Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-02

L enCreaC You 10 consider well my PROPOSE
ton, and write to me as soon as your de-
cision is made, remembering how entirely
advantageous to Valerie my offer Is.
Please give my love to her and accept best
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tarfIy the girl c1asped her hands, and drew
a quick breath that was almost a sob.
FWell?" said Mr.. Herbert, scarcely rails
ing his eyes.
ooh, uncle VIII, let me goI I am So tired
of this dull life! want something more;
I can't help it. Let me go!"
he was little startled, perhaps q little
panied, that was all, by this outburst.
There was nothing in common in temper
ament, or in anything else, between uncle
and niece. They lived their lives apart,
and such affection as he had for her was
so little shown that it could not possibly
call forth any deep affection from her.
There was no companionship, no sympa-
thy; often for days together not twenty
words passed between them. Valerie,
therefore, could not feel the parting from
her uncle as a wrench-and, to do him JUS
tice, uncle VIII did not expect it Of her.
cit is only natural at your age" he said,
''to wish for change and excitement; and,
of course, your aunt can do far more for
you than can do" CIr. Herbert, despite
his recluse habits, was by no means blind
| to the main chance) "She is a very
wealthy woman, and lives entirely in what
is called the beau monde. think myself
it would be good thing for you; and as
you seem to desire it. will write to Mrs
Langley and accept the offer"
So the matter was settled in five minutes,
! and before the evening the letter was de-
! spatched which was to consign Valerie to
brilliant and perilouS life. Certainly
| William Herbert was scarcely the man to
| have the charge of young and beautiful
| girl He told his niece in general terms
| what he had said to Mrs. Langley; but he
| did not mention that he had informed that
| lady of the "boy and girl engagement" be-
| tween Valerie and Louis Charters, and
that he OIr Herbert) had refused to re-
cognize it in any way. Mrs. Langley
would, of course, agree with him on this
| point.
THAT will l. assUredly," said the lady,
! laughing to herself as she read these lines.
Engagements of this sort are simply in
cidental to boy and girl life, like whooping-
cough and measles. The idea of my hav-
| ing the child up, to get her well settled in
| life, and letting her throw herself away on
q young fellow with two hundred a year
| in the civil service, and no particular posi-
toni However, these cases cure them
| selves"
Louis came TO the Lines that evening
| with news. His appointment in the For
! eign Office was secured, and he was to en-
| ter upon his duties in October.
He told this to Valerie in the garden,
where he found her sitting under q tree on
the lawn.
'Oh, am so glad" she SAID, earnestly.
''What do you commence with, LOUISE"
"Wen, dear, only hundred; but of
| course it increases. But there is one great
| drawback; OF course must live in town.
! and we snail be parted"
~ don't know, Louis" Her dark eyes
spanked. II have news, too; perhaps
| shall be in town as wellr'
| ''Valerie! what do you mean?"
ar am going up in November to live with
aunt Langley; she Is going to bring me out
| You don't seem pleased Louis" for his
aside.
"How should be? Pray when was this
settled?" asked the young man, almost
roughly.
Her letter came this morning, and TN
Gle VIII wrote back at once''
what made her write? She hasn't
troubled herself about you all these years.
"She heard about the ball at bennington
| Oh no cJ1ap in
| and
Yes, that's itr' cried Louis, bitterly
"that COMPOUNDED ball turning your head
and those military tops fattering you
And now you are going to take London by
stornE and you'll just be spoiled utterly
and taken away from me-that Will be it
Mr.. Herbert must be mad to let you go
OF course you like it; you're beautiful; and
all the girls like to be made much Of"
Valerie turned white with passion.
IF that is all you have to say, Louis,
she said, springing to her feet, and facing
him haughtily, you can leave me! YOU
credit me with nothing but vanity. 0.
course l am glad to go to London; I an
sick Of this stupid country life; and if aunt
Langley had not sent for me, l would get
out of it some other way. You can't love
me very much to think so badly of me-"
a thoroughly girl-hke accusation, which
of course brought her youthful lover to hel
feet; and Valerie, having established heI
power, relented, and forgave the dehn
quent-the more readily, perhaps, because
her conscience whispered that already the
tie between them was scarcely, to her,
chain Of flowers
Three days later came a letter from Mrs
Langley, thanking Mr. Herbert for hi:
consent to the change in Valerie's life; anC
saying that, early in November, when she
was fairly settled she would come doWr
to the Lines, and fetch the girl herself.
And meanwhile Valerie devoured al
news of the war; and more than once her
heart throbbed, and her eyes filed will
tears, for she saw Max Beauregard' shame
connected with some act of conspicuou;
bravery. Once it was. 'The extraordinary
skill and daring of Captain Beauregard
which drove back considerable body o.
the enemy" Captain Beauregard having
but handful OF men, for he was complete
" cut Off from the main body" A wal
correspondent, speaking of various officers
wrote:
!, Captain Beauregard seems to bear 6
charmed life. He was in the thick of the
terrible fight at -, and escaped unhurt
while men were dropping on all sides
At - he was entirely-at one time-sur
rounded by the enemy; but cut his wa!
through, escaping with only a Slight flesh
: wound in the arm. The men simply adore
him. He is a first-rstte officer, and look!
after his men as if, one said to me, 'wt
were his own brothers :"
This was all passing sweet to Valerie
and everything about Beauregard she Gu
out of the papers and kept. Then she hal
I a long letter from Mrs. Fanshawe, whC
c told 1ittTa o1NO-,