Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-01
AS INNOCENT AS SHE WAS PRETTY

cit is all fol-de-rol," said Miss Hen
rietta Henshaw, sitting bolt upright in
her bamboo rocker. at is fol-de-rol I
say, for people to think they must make
up jimcrecks that nobody wants and
scatter them around to their friends"
'But it is for birthday present.
aunt"
''Well, what of that? Do you suppose
because my birthday happens to be com
ing that l want any one to give me an IN
calmly pin custom vth two H's worked in
the center.
"What if there should be three H's?"
said Lofty, slyiy, remembering old Peter
Hammond's clumsy attentions, with, as
he admitted Gan eye to a snug home"
whats that's you say?" snapped Miss
Hatta.
Lottie did not venture a repetition, but
sat demurely considering what, under the
stress of circumstances, she should do.
Lottie was Miss Henrietta's orphan Leice,
and had been a member of her house
hold for nearly year. She had learned
dearly to love the priIn old lady, though
that love was not unmixeG with
fear. Her wants had been anticipated
and generously supplied; but now she
had come to her aunt with request for
few shilliDgs to spend On tribes, of which
Miss Hetta did not approve and had been
fatty denied.
Oh, dear, what should she dor Harry
aad always brought her some tasteful
gift, and she did SO want to make a hat
band for his new derby. She had not
dreamed that she could not, and had pu5 it
off till the last moment.
The great drops welIed up suddenly to
her eyes. If Miss Hetta saw any symp-
toms of heartache, she had, had heartaches
herself and they had nevNr killed her yet.
But Lottie did not mean to droop. Aunty
was usually kind, and was, albeit her only
living relative-e~cept Harry. Well,
Harry was not relative and oh, dear,
if she could only have a hat band
She forced back the rebellious tears,
and went singing about the house like the
biithe girl she was.
The birthday morning arrived, and the
problem of Harry's presents were still
unsolved. If [ could only give him
something" she sighed, looking wistfulIy
down the long street. "Oh,' she SAID,
suddenly clasping her hands. 81 will, I
will, what q happy thought!' And she
fairly jumped into her cloak and hat and
went skipping down the street.
II,
lived in the rather lonely house at the ex-
treme end of the street. Lottie was
never sick herself, and Aunt Hetta never
employed DR.. Beach for her occasional
ailments; yet the bright hearted girl had
contrived to make the acquaintance of
the uncouth doctor, who liked her and
called her "Little Miss"
What if the dear old man was a little
grnff. Hewas good. And into his Office
LottIe now vent, assured of a warm well
come. Absorbed in her own interest and
intent on her errand, she approached the
bay window where stood the great month
ly rose bush which had been the wonder
and envy of the admiring public since al
most before Lottie was born.
"Oh, Doctor" she said, 81 came to ask
If you would be SO kind as to give me
three or four of those lovely budsY"
''What for?" growled the doctor, saw
agely.
"You see," she began, 81 wanted to
make something pretty for a birthday
gift-for friend, but | could not" chok-
ing little, "and / had almost given up
hope of anything, when this morning, as
glanced down the road, your beautiful
roses seemed to say, Come after u.s. so
here am. Flowers are always nice to
give, you know, and had none"
"Humph! WAY couldn't you make what
You wanted tor"
"Aunt Hetta wou'd not let me'
"Humph! Is not Henrietta Henshaw
good to your" he demanded bristling up.
"Oh, yes, as kind as can be. But she
does not believe IN birthday gifts. she
says"
Hadn't you any money youEselfs"
"No"
''She might give you cent or two from
time to time; then you would have fund
to draw from"
''Oh, she does; 1 hsd FIVE dollars, Mon
day, that had not needed to use. But
saw Jenny and Tommy EIroy with their
little bare toes peeping out of their old
shoes and"
$50 you squandered your money to
clothe the feet of those little vagabondsf"
growled the doctor, wondering why he
hadn't seen the bare toes.
eyes, I got shoes and the incest red
stockings. Jennie crisd and crIed when
she Rugged me, because she was so glad"
related Lottie, her quick tears starting.
The doctor rubbed his knuckles vindio-
lively In his own eyes.
"Well little miss, if you had known
you could not get any more money for
your fummery would you have spent all
you had on the little beggars?"
II don't know; / nope so; I'm sorry you
asked me. [ really think should. But l
did want the other SO dreadfulIy that 1
might have saved out q little"
You could have got brown stockings"
$50 could. But guess I'm glad did
not; the red ones are so much prettier,
and the poor ike pretty things as well as
the rich"
The doctor looked ponderingly on the
little miss. She was pretty creature,
and as iQnocent as she was pretty
Though she was sevente IN, her looks and
appearance would hardly have claimed
her fifteen well-rounded years.
SIT is q bridal rose," said Lottie, keep
ing her errand in mind, as she looked ad-
mlrinsly into the great bush, whose beau
tiful blossoms rivaled the whiteness of
the snow.
Hump! Isuppose so. You would not
think now that it had spoiled wedding.
But 1t did; just fifteen years ago this
day.
Lottie looked in alarm at the white
teacherous thing.
You would not think, either, that a
gruff old fellow like me could ever have
got woman to say she would have him!'
"Oh, yes, wouls,n said Lottie: 81 think
you are the incest man in the world
except"
Except whom?"
II was going to say Harry"
Exceedingly fle compliment you are