Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-04
SUCHA ABSURD ENGAGEMENT.
BY NJ. EILEEN HOLAHAN.

you can say or 90, Laurice Wallace,
will alter that decision but perhaps
II you care for consequences, the less
you say the better!'
Il have some authority to remon-
stratel You are my betrothed WIFE
and yet you leave me and your aunts
TO 60 out In the world with vain,
frivolous woman, whose folly is shield
ed by her immense wealth"
you go for an indefinite period,
and Jet you forbid me, your betrothed
husband. to visit you at her city
home. Lois Crespigny, you are cruel
cruel and heartlessw
The girl with the quaint old name
drew her small, slender form to it's
fullest height, and flashed a look of
superb seorn on him from her great
dark eyes.
Beautiful eyes they were-in every
one of her capricious moods; but the
only beauty the small dark face, with
its settled look of scorn, possessed.
She was odd" there was some
thing enigmatical and fascinating
about her, which was one reason Mrs.
Wentworth induced the affectionate
old splnSter aunts-who had humored
and ldOlized their orphan niece from
lDfancy-to allow her few seasons"
IN New York, under her cfaperonage.
Another reason was that she was
really attached to the dark little crea-
ture, with the flashing eyes, who could
amuse the weary woman of the world
as no one else ever had.
She did not understand her, but it
caYco+inv1 IN f0b hn
wondrous changes IN her dark eyes,
which now flashed on Laurie Wallace
in sUpercili0Us sc0rn.
List it be SO thenl" she cried. ''Cru-
Ell and hGartless-an anything to break
chains Of whose gallant letters [ am
weary 1t was always such an absurd
engagement; but between you, Aunt
Lamar and Aunt Theodosia, I was
forced aad persuaded into it as though
l had no voice in the matter. You
follow me everywhere me no
peace!
Now [ mean to take the peace you
will not voluntarily grant! Aunt
Theodosia and Lamar will sympathize
with you, of course! [ wish you fare
we'll, Mr.. Wallace"
And while she rolled away to the
railroad station beside pretty, painted
Laura Wentworth, and gave her a
scornful synopsis of that foolish, alb
surd engagement over which they
both laughed-while the dear, old
splnSter aunts weBt and consoled each
other IN the dark old cottage facing
the sea, the scorned lover of Lois, and
the petted idol of her spinster aunts,
Laurie Wallace lay face downward
on the sand IN the very abandonment
of despairing grief.
he was so young, and he loved
the wild creature with a wild, impe-
tous abandon; and then to have lost
her.
He had lost her-he realized itnow,
when the wild wakes beat a requiem
to his dead hopes against the rocky
shore, and the words of Tennyson's
brief, beautifdl poem rang In his ears,
as one day they rang in hers:
Break, break, break,
At the foot of the cragS o sea!
The thoughts that arise in me!'
"You are superb, Lois-as you al
ways are! You leave nothing to sug-
gest. Worth may have realized that
beautiful, unique pansy dress, but I
am sure you designed it."
Lois Crespigny shrugged her pretty
shoulders and surveyed her reflection
In the pier-glass in the dressing room
Of her friend-Mrs. Wentworth.
An odd attrac tive reflection it was.
IN wondrous dress of white silk into
which were woven beautiful, golden
hearted pansies, a huge boquet Of
which she carried Ia her slender glov-
ed hand.
Beautiful women paled into insig-
ni6cance beside the wierd. nameless,
fascinating influence of Lois Ores
plgny's presence.
Although the fashionable world con-
fessed It's failure to understand her
termlng her. an ''odd" girl and a
genius, they yet hocked around her,
making her the absolute fashion of the
metropolis.
L haa g letter from Aunt Lamar
this evenia e, Laura. They are very
anxious for my return, and-I think
7 shall go!"
Mrs. Wentworth gave little scream
of dismay.
Il can not spare you Lois-New
York can not spare you. Why should
you go b ack to that old loney cottage.
to pass y our life with two old maids9"
SIT is four years since I left, Laura,
and they love me so much, I begin
to real izs nay own selfish ingrati-
tude!.'
Mrs. Wentworth laughed.
wv no would have expected such a
thing four years ago. when I thought
you the most heartless, odd creature I
had ever sean when Won, th.axu or-a,.