trees.
Il have been looking for you everywhere, y
he said. My Wife"
Sydney interrupted him. discovered al.
readyp' she exclaimed.
'"There is nothing that need alarm YOU. ~
he replied. Catherine is too good and too
true herself to suspect others easily. She sees
change in you that she doesn't understand
she asks if | have noticed it-and that is
all. But her mother has the cunning of the
devil. There is a serious reason for control
ling yourself"
He spoke so earnestly that he startled her.
care you angry with me?" she asked
Angry! Does the man live who could
be angry with you"'
'sIt might be better for both of us if YOU
acre angry with me. have tried to con-
troll myself; [ will try again. Oh, if you
only knew what [ suffer when Mrs Linley
is kind to mer'
He persisted IN trying to rouse her to a
sense of the danger that threatened them
while the visitors remained in the house ''In
a few days, Sydney there will be no more
need for the deceit that is now forced on us.
Till that time comes, remember-NIrs. Presty
Kitty ran back to them with her hands full
of daisies before they could say more.
There is your nosegay, papa. No, ! don't
want you to thank mel want to know what
present you are going to give me-" Her
fathers mind was preoccupied; he looked at
her absently. The child's sense of her own
Importance was wounded; she appealed to
her governess. Would you believe it?' she
asked. Papa has forgotten that next Tues
day is my brthdayr'
every well, Kitty, must pay the penalty
Of forgetting. What present would you like
to have?"
II want dolls perambulatOr."
''Ha! In my time we were satisfied with a
doll"
Lney all three looked round. Another per-
son had suddenly joined in the talk. There
was no installing the persons voice. Mrs.
PreSty appeared among the trees, taking a
walk in the park. Had she heard what Lin
ley and the governess had said to each other
While Kitty was gathering daisies?
Quite domestic scener' the sly old lady
remarked. Papa, looking like saint in a
picture, with flowers in his hand; papa's
spoilt child always wanting something and
always getting it; and papa's governess, SO
sweetly fresh and pretty that l should GER
tainly fall in love with her if I had the adj
vantage of being a man. You have no doubt
remarked, Herbert-think [ hear the bell;
shall we go to lunch?-you have no doubt, I
say, remarked what curiously opposite styles
Catherine and Miss WeSterfeld present-so
charming, and yet such complete contrasts.
l wonder whether they occasionally envy
each others good looks? Does my daughter
ever regret that she is not Miss Westerfeld?
And do you, my dear, sometimes wish you
were Mrs. Linley?"
while we are about it, let me put third
question" Linley interpOSed. Are you
ever aware of it yourself, Mrs. PreSty, when
you are talking nonsense?'
He was angry, and he showed it in that
feeble reply. Sydney felt the implied insult
offered 20 her in another way. 1t reused her
to the exercise of self-contrOl as nothing had
reused her yet She ignored Mrs. Presty' s
irony with a cOmpOSure worthy of Mrs.
Presty herself. ''Where is the woman she
said, ''who would not wish to be as beauti-
full as Mrs. Linley-and as good?"
THANK you, my dear, for compliment to
my daughter-a sincere compliment, no
doubt 1t comes in very neatly and nicely"
Mrs. Presty acknowledged, latter my SON
in-law's little outbreak of temper. My poor
Herbert, when will you understand that !
mean no harm? l am an essentially humor-
Gus persOn-my wonderful spirits are always
/ carrying me away. l do assure you, Miss
| Westerteld, [ don't know what worry is
| My trOubleS-deaths in the family, and that
| sort of thingS-Seem to slip off me in a most
remarkable manner. Poor Mr.. Ormond used
| to attribute it to my excellent appetite. Or,
| no; think he said my excellent digestion.
| My second husband would never hear of such
| an explanation as that His high ideal of
! women shrank from allusiOn to stomachs.
| He used 20 speak so nicely Quoting some
| poet) of the sunshine Of my breast Vague,
| perhaps" said Mrs. PreSty, modestly look
| ing down at the ample prospect of personal
nature which presented itself below her
| throat, ''but so flattering to ones feelings.
| There's the luncheon bell again, declare
| I'll run on before and tell them you are
coming. Some people might say they wish
Ell I'D De puIlctIldI ain Irulu llSeIl. anu 1
own don't like being helped to the under
side of the fish. Au revoir! Doyou remem
Der, Miss Westerfeld when l asked you tc
/ repeat 'au revoir' as a specimen Of your
! French? didn't think much of your accent
| Oh! dear me, I didn't think much of YOU
| accent"
| Kitty looked after her fluent grandmother
with eyes that stared respectfully in ingoran1
admiration. She pulled her father's coattail
and addressed herself grayely to his private
ear. ''Oh, papa, what noble words grand
mamma hasr'
| XI.
| On the evening of Monday in the new
week the last of the visitors had left Mount
Morven. Mrs. Linley dropped into chail
| Gin, what Randall called, ''the heavenly tran