Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-20

of practically oUmO woman Tor one
whole week? I looked so piteousIy at
Stewart that he laughed outright.
swat ill you see her old man." was all
he said.
That night at dinner, did see her, in
fact, forgot my manners altogether, and
saw very little else. I was fascinated.
spell-bound; but as 1 have never been
able to clearly analyze Mildred Butler'a
power over me, will not try TO describe
it. All that I felt clearly was that face
like hers would fit the voice that I had
sought so long. And to think that she
could not SPEAK! It seemed the irony of
fate that should fall ia love with dumb
woman and disembodied voice, but be-
fore the week was half out, I recognized
that such was my lot. How was I to be
loyal to both? If I married the woman,
and on my wedding journey encountered,
as 1 was liable TO, the voice, what would
become Of it? l loved them both too
deeply to be able to determine salts
factorily. Il was only when Mildred
| brought out her violin in the long twi-
light that I felt at rest. Then, while she
talked, as 7 never heard a woman talk
through music before, my divided love
seemed to blend. The voice that
sought became one with the voice of the
vicIin. The dumb girl SO spoke TO me
that I wes at rest.
One evening just before the hour for
our music 7 was obliged to go over to
call upon friend at one Of the hotels.
She was not in, SO I came back much
sooner than the household had any rea-
son to expect. As I came to the porch
| upon which the music room opened some
cue was touching softly the notes of the
piano and singing even more softly.
Sweet and low the words Of the song were
| borne out to me where I stood listening.
| The music ceased and Mildred came and
stood In the doorway looking far out
over the darkening sea.
"By all that's incom preheRsiblei"
| calculated under my breath, ga girl that
can sing and can't talk!'
When Mildred saw me il the imHedi-
ate foreground she started violently, and
in the half light I could see the color
rush fuTiously into her face. There was
m ystery in the air. I could smell it..
Ny suspicious once fully aroused that
Mildred's dGmbness was voluntary, many
| little things happened to convince me
that she both could and did speak when
[ was out of hearing. What could be
her obiec in silence. Had she one of
those fearful voices that proceeding from
q beautiful woman, are as surprising as
the bray of donkey would be from a
White-robed choir boy. Had she made
some pioUs VOW, or laid some foolish
wager. It was too deep fer me. Time
only would solve it.
L laid more than oae plan to surprise
and entrap her into speech, but every
| thing failed. She never forgot for an
| instant, under the most trying cream
| stances, the part | felt sure she was raere-
| iy playing. The day before was to leave,
| we, that is Mildred and /, were sitting
! together on rock that iutted boldly out
| into tbs ocean in front of Stewards cot
tage. We were both reading and enjoy
ing the pleasant consciousness of being
near each other. Presently she laid aside
! her beck, with gesture Of i'm patience over
its dizziness, and learned over the edge of
| the reck evidently trying to read the
depths of the water that lay clear and
! pretty deep at our feet. Something that
she was watching greatly interested her,
for she loaned farther and farther over
the edge until exclaimed. "Miss BUtler,
do be careful. Thet waters very wet if
you should fall iny''
With merry laagh she righted herself
and went on with my book. Suddenly
! there was mighty splash. Evidently she
had gone over for she was no longer in
sight. I am considered a good deal of a
swimmer, so | sprang up, pulled OF my
coat and was just ready for the plunge,
when q brilliant scheme flashed upoa me
which instantly carried cut.
"Miss Butler" shouted as she came to
| the surface, off You'll speak I'll save you
| If you won't, I went"
I thought that under the circumstances
was reasonably sure of response, but
something happened upon which 1 Rad
not counted. With g saucy bow in &c
kn5 wledgement of nay offer she turned
her back .Epom me and swan along the
side Of the rock to the shore. L was fczl-
ed again.
In the morning L must go, but not
wheat first having asked Mildred to be
my wife. L would much rather not have
done it till the mystery was lifted from
her, bat [ thought L could tpust to her
clear true eyes that there was nothing evil
80 conceal. had learned from sad ex-
perience the folly of having ene's love
affairs too long at loose ends. That eve
ming 1 drew her hand through my arm
and as we wandered off down the beach
in the moonlight told her how dear she
had grown to ne. I told her moreover
that knew beyond doubt that she was
able to speak, and begged ner if she felt
that she could care for me to let the first
words ever heard from her lips be those
that she could assure my happiness.
Silence reigned around us and over the
sea. Mildred's beautiful eyes shone large
and troubled, and her grasp frightened
sppealingly on nay ann. I knew l was
not Indifferent to her, but still there was
no response. It was heroic treatment,
bat [ determined if one motive would not
bring her to speech another should. I
must arouse her jealousy. So told her
of the beautiful voice, OF my long and
cherished devotion to if, my fears for my
loyalty, and begged her with one sound of
her own dear voice to dispel this phan
tom of my memory.
Abject terror came over her face and
described the midnight episode at the
telephone. and breaking away from me
she ran back to the cottage and up to her
own room. The Cexb morning she did
not come down TO breakfast, and I was
forced to leave without bidding her good
by. Arrived at the station | found to
my CONSERVATION that l had left my
pooketbook on the table in my room.
Railway officials not being particularly
noted for their courtesy to penniless pas
sengers, there was nothing for it but to
possess myself III some way OF the article
in question. The train was half au hour
late. That woald not give me time TO GO
to the cottage and back again, but if l
telephoned to Stewart, one of his trust
worthy servants could bring it in time.
What was my surprise on ringing him up.
to be answered by the voice Of my search,