Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-06
DO BBiN :"

The little low ivy-clad house of the
Herberts had all its doors and windows
opened wide to the breeze and the sun
shine. The sun was hot on the lawn;
there was not cloud in the blue sky
overhead; the shadows of the trees be-
yond the lawn lay across the grass, clear
ly outlined, but moving in the breeze
1t was an afternoon late in August; the
corn was standing in golden sheaves in
the fields; the swish of the scythe and the
busy whirr of the reaping-machine were
noises of yesterday; and the rustic of
leaves and branches, the drowsy cawing
of the rocks, and a little song which
Molly, the kitchen-n1aid. was singing
gaily as she washed her dishes before an
open window were the only sounds that
broke the stiffness of the afternoon.
Presently leisurely step came up the
garden; and at the same instant a little
old lady who had been working alone in
downstairs room sat up alert and list
ened, put down her knitting, took off her
spectacles, and went to the window to
look out. The window opened, door
fashion, on to narrow paved terrace be-
meath the shade of a veranda: the old
lady stepped out and waved her thin little
hand playfully at the new arrival, who
was skirting the lawn.
The newcomer was young Saxon
giant, a fair-haired, sunburnt. careless
looking young fellow, six feet high, and
with shoulders that did not shame his
height, who was good-tempered to a
fault, and as awkward as his soldierly
training would allow him to be. He was
conscious of a feeling of disappointment
when he saw only old Mrs. Herbert wait
ing for him; but he quickened his steps a
little and smiled as he took the old lady's
hand. If his glance wandered beyond
her into the empty room, and his face
there, the old lady pretended not to no
tice.
CHOW this is what I call nice of you.''
she said airily. "All this way, and on
such an afternoon too! The girls have
all gone out. Come in, Captain Dewar
come in. This is very nice; we can
have little chat-a nice quiet chat.
And you shall hold my wool for mel
had just finished my ball-you shall hold
this slzein."
The young Hercules stood looking
down little ruefully at the pale blue
wooden skein that was being prepared for
him.
81 may make a mess of it, you know, "
he SD.
''rhen I'll forgive you,'' return ed the
old lady, with a coquettish laugh and
smile. "Sit down before me there
down low. Get off the footstool, Milo,
good doggie, and let Captain Dewar sit
down. Poor doggie-and was he dis
turbed then? Milo is poorly-not himself
he feels the heat. Now you can sit on
Ic+,-o+ o1o lie
yes, so-keep them still. This is very
nice and easy. I'm glad you came"
The young man tried to acquiesce, and
blushed at the untruthful ring Of his own
voice. He was not fond Of old Mrs. Her
bert's society. He was a good-natured
uncritical young fellow, who was happy
with most people; but vanity and CO.
quetry are not charming in an old lady
of seventy years, and he felt i'll at ease
and little ashamed, as an honest school
boy feels when a forward schoolgirl
makes love to him.
ssThis reminds me of old times" said
the old lady gently, "when | was girl,
you know, and had lovers by the score.
Nowadays girls are delighted if they
have one lover; but II refused my
twentieth offer before [ was eighteen"
"Truly?" interrogated young Dewar
good-naturedly.
'Yes-before I was twenty every eig-
ible young man in the county had pro-
posed and been refused"
ooh, but, say, you were cruel, you
know!''
The old lady gave little pleased rip
ping laugh.
''And after all, - she said sentimentally,
81 married Mr.. Herbert, and every one
wondered why. Quite a mesdlEiG11ce,
they said. And so it was. No money,
no family, and quite stupid man; and a
widower, too, with a big boy-quite a
big boy! But was in love-and love
makes us blind, they say. Quite love
match! Girls are foolish beings, Captain
Dewar-foolish, foolish beings! l tell
Amy so. What wonderful offers that
child has had-I should surprise you If
told you! A young German nobleman
last summer, and excellent offers in Lon
don this spring-all refused! Well, well,
mustn't scold her! Her heart has been
given away-as mine was-near home.
Foolish, foolish childr
The young man looked hard at the
wool he held, and his bronzed face flushed
little. He was a good soldier and had
fought valiantly in the Soudan, and was
women like Mrs Herbert perplexed him.
Did she mean to hint that her ep-grand-
daughter Amy was in love with him?
Her tone and manner implied it; and yet,
he told himself, he was q conceited fool
SO to interpret her words and smiles.
Amy was nice little girl, frank as the
day, and no more in love with him than
he was with her. Andhe had no thought
of loving her. Was he now in love
hopelessly, devotedly-with Hespie He'll
ger, the prettiest, cleverest, most woman
~ little girl in the world, who spent long
terri in the year at a learned college at
CAM "idge, and attended lectures on
logic and political economy, and was as
kind to Amy and Florence Herbert, her
friends, and to him, the Herbert's neigh
Dor, and to other foolish and unworthy
people, as though she were any ordinary
unlearned maiden?
Mrs. Herbert wound very slowly. The
skein was but half finished when voices
and laughter were borne in on the quiet
air. The girls were returning, and came
up the garden path talking gaily. The
young man made little restless move
ment, and the wool slipped from one
hand and grew hopelessly tangled in his
attempt to replace it.
"Fie, fie!" said the old lady. "You
want to get away from me-"
''No-on my honorp said the young
man eagerly, with a great blush of con-
fusion; and the old lady smiled a little
maliciously.
The girls steps came lightly over the
gravel and halfway along the paved ter
race. There basket-chairs stood in the
| way, and the steps stopped. The voices
and the laughter came ripping in through
the window.