Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-26

| pIdC4u1s CoHteat 70 HODDie along with AOlt
between himself and the elderly young
man in public places.
70 EYerard he was more deferential
That gentleman's good-hUmored, unfinch
ing Indifference to the feelings Of his fel
! loW-creatures filed him with awe. There
was no knowing what he might say next
while the fearlessness with which Mona
| crossed rapiers with him excited his adj
miration. Yet Everard was always ready
| to talk with her, and even tried, with the
obstinacy for which he was remarkable,
| to get her away from her uncle to walk
with him
| This degree Of attention woke Uncle
| Sandy's suspicious, for, rs is not unusual
in Scotchmen, he was disposed to attribute
/ all such indications to the master passion
Of humanity
''Te1 me, noo," he said one exceedingly
warm afternoon, as they sat in his room
''teu me, was it because o. one cousin ye
refused the other?"
CHOW do you mean, Uncle Sandy?"
"Eh! you understan' well enough. Is it
because you 1--we young Everard you re-
fused Kenneth?"
Glove BERTHE Everard! Do you think any
human being loves him, except, perhaps,
his mother?"
Glow can Iken? He is a Draw, out
spoken Gallant"
"He is brutally Indifferent to everyone's
feelings. We're obliged to marry either,
I should certainly prefer Kenneth"
"Then what for should you refuse him?"
Because do not intend to marry him. -
"Do you know that 1t will go hard wi'
me before I ever consent to your marrying
ony either mon?"
''Well, shall not trouble you, uncle.
shall never marry Kenneth"
'Then, Mona, am sair at heart to say
it, but I'll no count you as my daughter"
ooh, yes, you viii, uncle! You could not
do without men'
mot Weel. Yet I'd try, if you set your
face against doing what I want you to do.
Has Kenneth written to.ye?"
''No; then I have not written to him"
"Wel, do, like good lassie."
ooh, yes, uncle; viii write to him"
In the evening EVerard called and asked
Mona to take a stroll with him.
The walked along a path leading into the
woods in silence for a few minutes. At
length Mona asked
''And what does Evelyn say?"
ooh, nothing particular She is still in
a FOOLS paradise. They are not going to
Strathairlie, because they want to show off
the son and heir in Cumberland. They
are to have a large party, and want me to
go; but that is impossible. I must look
after Fitzallan; and that brings me toWhat
I want to say. DON'T run away with the
notion you can marry Fitzallan."
''Marry FitzaIIanl" repeated Mona,
amazed. "What an extraordinary idear'
mot at all. Don't fly off at a tangent.
OF course it is perfectly natural you should
try to get good settlement 1t would be
a famous match; but can't allow it!''
Mona paused, leaned against tree, and
laughed heartily.
eff Icould keep my countenance, Ishould
be angry with you, BERTHE! The determin-
alton people seem to have that shall marry
some one or other is absurd"
but l am determined you shall not
marry Fitzallan. Don't you know that,
after him. my father is heir to the earldom,
and after him your !.stmble servant. Now
Fitz was born an idiot. and hasn't i'm
proved his brains by hard drinking. His
father, Lord Lynebridge, won't give him q
penny. Someone has to go about with
him, or he would destroy himself in few
months. He proposes for every woman he
meets. We had an awful row last April
with a girl at a luncheon-bar at Willesden
or Ealing, or some such place. He is q
harmless creature, but his father viii not
give him sou, and he@dOes not want him
to marry. 1t would be a splendid match
for qJOlJ, but you see he has been so queer,
I believe we could break it, so it will not
do to attempt such hazard"
Listen, BERTHE What have you ever
seen in me to induce you to think of warn
ing me in this insulting manner? Marry
Lord Fitzallan! Why, l would almost
rather" she paused and looked at her kins,
man from head to foot, 81 would almost
rather marry YOu"
"WelI, you speak plain enough"
Eyes. viii always speak TO you in your
own style. WAT are you-any Of you, to
me? l want noeAiug from you. can
supply my own wants, and ! nave not the
smallest ambition to belong to you in any
way. Ineyer seek you, and if you ceased
to recognize me it would not cause me the
smallest annoyance"
ooh! but like to talk to you. If I ever
could make such an ass Of myself as to fall
1
Mona laughed merrily at this avowal.
"Come, let US go back" she said. "You
are by no means agreeable. Ireally regret
not having sympathetic companion this
beautiful evening"
CAY, L dare say you would prefer Lisle
now?"
Eyes; q good deal more. He knew how
to mask his selfshness, which is all one
expects from an everyday acquaintance"
Il think, Mona, l shall cut you in fu-
ture."
GAS you please. I am quite ready to
second your efforts. Here is young Mr..
Clapton, he viii walk back with me.
Well, Mr.. Clapton, I think we are going to
have another cloudless day tomorrow. Is
your sister inclined to make set at tennis?
1 think my uncle will not want me in the
afternoon"
And The hobbledehoy, well-pleased to be
in attendance on Miss Craig, who was now
considered "the glass of fashion, and the
mold of form, walked back to the park on
one side of Mona, while Everard sulked at
the other.
The following day was dry ana fine, and
the projected tennis match came off very
successfully. Mona, and Miss Clapton,
her brother, and an Anglomaniac French
count short. stout, and extremely puffy.
Lord Fitzallan appeared in an elegant
suit of flannels, and picturesque cap; but
he served so badly, and so constantly missed
his balls, that he soon declared the heat
was too much for him, and he subsidized on
bench beside Uncle Sandy, who had so
improved in health ard spirits that he even
confessed to q certain interest in the game,
and conffded to Lord Fitzallan his convic-
ton that, had he not been such q "frail
bodYn he would have PLAYED "fipe.n