River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-04-01
HIS SECOND CHOICE.

IL at his wrathful little cousin.
Il don't exactly phrase it in these
terms, Hetty," said he, quietly, IF
you mean to question whether am in
tending to offer my self to
Miss Deerhaven. can only answer to
YOU yes.
lit is a trap, and 1 insist upon it
that it is, said Hetty vehemently.
"Oh, dear, why will men be so wise
upon all other subjects, and so IDIOT
cally blind when women are concerned?
Julia Deerhaven is an ill-tempered,
scheming ~"
"Hettyr'
''She is not your wife yet; no, nor
even your iiancee thank goodness,
persiste Hetty; land something may
happen to open your eyes before you
have hopelessly committed your self -
''Hetty,' said Mr.. Carisforde, rest
lessly turning a lead pencil round and
round IN his fingers, what has oc-
CURED to give you such prejudice
an unfounded one, as sincerely hope
against Miss Deerheaven? She Is
certainly pretty, and -"
Pretty Yes" said Hetty with a
shrug of her shoulders, $50 is a spotted
tiger pretty after its fashion, and a
black and yellow leopard =
And amiable'
NO interrupted Hetty emphati-
cally; ''her temper is anything but the
temper to make mans life happy
What makes you think so.
| don't think 50 said Hetty.
with an air of calm assertion
Il know it; she is ill-natured, shrewish
to her poor old father, and mother,
unamiable in every relation of life -
You mIsjudge her Hetty, l am
sure" pleaded Mr.. Carisforde, with Il
troubled look.
oh, of course" answered Hetty,
satirically; that always a man : ar
gument. 1 only hope you won't find
my judgment correct, when it is too
late 10 mend matters"
AT all events she is industrious, or
she would never have undertaken to
lead the district school.
Yes; because she wants more money
than she can screw out of her father
for dress ornaments and Inappropriate
iewelry.'
Now. you are uncharitable, Hetty."
"Oh. am |, retorted Hetty, with q
toss of her pretty little head Just
all; only don say that havn warned
YOU"
And she flrted out of the room like
butterfly in high dudgeon.
Richard Carisfordc sat with con-
tracted brows and grave, thoughtful
eyes, as he still turned and twisted
the cedar pencil between his fingers.
Could it be possible that there was any
shadow of truth in what Hetty Morgan
had just been SAYING to him. No,
surely not and yet-the reflection
would keep recurring to him that if it
was so. what very disagreeable discOv-
cry it would be To make too late. He
thought OF Julia Deerhaven, fair. serene
AM deweyed as an angel-suTely she
could be nought but what she seemed.
Hetty must be mistaken; and yet
Hetty was generally pretty shrewd in
her conclusions, quick 10 understand.
and an adept in reading all the signs
of character.
lis there no way of decipbering this
riddle?' sighed the would-be lover.
''Oh, for wise woman to unfold the
mysteries of futurity-fOr a clue of hid
den meaning of sweet voice or gen
glance! | remember how, as a boy,
used to write in my copy-book, over
aud over again. All that glitteTs is not
gOldr Can it be possible that | am
destined to live over the Significance
of the words? If Julia Deerhaven Is
not perfect, then women are more OF
dissimulators than | have any idea. =
And Mr.. Dick CarrisfOrde, too unquet
to sit sill, went for long walk. whose
wjndings took him past the one-story
school house where Miss Deerhaven
taught young ladies how to shoot, at
the rate of twenty-four dollars month,
and in sight of the lower farmhouse,
under the hill where Farmer Deerhaven
himself dwelt, trying 10 force preca-
rious living out of the sterile and rocky
soil. For the fair Julia was the eldest
of seven young Oeerhavens. and money
didn't grow on every blackberry bush
in the pasture meadows, by any means,
as the poor tiller of the soil found to
his cost.
1t was 10 very tempting casket to
enshrine the Jewel of Julia Deerhaven 5
rich blonde beauty-yet Richard CARTS
forde stood looking at it as lovers will
gaze upon the homes of those they have
learned to worship, until the purple
clash came down. like a royal curtain,
all glittering with stars. and q light
flashed out of the lower easement, where
perhaps, even then, Julia was tighten
ing her mother household cares with
the tender ministratiOns of tilial love.
He stood quite silent and immovable
for full ten minutes-then started as if
from q magnetic trance.
Il can but try it, he said, as if adj
dressing some other presence than his
own individuality. 1T seems strange
unnatural way of solving the riddle,
but l am placed, just now, in position
where convictional form and mere sur
face inquiry are actually worse than
nothing. 1 will 60 back once again to
the pictured visions of my boyhood.
aud temporarily play the part of the
disguised Sultan who visited the streets
of the Eastern city, seeing life, as
from his throne, he never could have
had the opportunity to behold its
various phases. Hetty's real friend
ship for me deserves that the matter
should be tested-and if she is really
right, why then
Mr. CarisfOrde did not finish the
sentence-it was not an alternative
upon which he liked to look.
Mis- Deerhaven released from the
duties of preceptress of the little
sehOol-house at the crossroads. was
stretched upon the kitchen lounge, in
no very picturesque dishabille, her
feet thrust into loose slippers, her yell
low hair pushed back. and novel in
her hands. while the six younger Deer
haveBs were playing about the floor,
and their mother, flushed and weaTied
with her long days work which was
not yet approaching its end-bent
over the cooking stove-when knock
sounded on the outer door, Miss Deer
haven started to her feet.
IF it should be anybody" she ex-
claimed. soto voce, ''and | such fig
ure!'
"Oh. pshawr' said Josey the eldest
hoy. Jules visitors all 90 20 the
front door. and old Carisforde had
gone to New York. cause Miss Hetty
told me so when / took 3 pail of black
berries up there to sell this mornin'
.sWill you stop your noise, said Miss
Julia imperiously. 'Or | will give you
something that will make you. Moth
er. why don't YOU 90 to the door?