Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
AONH'S CHOICE.
BY MRS. ALEXANDER.

empty sleeve. He was named to me and
gave me a stare, as much IS TO say, no
the deuce are yOU% Then he began 70 talk
In short sentence. and with what we might
term 4 5t.C1ttG JOfJiSSAB0' manner.
Somehow Ills eyes ana voice seemed famil-
lar TO me-, only [ could not lind clear
place Tor li.a ia nay memory. Hhe n he
had eaten some ea-Eg-anI abused it-and
.aken Il .as3 11 noes and sci zer. he said
l0okin- Al. Inc as il ne was going to accuse
NE OF murder
osWhat diI Won say this Iadv's name isT
"sMadama D brisar,' said Mrs. Rivers.
'Humphn said he; ''are you q French
woman?'
No. said ]; but am next door to one
II am Irish
'From what part Of that unfortunate
country. may I as6?' more politely.
Prom Ballylzillruddery
"'Ah, l thought sor
And he was silent for a bit; then he
said, with pleasanter smile than thought
his grim face could put on
see you have no recollection Of me-
"'YOul voice and face are not strange to
me- / said, my heart beginning to beat,
but cannot recall your name
..'Haye You quite forgotten gunner
called Fielder Mark Fielden-who won
the cup at the Ballykillruddery hunt races
in '53, more than thirty years ago?'
"'DO not? And | helped to do up my
cousin Rose Nugent's hair with ribbons Of
his colors for the race ball! / know you
now. and must shake hands with YOu.'
$50 we shook hands; and his brown face
softened and glOwed while he talked of
Rose. He was desperately in love with
her, and they were engaged. He went off
to India; she stayed at hOme-gOt wet
ting out boating. took cold, and went or
into a decline. He married, and lost his
wife, and now he is wandering about in
Indifferent health | should not have
mentioned all this if it had not been for q
bit that VIII interest you. In the course Of
conversation, it turned out that the gener-
al is some relation of poor Mr.. Warnings,
and he is awfuIly veXed with him. 1t
seems he has got through heap Of money
and has gone away to America. A friend
of the generals saw him breaking horses
last spring somewhere in California. l
said had met him, and what q good fell
low / thought him. Then the general said
he was an ass, and had let himself be
knocked out of the running because he
could not get the girl he wanted to marry
him. Of course | did not let on that l
knew anything about it, and the subject
dropped. Then my old general asked for
my address, and said he would come and
see me some Sunday-Which, I told him,
was my only free day-but I don't fancy
he will.
''Now, my darling, | have pressed long
enough, and l must stop. When shall [
see you again? Can't you persuade your
uncle to come up to town for a little more
physic? You make him too happy and COM
Portable. | was going to write, Don't re-
fuse Sir st. John Lisle without thinking
twice. but | will not. Matrimony is a
tremendous experiment, and I'll not ven
ture to recommend it. God bless you, my
own dear. My best respects to your uncle.
ever your loving friend,
"GERALDINE DEBRIsAY."
Mona read this with the deepest interest
She smiled at the account of her meeting
at Mrs. Rivers, but grew very grave over
the description Of Warnings decadence.
"Am | to blame? wish were not al
ways having sidelong reproaches flung at
me. He would have been as bad or worse
If l had married him, for I could not have
been loving, sympathetic wife, and then
his last state and mine, too, would be
worse than the first How l wish l could
hear that he was well and happily mar
ried"
The Thursday on which Mona was to
have a peep once more at the world she
felt she had quilted forever, rose fresh and
clear after yesterday of storm and rain.
Lady Finistoun had offered to drive over
after luncheon and fetch her, SO Mona
relieved from the necessity of taking out
Uncle Sandy's ramshackIe conveyance
dressed, and having put up carefully ar
ranged dinner dress and change Of raj
ment waited quietly for her ladyship's ap-
pearance.
Uncle Sandy had driven away early with
Kenneth to a sale of Highland cattle at
Kirktoun, and Mary had gone to carry some
Jelly to the shepherds mother, who was
old and weak
Mona was reading u review sent her by
Nine. Debrisay, when she heard the sound
of carriage driving up
''She is earlier than I expected" was her
mental comment as she glanced at the
clock. 1T is barely half past three"
Voices were heard speaking in the hall,
and Mona rose intending to go out and
meet her friend, when the door opened,
and Lisle entered unanuounced, his hat in
his hand, looking bright and brown. Mona
colored in spite OF herself.
''Good-morninG," he cried, cheerily. ~
hope YOU will forgive a change of plans.
Lady FinistouD finds she must drive in to
Kirbtoun to meet Major and Mrs. Men
teith-Fiuistoun's sister, you know-sO
offered myself and my dog-cart to convey
you to the Lodge. hope you Will forgive
the change"
"Oh / have nothing to forgive" she
said smiling. IF you do not mind taking
me and my dress basket, / am ready to
start"
''Weu safd,'- cried Isle, exuI, ,ng1y.
Gas it is fine clear afternoon, and we
have plenty C time, viii take you round
by Balmuir; the views are splendid nearly
all the way
every we'll" sail Mona, who had now
recovered herself, and in q few minutes
she was perched beside her charioteer. her
light dress basket hoisted up and conf1ded
to the care OF the croom-who sat behind
and they were Off.
81 hope there are not many very steep
hills" she said, after few moments sill
ence; Il am not too courageous"
mo, the road is safe and eaSyl l know
the country; was here for a whole season
with Finistoun few years ago, the au
tumn before You were presented. That Is
q sort of epoch to me-"
Much more so to mep' she returned
laughing. 81 well remember the heart
sinking with which l looked forward tc
making my courtesy under the eye of roy
atty. Do you know sometimes think al
that must have been dreamp'
81 fear the waking cannot have beer
very pleasant" said Isle, bending his
ryes upon her.
is not so much difference between one style
of life and another, as man like yoU
would think"
"a man like me?'' said Isle. "Wha
am like?''
''Like your fellows, I suppose. Life tt
you and to your peers, without horses and
dogs, shooting and hunting clubs, races
and, for the more ambitious, politics. woult
be something intolerable. Now. a regula
occupation, by which you earn your bread
and slowly but surely improve your posi-
ton, answers al the purposes of thos