Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-15
DEAR MR.. MORTON.
Charming Story in Which Love Figure
COnspicuOusly.


evening"
''My dear, don't speak of her in tha
way. Toms widow! There is something
CHASTITY IN the sound"
HYou needn't be afraid, mother; she
never shall be my widow"
''I thought you admired her, Tom." said
Hilda.
$50 I do immensely; she's the jolliest
little woman that 1 know, but I mean &c
leave different sort of widow"
zone whose appearance will be better
adapted to weeds?"
"One who will show little more feel
ing when / am gone" said Tom. "Mrs
Morton's husband can scarcely be year
dead, and yet she is the gayest and mer
REST of you all"
"Rose, just imaging Toms ideal widow
broken hearted creature, all Grape anG
pocket handkerchief, who will be forever
talking about her lost darling"
sAMy dearv' said my mother again.
'sThe mater thinks it unlucky to talk
about my widow. How do you know that
it is not [ who am to be the bereaVed one
bewailing the loss of my sainted wife, and
expecting sym pathy and consolation
from my sisters?"
"WeL" said HiIda after few minutes
reverie, 81 admit that it does susprise me
to see Freda Morton, loving and warm
hearted as she certainly is, appearing to
feel the loss of her husband to little"
''Perhaps she disliked him."
"Rose! Disliked dear Mr.. Morton!
ooh, that is merely little conventional
way of speaking of him; she evidently
considers it the correct phrase. 1t is
quite compatible with Indifference, if not
dislike"
II think she was fond of him." said
Hilda. "She avoids speaking Of him, as
if it panied her to do SO; sometimes even
her voice seems to choke when size men
tions him."
"And at other times she makes the
most fippant remarks about him and his
tastes and habits. She certainly is puz-
zle to me-"
81 am sorry you do not cafe for her
Tom; 1 have often thought how pie SAINT
would be to have her as a sister in
aw."
''Your visions may be realized without
victimizing me-"
''Do you mean Edmund?"
81 do: / think Edmund is very much
smitten, and that she knows it and does
not object"
81 never thought of that" said Hilda
they never seem to speak to one an
other"
'SNo, but when either speaks to anyone
else, the other listens. Watch and yoJ
will see."
Il would rather she was married to yoU
than to Edmund"
"Sorry [ can't accommodate you. Good
bye, mother, I'm off,"
"Are you coming home to tea, Tom?'
asked my mother.
Certainly, mother. 1 would not miss
Mrs Morton on any account"
Mrs. Morton and her sister, Mabe
Heath had now been settled in Long
mede fnc some months. They haC
broaght letters from an old schoolfellov
of Hilda's and mine, who was now mar
ried and living in liverpool. Mabe
Heath and her sister were dear friends
and neighbors of hers, she wrote, and she
was very sorry to lose them, but they h &C
now no reason for remaining in Liver
pool, and their means ueing diminished
by their recent loss, they were anxious
to find some quiet country place where
they could live economically. She ha(
advised them to try Longmede, having
heard much of it from Hilda and me, anG
feeling that she might trust to our kind
ness to make them welcome. The lette
was hastily written, and seemed to TAX
for granted that the circumstances of tn
two sisters were already known to US.
However, this was Ethel Fordham'
way; her letters generally were somewha
incoherent. So Hilda and l went at one
to call upon the new corners, whom W
found established in pretty rooms in tn
house of the late doctors widow, who ha
managed TO retain her old home by lei
ting part of it.
We were somewhat surprised to fin
both sisters mere girls, Mrs. Morton, a.
though in reality the elder, appearing til
younger of the two. They were in striB
ing contrast to each other, Mrs. Morto
being small, fair and childish Iookin
while Miss Heath was tall and stately
with dark hair and eyes. Both wore dee
mourning, Mrs. Morton's very becomin
little cap constituting the chief differenc
in their dress.
We soon became very intimate wit
both girls, they refused our Invitations a
first on the plea of deep mourning, bG
after a little time they consented to com
to tea, and later on to quiet game o
tennis. Mrs. Morton proved herself a
excellent player, and she and Tom fratel
nized over the game. Tom made no 81
cret of his admiration for her, and Hid
AID | soon decided that it would be yer
pleasant if Toms widow, as we had b,
gun to call her, were to become Tom
wife. Now however, TOMS manner eve
more than his words, put an end to thi
castle in the air, leaving new field c
speculation in the suggestion he ha
thrown out concerning Edmund.
Edmund was a surgeon and had bee
for some years on board ship. He WIS
now at home recovering from a som
what severe illness, and looking for sui
able employment on shore. He was fs
quieter aud more reserved than L OLD, an
the possibility of his being attracted
the pretty little widow never occurred I
any of Us. Now, however. enlightene
by Toms hint, we watched him closel
and before the close of the evening hs
discovered that Tom was right, and tn
Edmund was absorbed in studying b,
and listening to her every word; whi
she, on her part, was fully conscious
his admiration, and did not dislike
Tt was rather disappointment TO US,
we would have preferred her mar-yiI
Tom; however we resigned ourselves
the inevitable, and began to speculate {
the course of events and make plans f
Edmund's future, with Mrs. Morton
his wife.
One day not long after this we called
Mrs Morton's lodgings to ask her al
Mabel Heath to join Us in walk.
Inc ladies were up stairs, the serya
said, and she asked rs TO wait in C.
drawing room while she went to SCI
them. The drawing room door was PAL
~ open, and we went in without makiI