Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-22
HEARTLESS.

the girl; "but l have"
Her splendid eyes flashed upon the
young fellow, and in a dull underlined
way he felt clumsy and loutish, and
altogether inadequate to the compan
ionship of this radiant creature.
"Ambition!' he repeat vaguely.
Hilary swung herself on the gate
with an impatience which perhaps ac-
corded little with the announcement
she had been making of high and
brilliant social aims for herself.
Eyes, ambition. Did you ever think
YOU would like to be anything more or
better than you are now? And what
are you? just farm-laborer."
She flung the words out with mag
niticent contempt.
.'It's what your father and brother
were, Hilary" returned Oliver after a
little space.
He said it grayely, without accent of
Dfense.
That's no reason why everyone
should 90 on being the same thing to
everlasting" announced Hilary, not
very clearly, but with decision and
passion.
Oliver felt himself defenseless before
this worldly wisdom. This had al
ways been their attitude. Her MINI
bleness and wit left his sloWneSs and
heaviness at loss. There were things
Ae would have liked to say-things
which t&3 felt vaguely, which haunted
him with 4 tOrturing sense that his
reason were best, but that he should
never succeed in explaining them SO
IL. II L
He stood in appearance bulky
stolid young rustic, chewing without
thought the long straw he held be-
tween his teeth; and the bright, slight,
vivid girl by his side continued to
swing her little body backward and
forward on the white gate from which
the paint was chipping, and forgot
his existence.
1t was 4 night fair and warm, and
redoIent with sweet wholesome odOrs
from the great red barn stocked with
grain. There was a glory of moon
light abroad, and 4 south wind rustled
the elms. 1t was a night full of poetry
full of the mysterious voices of nat
ure.
The young fellow, through his
heavy corporeal envelope, thrilledwith
visions, resolves, warnings he could
not define or understand, of which he
was scarce conscious. The girl, her
spirited beauty glorified by the rare
light that shone upon her face, her
inc fields, dreamed of city streets, and
the delights of delicate dress.
After silence neither had meas
ured for different reasons, Oliver
stirred slowly.
"Isuppose must be going" he said.
"Oh, must youP"
Hilary came back violently from
her reverie and gave him All absent
glance. But Immediately, as he was
turning away without other words, she
added:
Come again when you can" and
accompanied the admonition with a
smile whose actual enchantment she
could not have helped had she tried.
She looked after his tall broad ig-
ure going down the moonlit road.
Poor Oliver! He's frst-ratc fell
low" she thought.
And then she went back to the cas-
ties she was building, crystal clear
lights in the silence of the sweet
serene midsummer night.
The shops were opening, the factory
girls were trooping to their work, and
the great city was awaking with Il
myriad tongues to its busy day, when
a young man-who, somehow, had the
look of middle age about him, too
stopped at an address which he had in
his pocket. 1t might have been there
some time. for the bit of paper on
which it was written was worn and
discolored at the folds.
A tall and imposing parsonage with
n costume of conspicuous stylishneSs
and an unimpeachable couture, looked
at MIN and came forward little.
She seemed to be the only woman in
the large deep shop, down the length
of which stretched broad white count
ers laden with feathers, hats. flowers,
and boxes of ribbon. Some young
men clerks, were lounging about in
various attitudes of languor, awaiting
the begi~ Wing of the days labors.
Lester, did you say?" repeated the
imposing person with the smooth and
Sn6CIINS uaIE. MISS I1lldIN AcSIet f.
couldn't tell you, really. She has not
been here in my time. We employ
only few girls upstairs on trimmed
sample hats"
Sac had an air of having dismissed
the rural looking new conner. One OF
two of the younger clerks smiled.
Perhaps Oliver saw it. If so he did
not mind. He waited moment more
.'You-you could not tell me where
she is now?"
The superb female smiled NIGHTLY.
Not very well, since / have told
you that l don't even remember the
name"
mo, of course not" stammered poor
Oliver.
WHO was he after? Seemed to be
pretty badly cut up he heard some,
one laugh as he went out.
Stumbling little in his hulkine
countryman's walk, he passed along
the great, strange, noisy street once
more. Hurrying hundreds, each uni
of them all on his own interests-hi:
own absorbing concerns = intent
brushed by him unheeding.
Where should he look now? Never
in these five years of toll, of patien
striving for one idea, had this thought
occurred to HIM, that when he did
manage fcllow her it might be toe