Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-05

ave must send Maud away this au-
-tumn,' said Mrs. Talbot.
Poor, dear little Maud" acquiesced
Mary, tie elder Of the two daughters,
eve must certainly send her away. 1t
would be too severe Il trial to her feel
ings to witness the straits to which
we are reduced And you must never
let her guess mamma. that you are go
inc 10 discharge Bridget and Norah,
and do the work yourself
Nor that YOU have accepted the sit
uation il Il BOOKSTORE said Mrs. Tai
bot. lowering her voice to almost q
whisper. MAUD is so eXquisitely SEN
sitive. Her whole being is like finely
strung harp"
.Its SO fortunate that our cousin,
Mrs Peck, should have sent for her to
come and spend the autumn at Chest
nut Mandows just now Of all times N
the world. said Mary Talbot, with 4
SIGH Of relief You and |, mamma,
can manage TO meet our reyorsas in al
most ANY way. But Maud must not be
compelled 30 suffer.
So these two self-sacrifcing women
carried out their programme The
pretty young family idol was sent to
Chestnut Meadows to havea good time
and enjoy herself, while Mrs. Talbot
and Mary prepared to face the grim
realities of poverty by themselves.
Whatever happened. they argued. Maud
must not be put out or annoyed.
Honest !-hilena Peck did not believe
in this sort Of thing.
MAUD amt child no longer" she
said. "Maud's L grown woman. She's
as fit to beartrouble as her mother and
Mary. She can't be kept under glass
case always, like as if she was bunch
of white flowers. However, | suppose
it must be as Cousin Talbot says
And so Maud was given the best
room in the house, treated with con
slant tenderness, and allowed to think
that she conferred a great favor on
Mrs. Peek by soiourning there at all.
~ suppose | shall find it awfuly stu
'pid, She unused, ''but mother and Ma
~ think it will be good for ne. and
Cousin Peck is going 30 hire cottage
piano Tor my use, aud can walk in
Che woods, and gather ferns, and pref
~ leaves and MOSES, and, OF course,
meedn associate with the other board
ers unless like!H
For Mrs. Peck WAS Il widow Of strait
encd means, and e!led oGt her income
NV keeping what she termed a house
fun Of boardeIs" anti the frost came.
and the city guests packed up their
wardrobes and fed back to brick
blocks and the glare of gas lamps and
electric globes.
But rs the radiant October REDEEMED
IL Il I
by one driftcd away. Maud did not be-
come lonesome, neither was she home
sick. And once or twice returning
Iate from the woods, Mr.. Neville, the
gentleman who occupied the second
story Darkroom was her companion.
Il think she's got over her notion Of
not associating with the boarders, >
shrewdly unused Mrs Peck.
cousin Phiiena," asked Maud one
evening, as she was winding crewel>
for her newest piece of Kensingtor
work. ''where is Mr.. Neville from?''
Prom liverpool Mrs. Peck an.
severed. and, Maud. my dear, dom
you 20 to flirting with HIM"
Flirting! II cried Maud, with the
color mounting to the very roots Of
her hair.
because, my dear said the old la
DIV, hes workin'-man like the rest
of us; and you'll have TO marry some
one who can keep YOU like princess
and it amt noways right to tritle with
his feelings, so long as there amt nc
earthly chance for him."
Mrs. Pcck's words had evidently
stirred chord deep down in her heart
Did anyone imagine that she, Maud
had been trifling with James Neville
feelings? He was pleasant to look a
he was both intelligent and fluent
that was very certain.
As for his being Il working-man, haC
me ever pretended to be otherwise? She
could remember now how often h,
helped Mrs. Peek carry heavy leads o.
wood and water-how he kept the lit
tie vegetable garden free from weed:
how, as often rs not, he drove HON,
the cows in the dewy purple of the
twilight, and spent Il morning hour Of
two IN pruning the shrubs or digging
up the borders where next springs by
acynths and tulips were to be planted
Il see it all now" thought the girl
t'He is poor, and Cousin Peck give:
him his board cheap because of hi
help. A working-man Well, VIII,
not? But never imagined befor,
that working man could be so mic,
and gentlemanlym
s.What does he do. Cousin Philena?'
she yentured, in very low tone, t.
ask.
He's got some sort Of a trade down
in Liverpool said Mrs. Peck. 9TH
folks he works FOR has given him thre
months vacation. Its something a:
has deal OF pen and ink about it,
believe
Tie next day Maid rose earlier that
usual, and came down TO the kitchen
Cousin Peek, she said softly. d
| want to be Ii. efui. I'm tired of do
ing nothing. Won't you show me HOY
TO cooke"
land welcome, my dear said tn
good housekeeper s.It's thing ever.
woman should know how to DO
Maud Talbot took her first lesso1
that morning. The next day she bab
ed a little apple-tart, powdered it wit
cinnamon, and made some plum-sauct
The third. she cut out sone usefr