Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-16

know TOO well your disposition to shirk the
unpleasant duties of life, to be much surprised
that, when tried by this test, you were found
wanting But this wounds me deeply. Peo-
pie In Sardis think my disposition hard and
exactlng; they think care for little except
to get all that is due me. But no man here
can say that in all his long life Robert Glen
shirked or evaded single duty that he owed
to the community or his fellow men, no mat
ter how dangerous or disagreeable that duty
might be. To have you fail in this respect
and to take and maintain your place in the
front rank with other men is terrible blow
to my pride"
"oh, Harry, is that your" said his mother,
coming into the room at that moment and
throwing herself into her sons arms 81 was
lying down when heard your voice. and
dressed and hurried down as quickly as pos
sible. am SO glad that you have come home
all safe and we'll / know that you'll contra
dict, for your poor mothers sake, all these
horrible stories that are worrying her almost
to death"
Unfortunately he has just admitted that
those stories are substantially true said the
father CURLY.
"Iwont believe it, sobbed his mother, until
he tells me so himself. You didn't, did you.
back out Of fight, and let that Bob Bennett,
whose mother used to be my sewing girl, and
whom supported for months after he was
born, and his father died with the cholera and
left her nothing, by giving her work and pay
ing her cash, and who is now putting on all
sorts of airs because everybody's congratri-
latinS her on having such wonderful son,
and nobodys congratulating me at all, and
sometimes | almost wish was dead.r
Clearness of statement was never one of
Mrs. Glens salient characteristics Nor did
deep emotion help her in this regard. Still it
was only too evident that the fountains of her
being were moved by having another
woman's son exalted over her own. Her ma
ternal pride and social prestige were both
quivering under the blow
Harry met this with flank movement.
you both seem decidedly disappointed
that | did not get myself wounded or killed.
he said.
That's an humanity whimper," said his
father, contemptuously.
"Why, Harry, Bob Bennett didn't get either
killed or wounded" said his mother with that
defective ratiocination which it is pretty
woman's privilege TO indulge in at her own
sweet viii
Harry withdrew from the mortifying con-
ference under the plea of the necessity of 60
ing to his room to remove the Crime of
travel
He was smarting with rage and hurnilia-
tion. His panoply of conceit was pierced for
the first time since the completion of his col
legiatc course sent him forth into the world
being superior, in his own esteem, to the acct
dents and conditions that the mass of inferior
mortals are subject to- Yet he found reasons
to account for his parents detection to the
ranks of his enemies
dts no new thing" he said, while carefully
dressing for a call upon Rachel in the even
ing, for father to be harsh and unjust to me,
and mother has one Of her nervous spells,
when everything goes wrong with her."
anyhow he continued, "there's Ned
Burnleigh, who understands me and will do
me justice, and he amounts to more than all
of Sardis-except Rachel, who loves me and
will always believe that what do is right.u
He sat down at his desk and wrote a long
letter to Ned, inveighing bitterly against the
stupidity and malice of people living in small
villages, and informing him of his intention
to remove to Cincinnati as soon as an opening
could be found for him there, which he
begged Ned to busy himself in discovering.
Attired in his most becoming garb, and neg
sonal appearance, he walked slowly UP tho
hill in the evening to Rachel Bonds house.
The shrinBnge which his self-suf1iciency had
suffered had left room for wonderful ex
pansion of his affection for Rachel, whose
love and loyalty were now essential to him,
to compensate for the falling away of others.
The question of whether he should break
with her was now one the answering of which
could be postponed indefinitely. There was
no reason why he should not enjoy the sweet
privileges of IN aifianced lover during his
stay at Sardis. What would happen after
ward would depend upon the shape that
things took in his new home
He found Rachel sitting on the piazza
Though dressed in the deepest and plainest
black she had never locked so surprisingly
beautiful. As is usually the case with Young
women of her type OF beauty, grief had
toned down the rich coloring that had at
times seemed almost too exuberant into that
delicate shell-like tint which is the perfection
of natures painting Her round white arms
shone like Juno's, as the outlines were re-
vealed by the graceful motions which threw
back the wide sleeves. Her wealth of slken
black hair was drawn smoothly back from
her white forehead over her shapely head,
and gathered into simple knot behind Save
a black brooch at her throat. she wore no
ornaments-not even plain ring.
She rose as Harry came upon the piazza,
and for moment her face was rigid with in
tensity of feeling. This evidence of emotion
went as quickly as it came, however, and she
extended her hand with calm dignity, saying
simply:
"You have returned, Mr. Glen.Y
In his anxiety to SO play the imprisoned
lover as to conceal the recreancy he had
fostered in his own heart, Harry did not
notice the GOODNESS of this greeting. Then,
too, his self satisfaction had always done him
the invaluable service of preventing a ready
perception of the repellant attitudes of others.
He came forward eagerly to press kiss
upon her lips, but she checked him with up
lifted hand.
30, the family's in there, are theysn said
he, looking toward the open windows of the
parlor. "WeH. what matter2 Isn't it ex-
pected that fellow will kiss his affianced
wife on his return, and not care who knows
itg'
He pointed to the old apple tree where they
had plighted their troth that happy night,
with gesture and look that was a reminder
Of their former meeting and an invitation to
50 thither again. She compsehended, but re-
fused with a shudder, and, turning, motioned
him to the farther end Of the piazza to which
she led the way, moving with a sweeping
gracefulness of carriage that Harry thought
had wonderfully ripened and perfected in the
three months that had elapsed since their
parting.
"Fore gad, he said to himself. This was
a new addition to his expletory vocabulary,
which had accrued from Ned Burnleigh,s
companionship) I'D like to put her along
side of one of the girls that Ned's always
talking about. don't believe she's got her
equal anywhere"
Arriving at the end of the piazza he i'm
petuously renewed his attempt at an en-
brace, but her repulse was now unmistak-
able.
sit down. she said, pointing to chair;
Il have something to say TO YOU
Harry's first thought was rush of jeal-
ousy. "Some rascal has supplanted me- he
said bitterly, but under his breath
She took a chair near by, put away the
arm be would have placed about her
waist, drew from her pocket dainty
handkerchief bordered with black, and
opened it deliberately. 1t shed a delicate
odor of violets.
Harry waited anxiously for her to speak.
This mourning which wear she began
gently, Il put on when 1 received the news
of your downfall
'tMy downfallg7 broke in Harry hotlv.
'Great heavens, you don't say that you, too,
have been carried away by this wretched
village slanderl"
Il put it on" she continued, unmindful of
the interruption, because l suffered a loss