Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-07-08

4 DOW g;;STiC STORY.
BY pqlLRIE COLLINS.


Il am indeed sorry to spoil your dramatic
effect" she said. But you ought to have
known that we are only half an hour behind
you at Sydenham in the matter of news. The
report is premature, my good friend. But if
these newspaper people waited to find out
whether q report was true or false, how much
gossip would society get in its fayorite news
papers? Besides, if it isn't true now, it will
be true next week. The author only says
it's whispered How delicate of him!
What a perfect gentemanr
Am l really to understand, Mrs. PreSty,
that Catherine"
you are to understand that Catherine is
widow. ] say it with pride, widow of
my makingH
IF this Is one of your jokes maam-"
Nothing Of the sort, sir"
''Are you aware, Mrs. PreSty, that my
brother"
"Oh don't talk of your brotherl He's an
obstacle in our way, and we have been COM
PEELED to get rid of him."
''What do you mean%'
MY dear Randall, have been obliged to
treat him like q character in novel, / have
shipwrecked your brother. Vessel found in
the Atlantic bottom upWard-all drowned
my dear friend; all drowned"
Randall drew back a step. Mrs Presty's
audacity was something more than he could
understand. ''Is this woman mad?'' he said
to himself.
''Sit down." said Mrs. PreSty. eff you are
determined to make a serious business of it
if you insist on my justifying myself-you
are to be pItied for not possessing a sense of
humor, but you shall have your own way [
am put on my defense. Very well. You
shall hear how my poor divorced daughter
md nd yVpr tod
at SandyseaI after you left u.s."
Having related the circumstances, she Sug-
gested that Randall should put himself in
GATHERINGS place before he Ventured on eX-
pressing an opinion. would you have eX-
posed yourself to be Inundated again i'll the
same way?'' she asked, land would you
have seen your child made to suffer as well
as ycIrself?'
II should have kept in retirement for the
future, he answered, land not have trusted
my child and myself among strangers in
hotels"
"Ah, Indeed? And you would have con-
demned your poor little daughter to solitude?
You would have seen her pining for the com
pany Of other chi dren and would have had
no mercy on her? l wonder what you would
have done when Capt Bennydeck paid us a
visit at the seaside? lie was introduced to
Mrs OrmOnd and to Mrs. OrmOnd'S little
girl, and we were all charmed with him.
When he and | happened to be left together
he naturally wondered, after having seen the
charming wife, where the lucky husband
might be. 1t he had asked on about Mr..
OmOnd how would you have answered
him?'
81 should have told the TRUTH
you would have said there was no Mr..
Ormond?'
YES"
Exactly what did! And the captain of
course concluded (after having been intro
duced to Kitty that Mrs Ormond was a
widow. If had said no, what would have
become of my daughters reputation? Ii
had told the truth at this hotel, when every,
body wanted to know what Mrs. OrmOnd,
that handsome lady, waS-What would the
consequences have been to Catherine and
her little girl? No! no! [ have made the
best Of miserable situation; [ have consult
ed the tranquility of a cruelty injured wo-
man and an innocent child-and the voice OF
my conscience says We'll done, Mrs.
PreStyr'
Randall decided on leaving her. ''Have
you done all this with GATHERINGS consents?
he asked, as he got up from his chair
Catherine submits to circumstances, like
sensible woman"
docs she submit to your telling Kitty thai
her father is dead?"
For the first time Mrs. Presty became Sc,
riouS.
''Wait a minute" she answered. Before
l consented to answer the child'S inquiries
came to an understanding with the mother
said: viii you let Kitty see her father
again?' !"
The very question which Randall had prom
iSed to ask in his brothers interests! "An(
how did Catherine answer yOu|' he inquired
Honestly She said: L daren'tY AfteI
that had her mothers authority for telling
her that she would never see her father
again. She asked directly if her father was
dead"
THAT will do, Mrs. PreSty. Your defenst
is thoroughly worthy of your conduct in al
other respects"
Say thoroughly worthy of the course
forced upon me and my daughter by you
brothers infamous conduct and you will b.
nearer the marllr'
Randall passed this over without notice
BE so good,' he said, ''as to tell Catherine
that try to make every possible allowance
for her, but that cannot consent to sit a
her dinner table, and that dare notiface m,
poor little niece, after what | have heard"
Mrs. Presty recovered all her audacity. Sc
very wise decision,' she remarked. You
face would spoil the best dinner that eve
was put on the table Have you any mes
sage for Capt. Bennydeck?'
Randall hesitated. The explanation whic
he had thought of seeking from the captain
appeared to be needless now. Bennydecl
had perfect right to please himself in III
choice Of a wife. If Catherine representa-
that choice but one doubt remained. Did sh
give him encouragement? Randall asked
his friend was then at the hotel.
Mrs. Presty smiled significantly. Not a
the hotel, just now"
''Where is he?''
"Where he is every day about this time
out driving with Catherine and Kitty"
This answer finally disposed of Randall
last doubt He took leave of Mrs. Prest
with the formality due to stranger-h
merely bowed That incorrigible old woman
treated him with atfectionate familiarity i
return.
''Good-by dear Randall. One moment, bt
fore you go. Will it be of any use if we as
m no oraO',