Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16

DeueFl09 0ef aIQDlUlOuS ana m6fcenarY,
that she might not imagine love for an
other man had cast out Louis from his
place in the heart of his betrothed-a place
which, in truth, he had never occupied.
II shouldn't have thought" said Amy,
drily-she was straightforward and plain
spoken, and Valerie never resented this
that it was a matter of hampering' and
'dictating'"
81 see. His slightest wish ought to be
law, eh?" said Beauty, laughing.
Wouldn't you feel like that fer any
man you loved, Valerie?''
Il might, "-dubiously-as if she could
only conjecture, while her heart rose up
with a wild throb of passionate pain.
Would not look OF Max Beauregard's be
law for her?
you might" echoed AIny-''you might!
Oh, Valerier'
ooh, Amy" cried the other, putting her
pretty fingers in her ears in mock dismay,
''pray, pray don't be moral, and high prin-
cipled, and love-in-a-cottage- all that
sort Of thing. I haven't heard such talk
since left the country-except from you.
Your tea is getting cold, and SO is mine"
Your heart is getting coldT' cried Amy,
warmly; ''the world is spelling you-no
wonder! you are so beautiful. and so fused
about and run after. But you've got a
heart, and strong one, and you'll find it
out some day; perhaps when it's too late"
"When [ marry man for his money,
and fall in love with his most intimate
friend. That's the rule" said Valerie flip
PANTY.
you are determined not to be serioud'
exclaimed Amy. But you'll repent It if
you marry Aston Lawford''
ooh, my prophetic soulr' sighed Valerie,
leaning back in her old attitude again.
DO you know" she went on, ''that in
Paris they used to call US Beauty and the
Beast?'"
Amy could not help laughing at this,
though she was panied to find how much
few months Of luxurious worldly life had
changed Valerie for the worse.
THE name was apt enough" she said.
''YJu can'r like him, Valerier'
Like him I told you he bored me-"
''Then you oughtn't to dream Of marry
il @ him" said Amy, bluntly
"I don't know that I have dreamt Of it.
Why, have hardly tapped my wings yet.
am only eighteen. Fancy tying myself
up in such Il hurryH'
''YGu want to break a dozen hearts be-
y L
Amy, half lightly, half seriously,
Aunt Constance doesn't think hearts
necessary in marriage said Valerie grave
~. she puts her faith in settlements and
pin-money."
And Go you agree with her?"
Il haven't quite made up my mind. 1t
is very nice to have everything one wants,
isn't 1t?"
eyes, eUeTytlljng," said Amy; "but you
don't get that if you are tied to a man you
don't care for. Perhaps you never did love
Mr. Charters as much as you fancied, or
you would't talk as you do. But I am
quite certain you are not a girl to be happy
with husband you couldn't love-"
''Why are you certain?" asked Valerie,
with a curious flash in her dark eyes.
ooh, from many things; and mamma
you know she is very keen in matters of
characteristic that for you to play tricks
with your heart would be like a child play
ing with fire.
Valerie grew white, and set her teeth.
Il half know that myself, " she safd-did
she not wholly know it?-''but you know,
Amy. aunt Constance had me up to marry
me offr'
II know she did. But wouldn't you
sooner go home again than marry merely
for money!"
go back to that dull, quiet lifep' said
Valerie, with a shndder. ''No, no, not
now. couldn't endure it! Don't you re-
member Hans Anderson's story of the
mermaid, who was given legs and feet that
she might live among mortals, only, as q
punishment, every step she took was like
treading on the edges of swords? Still,
she bore the agony rather than return to
her old life in the caves under the sea-"
Again Amy looked steadily at her friend.
This golden-haired girl of eighteen was an
enigma.
''But, Valerie" she said, eff I remember
rightly, it was not the love Of the world
that made the mermaid accept the pleas
IRE with the pain, but the love Of a mortal;
she is in love with some prince"
Valerie did not color now; she felt as if
all the blood in her body rushed to her
heart. For full a minute she could not
move or speak; but she had thrown her
head so far back that Amy could only see
her features imperfectIy, and attributed
her silence to perplexiGy at the failure Of
her smile.
''Was that it?" the girl said, at length,
when she could trust her voice. but Of
course only used the comparison. Knight
do as much for the world as the mermaid
lid for love-
eff you do, Valerie You win find that the
pleasure is not worth the pain"
'.'Ob, c'est pdnloar, Vdmo!r, pdmour,
Qltt felt tOuTHCr tG monde,
chanted Valerie, under her breath; butshe
did it mockingly, and suddenly started for
ward, as someone knocked at the door.
Come inr' she said, quickly, and Fanch-
Will "a mo
ooh, military mad!' cried Amy, laugh
ing, as the maid retired, and Valerie turn
ed eagerly to the kilograms, purposely
bending down her face so as to hide it.
Il am q soldiers daughter she retort
ed; ''and [ know so many OF the men com
ING home-I feel as if | knew them all"
You ought to marry a soldier, Valerie"
They're generally poorni replied the
girl, with a laugh shat was almost harL
and might, to a listener of longer expert
ence Of human nature, have sounded sus-
picious; but Amy was only panied, not en-
Hghtened.
''Here she is" added Valerie, almost di-
reGly. How fast and thick her heart was
beating; and yet, with scarcely an effort,
she could speak without betraying too
much interest in the news she read. 1.-The
-, with the-th regiment under Colonel
| Beauregard, touched at Gibraltar to-day
| that is yesterday-'at s p. m, and sailed
for Plymouth at 1e o'clock So they viii
be home in q few days! There's q battalion
of the tn on board, too" Valerie went
on, quickly, though they don't say SO
| here; and Major Trayers and Mr.. Dallas
with it-such nice fellows they both are,
| especially Dallas. I wish Mrs. Fanshawe
was coming, too; but the General remains