Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-10-05

that there was any warmth under such an
exterior"
How did you come TO speak to me at
lastin asked Mona, with a smile.
st was an inspiration" said Waring. Il
do not know how many kisses you owe me
for tho miserable moments 1 naTs had
here"
mo mora now, dear Leslie" she said,
in low voice, her cheek growing pale,
her frame trembling, as he drew her to
him.
mot one?' he whispered, and he releas-
ed her, while his heart beat with the glori-
Gus consciousness that she loved as pas
sionately as he did himself. 81 am afraid,
Mona" he resumed, after a delicious sill
encer that your uncle will not like 70 let
you come into the wilds with me. Bat the
place is not really bad; it has been cleared
for considerable time, and"
Poor Uncle Sandy" she interrupted
'I think he would be willing to give you
the best he had; and l am by no means
sure he considers me that"
Needs must. He will miss you dread
fully"
''Then viii be the opportunity to suggest
Mary as my successor"
LAACLly- iouill USE hcuAtIH ~ JUN
me in making double demand' You are
the ruling spirit here"
THAT would be too much. But, pray,
speak to my uncle to-day. He deserves to
be told at once"
Dinner was got through somehow.
Both Kenneth and Mary instinctlvely felt
that something or other had taken place,
the former had :hrewd idea what,
About couple of hours after the family
meal, a knock was heard at the door Of
Mona's room, where she had intrenched
herself till the awful explanation with her
uncle had been accomplished.
your uncle wants to speak to you,
Mona" said Waring
ooh, Lesliel How is her"
'The glass is at fair weather. Come
along"
Uncle Sandy was looking pale, and was
sitting unusually upright in his armchair
in the library when Mona, with down-cast
eyes, and the air of culprit, came in,
closely followed by Warning
"Aweel," he said, in a solemn and some
what tremulous tone, II have been hearing
what the grandson o. my auld master has
TO say. Moo, Mona, my BARN, are you
willing to talk this mon to be your welded
husbandt"
81 am, uncle" she said, softly and clear
ly.
''If ye are, name has right to withstan'
you | would be weel content il ye had
not to gae sac far AVA; and I'll feel your
loss sair, but ye maun follow the husband
you've chosen"
Dear uncle" said Mona, the tears hang
ing on her long lashes, sit will grieva me,
too, to leave you; you have been father
TO me, and l thank you"
She knelt beside him and kissed his thin
hand.
AM father I'll be to ye, my lambie.
Mrs. Leslie, my niece, shall have ten
thoosan' pounds to her tocher; and it's
glad I'll be that some Of my hard earnin's
go to tho son OF the hooss by which earn-
ed It. But I'll be lonely mon whsn ye
leave men
'You need not be, unless you choose.
You can have niece to read to you and
write for you, and take care of you. Think
OF it, uncle, dear! Make Kenneth as happy
as-ns | am"
eyes, uncle-for you must let me call
you so. There could not be a better or
more suitable wife found for Kenneth than
the one he has found for hlmseltr' cried
Warning.
"Awecl, awcel, will think of it; but,
my lad, ye maun promise me yOu'n bring
Mona back to see me ance mair before 1
die"
81 do promise you, Unclo Sandy; faith
fully promise you"
The dramatic taste of moderns will not
permit that minute distribution of fortune
to each character which all well consti-
tuted readers ought to demand. None of
ours came, however, to any tragic end, nor
was Isles confirmed bachelorhood very
detrimental to his happiness.
For the satisfaction of that estimable
but diminutive portion of the public who
would ask for more" the curtain shall
go up for n few minutes on the last tab
leau.
Winter and summer had come and gone
three times, and glowing autumn sun
was gliding the hills and deepening the
purple heather, when Mona and her hus-
band strolled together once more to the
seat by the big oak tree.
AFTER all, Leslie. believe | love this
view the best of any
al am quite sure l do" said Waring, a
smile stealing into his brown eyes and
spreading over his healthy, happy face.
why are you so fond of il ?" asked Mona,
settling her head comfortably against his
shoulder
'Because-well. will tell you a secret,
the only one have had from you"
How dare you, sir? Confess at once"
'Wcll, don't think you'll mind now.
The day before you deigned to accept me,
l had been roaming about with Kenneth
and got tired of everything, life included,
so left and strolled up the hollow there
till found myself beside those big stones,
where the bracken still grows so high, and
l threw myself down among them and
thought what an unlucky devil 1 was,
when heard Isles voice close by, and
before l could stir, you were both seated
here. l hesitatcd, and lost my chance Of
appearing, until | heard too much to make
It advisable to show myself. Then l lis
tened, and if ever u follow was lifted into
the highest heaven Of pride and delight, l
WAS that day"
'Whatl did you hear everything said2"
Every world So that did not know
how TO behave myself like q rational crea-
turs, and pretended all the evening TO DO
dead tired. You see, it would never have
done TO let you know But II l had not
heard from your own lips that you liked
newell, better than Iisle-I should never
have broken silence"
as it possible9 unders tand thought
1t is well you kept the secret. l should
have been so awfully vexedn
YES; know that"
Just imagine my having hidden
things from you, and being stranger, and
fearing you should look into my h, art and
see what a goose was. We could never
misunderstood each other now, we have
grown go like"
LAS the husband, so the wife is-thou
art mated TO clownr" quoted Wsring,
laughing.
"Hush!" she interrupted; You shall not
say impertinent things OF my guild man!
But it 1. nearly half past four; we must 90
back. Mary ordered the carriage for US
to so and meet General and Mrs. Fielden
at five, and you know what pupctual lit
tie house-mother she is"
Very WELL but first you might give
fellow q kiss for the sake of old times"
Yes; for past and present both, my own
dear"
THE END.
Had Hard Luck.