Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-04

your boyish lover in such cool, con-
tenptuous scorn. terming it an 'oed,
absurd engagement
The great dark eyes under Their veil
ing lashes flashed.
Isn't it odd how he has progressed,
Lois2 Such wealthy, famous, artist,
and perfect, handsome gentleman-the
lion OF the season.
You cannot complain of him be-
ing too attentive to you Row, Lois.
Your manner toward him could not
! be more distant and scornful than his
toward you.
SPY the way, they do say, my dear,
that he is going to marry Grace Ray
mond-on Christmas eve, I think it
is"
Lois only shrugged her shoulders,
and Laura Wentworth never knew
how keenly her laughing thrust had
pierced the girls heart, and together
they descended the broad, velvet piled
stairway to receive the fashionable
guests.
"W1ll you favor me with one of
your beautiful pansies, Miss Crcsp-
igny9' Lewis Wilmington, elegant in
evening toilet, asked at the conserva-
tory door. Just one, begp
And when she raised her glorious
dark eyes, and smilingly gave him
one. he went and told Captain Bliss
that she was ''just the oldest girl,
you know. Never knew whether she
was smiling at or with your
Among the late arrivals came the
handsome, lionized artist, Lawrence
Wallace, and her heart thrilled with
vague, indefinite pain as she met
the glance of his stern, worldly-in-
different eyes.
In her awakened heart the knowl-
edge of her past unjust cruelty lay
heavy.
81 had a letter from Aunt Theodosia
last night" he said, standing beside
her and looking coldly down upon
her from his magnificent height.
''They wished me to spend the Christ
mas holidays with them; but I think
it will be impossible, Mrs. Wentworth
tells me you are not well, and think
of going to them. It it so9''
She raised her glorious dark eyes,
from which all the old defiance was
gone, to his face, and his heart
throbbed painfully as he noticed how
wan and white her small face was.
EYES," she answered in her won
drous, low voice. ST have been
cruelty selfshly negligent to leave
them SO long, They have given me
so much affection, which so little de-
served or appreciated.
They were overjoyed to see her, the
tender, splnster aunts, and extremely
anxious about the frail state of their
dead brothers only child. Unlike the
old days, she was tender and even af-
fectionate with them. taking all the
nauseous medicines they prepared,
and playing with the village children
whom she had frightened not SO long
ago with the wierd, ogreish tales of
uncanny things, but her health did
not improve.
Christmas eve-a wild windy even
ing when the waves tossed high in re-
bellious fury against the rocks, where,
four years ago, she had SO cruelty dis
missed the man whose wedding day
this was, and to whom her rebellious
heart had since gone out as If in retri
button.
She leaned YEARLY against a pro-
jecting rock-her dark eyes, heavy
with unshed tears, gazing across the
broad expanse of drerry ocean.
"'Break, break, break
On thy cold, gray stones, o sea-
But the tender grace Of day that is dead
Can never come back to mer''
she murmured.
A firm step crunched the frozen
sand, and she looked up to meet the
coldly reproachful gaze of Lawrence
Wallace.
''You are rashr' he said. "Aunt
Lamar sent me for you on my arrival,
They are terribly worried about you,
and you are too i'll to venture out in
this weather."
She shivered as he touched her
arm.
He looked down on the frail form,
the great idolatrous love, which had
been SO firmly repressed all these
years rushed forth and overwhelmed
him.
''YoI were heartless-cruel," said
he, taking her in his strong arms;
"but this mad love I cannot crush Is
my doom! I can love no other WON
an, and rather than again resign you
[ will carry you with me into yonder
maddened waters; perhaps we may
find the peace have striven in vain
for here, but never found. Have
you?'
Eyes" she whispered softly. 81 have
found it here against your heart,
Laurie! Forgive the past and let me
atone, my DARING"
4 Small Leak
will SIM great ahip: and what at first appears