Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-30
young lady understood herself, was not

young lady understood herself. was not
| that enoughf
Geraldine, child" Mrs. Outwood's
voice sounded up the stairway. "Mr.
Southmayed is asking for that letter he
promised to mail for you this morning"
Geraldine paused with her long bright
tresses looking like ripples of uncolled
gold between her fingers.
'Letter mamma? Isn't it on the man
tel down stairss"
"No."
s'Nor OH tbs sewing machine, nor in
my little work-basket with the blue rib
bonf"
"Of course it isn't. Didn't look every
where before called your"
"Then it must be in my portfolio.
Here isn't mamma. Ask Mr.. Southmeyed
to please look for the letter. I think
it's somewhere among the blotting
Sheets
Mr.. Southmayed was in mortal hurry
TO get down TO his shipping Office, bat if
Geraldine had asked him to stop a week
on her capricious behest he would have
obeyed. He took the little brown moroc-
co portfolio reverently.
"How entirely the dear child trusts
mel" he thought, seating himself in a
big chair by The window, to commence
his search. "It is not every girl who
would venture to place her portfolio in
the hands of the man TO whom she is ca
gagged. But Geraldine Outwood Is like
child-she has nothing TO fear, nothing
to conceal. What is that? Thoughts
on Spring. aRd in poetry, too? A muse
Ell! with all the rest? "My Darling Ger
aldiner and in that young scamp Apple
gates writing" Mr.. Southmayed had
nearly let the portfolio fall in his dismay.
Fortunately, however it is dated six
weeks ago, but do not think Geraldine
ought to keep sucn sentimental nolonger
However, things will be entirely altered
when we are married! Hey! how! what's
this?"
Mr.. SoutEmayed was as honorable as
most gentlemen of the nineteenth century,
but it was not in human flesh 30 resist the
temptation of taking a second peep, after
he had seen, upon half finished sheet on
note paper, the four ominous words, "that
odious old Southmayed," in Geraldine
OutHood's own pretty italian handwrit-
ing.
Nobody will ever know how it happen
3D." began the writing at the top of the
page, "any one who ever read Bulwer's de-
lightful novel of Lucrecia will understand
how easily it may be done. Arsenic III
gradual doses, increasing little by little,
or even some more powerful poison-and
when L am left rich young widow by
that odious old Southmayed's demise"
Mr.. Southnayed uttered a low groan-
the portfolio with all it's contents drifted
on to the floor. "Shade of Lncrecia
Bor9ia! Ghost of Palmer the Prisoner!
and had it come to this!"
Cant you find the letter, Peletiah?"
cooed Geraldine's honey sweet voice down
the stairway. Oh, l remember now, Harry
Applegate said he would put it in the
post box for me. I am sorry to have
troubled you"
"Yes-no-no trouble at ala very
good morningW suffered the horrifisd
old shipping merchant, as he worked him
self out of the front door, his hair brist-
ling in 80 many directions that IL was
marvel his Lew silk hat, bought with an
especial eye to the forthcoming wedding,
stayed on at all.
And Geraldine, laughing a merry little
solo all to herself, ran down the stairs,
the golden hair yet hanging unkempt
about her shoulders, to pick up the scat
tered contents of the brown morocco
portfolio. But she burned the sheet Of
note paper which dad stricken such awe
into Mr.. Southmayed's heart, the very
first thing she did.
"Blaze up little slip of tinder," she
murmered, half aloud; "you have done
your work"
X y x y
81 wonder why Mr.. Southmayed don't
COME" said Mrs. Outwood, sitting at the
head of the populous dinner table that
night when the soup had been taken away
and the roast turkey duly carved.
Here's letter, man," said Patrick, the
Irish waiter, Gan it's myself clane forgot
it until this minHit, bad luck to the mem
DRY Of mel"
Mrs. Ouswood broke the red seal: the
missiye thereby guarded was short, if not
sweet:
DEAR MADAM:-Inclosed you will find
hundred dollar bill to secure you against
any pecuniary loss in regard to my apart
ments. L find myself Unexpectedly
Obliged to leave town and as | may be
compelled To visit South America and
foreign ports before I return, it will per-
hapa be better that all thoughts of a
marriage between myself and Miss Out
wood should be abandoned. My lawyer
has orders to give you receipt for the
five thousand dollars L was happy enough
TO accolnidate You with, aud hoping that
you may In no wise be Inconvenience by
this sudden change Of plans on my part,
l remain yours very truly,
PHLBTIAE j. STUIHMAYED.
Mrs. Outwood tainted away, her spec
tactics falling into the butter boat, and
her false curis slipping round on
conscious look came to the rescue.
Just six weeks afterwards Miss Out
wood and Mr.. Apologize were married;
but Mr. Southnayed never made bis ap
pearance on their stsge of life again.
"Geraldlue has had a lucky escape"
Mrs. Outwood said vlndictively. But
neither she nor any one else ever knew
just how Geraldine managed the matter
of the escape"