Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-07-19

woman of luxurious and hence expensive
tastes"
SET tn, Brute" thought |.
At that moment Rose was called into
the parlor, and Mr.. Babcock, raising his
eyes from nay robe de flannel, and look
ing at me speculativeiy said. "a man
would not dare marry girl like you"
"Why notY" asked I.
Without thinking it necessary 10 reply,
he turned and hurled his cigaret out of
the door, and then again fixing his half
shut eyes on me, said soliloquizingly
''He would be fool if he did,
"Of course / realize that [ am too
valuable for most men," l replied saucily,
"Of course; and, by the way, that is
just the kind of remark | should have ex
pected from you"
why soS"
you are the sort of girl to appreciate
yourself"
ut seems that am She sort of girl to
be unappreciated by any one else"
said plaintively.
Isn't that often the case with conceit-
ed folkW he retorted, smiling with de-
light at my offended face. "You cannot
deny that You are coneeited Oh, of
course you have right to be, you know"
he added with ready gallantry. Then,
giving Ia no time to defend myself, he
took out his watch, and saying to Rose
who had returned. that he had an engage
ment, betook himself off.
After this We exchanged sarcasms when
ever we met. That neither was at all TO
the others taste, we both wished it TO be
distinctly understood Perhaps il was
from the very love of these exhilarating
encounters, or it may have been but the
softening effect of June, that as the early
summer advanced We found ourselves
growing less autagonistic, even more
friendly. VS. often forgot personalities
in our interest in the Tarions tor pics sug-
gested between us. He could be extreme
ly entertaining when be chose, although
in erguing with me, he was inclined to be
dogmatic; and while out of principle |
chung tenaciously to any point happen
ed to advance, began to hsrbor up bril-
liant sayings, which occurred to me from
time to time that | might dazzle him with
them at opportune moments.
Meanwhile, the heated term, "a the pa
pers say, approached, the time when
mamma and began to discuss the mer-
its of various country retreats to winch
We retired when we felt economical. We
had not yet selected any, for the decision
of such matters was left TO me, and at
present | was contented to remain where
| was. The Filberts had already left
town for tina country place in Rye. Har-
old-as Rose and | called him familiarly
between ourselves-took the two weeks
commonly allotted to man in August.
"By that time" said to him one day,
81 shall be sitting on rocks and musing
DER few drops of falling water describ
ed in the circulars as cascade situated
within walking distance of the Pemige-
som ething or other house. The house
will be painted white, and will be eucir-
cled by piazza, There will be a row of
guests seated upon it, most of them 90
cupied in some curious fancy work, the
stitch of which has keen introduced by
one of their number. they will al! look
at us as we pass by, and straigh5way com
ment upon the color of our hair
GAN but one, who has a blonde mus
tache, and who will accompany you every
morning down to the cascade"
| "No there is never blonde mustache
where l stop. / only wish there we're.
| There is a disreputable-looki artist who
| haunts the country, ard pale young man
who has the hay fever. You must be
thinking of your cascade, not mine"
81 never 20 TO cascade" ans gered
Harold conteuptuoUsly. Il go a-fshing
and a-huntng.n Then with st2ile
which was kind almost to tenderness, he
added seriously: II hope you will not
End that blonde brute this summer and
that You will return to town quite as you
| leave it,
thanked him for his generous wieh,
with heightened color, which the tone
ANA look called TO my face; for although
we had grown surprisingly companion
able within the last few weeks our com
panlonship had been, by tacit consent
extremely impersonal. This remark,
therefore, seemed t. seal pleasantly a
friendship which had begun with little
aversion.
! The next evening | shall never forget
After dinner Harold detained me long
enough to say that he was OF next day TO
rusticate. His manner was wholly chang
| ed he was constrained, and had resumed
his old way of looking over my head. l
| expressed some surprise.
81 did not mean TO go until next month,
bat there is an unexpected lull in bust
ness at the ofEce-sud the hot weather is
coming on. / need rest, and may as
well go now RS later on"
Is spite of myself, felt nay cheeks
and eyes Jingle, perhaps as much from
the sound of his voice as from the mean
ing the words conveyed; for it was the
tone he had mployed in his critical days
| did not at that moment wonder at my
former resentment Of it; 1t offended me
strangely now. l made some reply. The
onfusing sense that he was leaving me-
with the utmost 1ucoucern-and that
was expected to feel the sase unconcern,
and that l, singulsrly enough did not
feel it,--all for momest took away my
natural readiness of speech.
I'VE shall see each other again to NOR
row." he was saying. Il shall take the
O'Clock express, returning TO the house
frat"
ave will say good-cy now"
"No-to morrow
My distiuct thought was that 1t would
not be said at all. His ooolan matter Of
fact way of leaving me had filled me not
only with indignation, but with pain for
which l could not, or did not wish TO &C