Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-10-28


wiler-rl get him to use his influence with
Mrs Hop. So cheer up, my boy; he'll make
it all right"
The appearance Of bouquet ON the table
of Mrs. Hopkinson was no rare event; never
theless, Mr.. Gashwiler's was not there. Its
hideous contrasts had offended her woman's
eye-it is observable that good taste survives
the wreck of oil the other feminine virtues
and she had distributed it to make bouton-
nieres for other gentlemen. Yet, when he
appeared, she said to him hastily. putting her
little hand over the cardiac region:
I'm SO glad you came. But you gave me
such a fright an hour ago.
Mr.. Gashwiler was both pleased and as
founded. "What have done, my dear Mrs.
HopkinsonE" he began
"Oh, don't talk" she said, sadly. @What
have you done indeed! Why, you sent me
that beautiful bouquet. / could not mistake
your taste in the arrangement of the flowers;
but my husband was here You know his
jealousy. was obliged TO conceal it from
him. Neuer-promise me now--neper do it
again"
Mr.. Gashwiler CALAMITY protested
mo! | am seriousl / was so agitated; he
must have seen me blush.n
Nothing but the gross fattery of this speech
could have clouded its manifest absurdity to
the Gashwiler consciousness But Mr.. CASH
wiler had already succumbed to the girlish
half timidity with which it was uttered.
Nevertheless, he could not help saying:
"But why should he be so jealous now
Only day before yesterday saw Simpson. of
Duluth, hand you a nosegay right before
himl'
"Ah," returned the lady, she was outwardly
calm then, but you know nothing of the
scene that occurred between us after you
left
"But," gasped the practical Gashwiler,
Simpson had given our husband that con-
tract-a cool fifty thousand in his pocketr"
Mrs. Hopkinson looked as dignifedly at
Gashwiler as was consistent with five feet
three tthe extra three inches being pyramidal
structure of straw-celored hair, frond of
faint curls, pair of laughing blue eyes and a
small belted waist Then SHE said, with a
casting down of her lids:
"You forget that my husband loves me,r
and for once the mink appeared to look peni-
tent Itwas becoming; but as it had been
originally practiced in a simple white dress,
relieved only with pale-blue ribbons, it was
not entirely in keeping with befounced laven-
der and rose-colored trimmings. Yet the
woman who hesitates between her moral ex-
preston and the harmony of her dress is lost
And Mrs. Hopkinson was victrix by her very
audacity
Mr. Gashwiler was flattered. The most dis
solute man likes the appearance of virtue.
"But graces and accomplishments like
yours, dear Mrs. Hopkinson," he said
oleaginously, "belong to the whole coun-
try" Which, with something between
courtesy and strut, he endeavored to rep
resent. And / shall want to avail myself
of all, he added, 'in the matter of the Castro
claim. A little supper at Welcker's, glass
or two of champagne, and single flash of
those bright eyes, and the thing is DONE"
But" said Mrs, Hopkinson, II have prom
ised Josiah that l would give up all those
frivolities, and, although my conscience is
clear you know how people talk Josiah
hears it. Why, only last night, at O recep-
ton at the Patagonian minister's, every
woman in the room gossiped about me be-
cause | led the german with him. As if a
married woman, whose husband was in
terested in the government, could not be civil
to the representative of friendly power2"
Mr.. Gashwiler did not see how Mr.. Hop
kinson's late contract for supplying salt pork
and canned provisions to the army of the
United States should make his wife suscep-
tible to the advances of foreign princes; but
he prudently kept that to himself Still, not
being himself a diplomat, he could not help
saying:
"But | understood that Mr.. Hopkinson did
not object to your interesting yourself in this
claim, and you know some of the stock --n
The lady started, and said:
stock! Dear Mr.. Gashwiler, for heavens
sake don't mention that hideous name to me.
Stock, | am sick of it! Have you gentlemen
no other topic for ladyg'
She punctuated her sentence with a mis-
chievous look at her interlocutor. For a
second time, regret to say, that Mr.. Cash
wiler succumbed. The Roman constituency
at Remus, it is to be hoped, were happily
ignorant of this last detection of their great
legislator. Mr.. Gashwiler instantly forgot
his theme-began to ply the lady with GER
tain bovine-like gallantry, which it is to be
said to her credit she parried with playful,
terrier-likc dexterity, when the servant sud
denly announced, "Mr Wiles."
Gashwiler started. Not SO Mrs. Hopkin-
son, who, however, prudently and quietly re-
moved her own chair several inches from
Gashwiler's.
"Do you know Mr.. Wilesp she asked pleas
antly.
mo! That is, I-ah-yes, may say !
have had some business relations with him, y
responded Gashwiler rising
won't you stay?" she added pleadingly.
Do
Mr.. Gashwiler's prudence always got the
better of his gallantry. "Not now" he re-
sponded i'll some nervousness. "Perhaps /
had better so now, in view of what you have
just said about gossip You need not men,
ton my name to this-er-this- Wiles. y
And with one eye on the door, and an awk-
ward dash of his lips at the lady's fingers, he
withdrew.
There was no Introductory formula to Mr..
Wiles' interview. He dashed at once in me-
dias res. "Gashwiler knows a woman that,
he says, can help us against the Spanish girl
who is coming here with proofs, prettiness,
fascination, and what not! You must find
her OUT
"WhyF' asked the lady laughingly.
Because | don't trust that Gashwiler A
woman with a pretty face and an ounce of
brains could sell him out; aye, and us with
him."
"Oh, say two ounces of brains Mr.. Wiles,
Mr.. Gashwiler is no fool"
POSSIBLY, except when your sex is con-
cerned and it is very likely that the woman
is his superior"
81 should think So" said Mrs. Hopkinson
with mischievous look.
"Ah, you know her, then!"
mot so well as l know him. said Mrs. II.
| quite seriously. II wish did"
"Well, you'll find out if she's to be trusted.
| You are laughing-this is serious matter
| This woman
Mrs. Hopkinson dropped him q charming
courtesy and said,
"C'est mol"
CHAPTER XII
RACE FOR IT.
~ OVAL THATcH'
q q FER vortad bard