Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-13

moment, and was anXiouSly watching Fe-
!icia unbuttoning her glove She was
standing beneath the chandelier, and the
gashght was shining upon her fair hair,
making it look like FURNISHED gold, while
her milk-white throat and arms were set
off in vivid contrast by the soft clouds of
black net of which her dress was composed
Felicia raised her eyes, and Jack sighed.
He was wondering how he could have been
so blind. as the truth suddenly dawned
upon him that he loved her.
I am an unfortunate fellow" he
thought, '.for it would be absurd to eN.
pect her to care for me after all that has
passed" But his face expressed nothing
more than friendliness as he turned to her,
holding out his hand, and said
Goodbye. Felicia l am going away
tomorrow for a month to get over itr'-
with a smile. II do not suppose I shall
see you again before go''
Goodbye" she returned, composedly
and he did not know that her every pulse
quickened as he held her hand for few
moments. eve shall have left London by
the time you return" she went on, raising
her sweet grave eyes to his, land we shall
probably be at Aunt GATHERINGS place in
Bedfordshire-Buxton Hail.
81 have promised to be WAITS best
man." said Jack, 80 1 shall be back in
time for the wedding-till then, Felicia
Goodbye
Goodbye" she said again. ''How crue
of Dick Wyatt to ask Jack to be his best
man. she thought to herself. s.
One day Jack came down stairs whist
ling, apparently in the best of spirits; but
as he entered the hall, he saw Felicia
warming one foot on the fender and talk,
ing to Colonel Wolverton, who was also 9
guest in the house Without word Jack
seized his hat and opened the hall door
1t was raining hard.
where are you going in this korrid
weather, Jack?" asked Felicia, turning
round quickly.
'<Out," replied Jack brusquely-almost
! rudely, ASK Aunt Catherine not to wait
dinner for us;' and he was gone
He has never been the same since his
engagement with my sister was broken
off, - said Felicia, with a sigh.
! BY the end of the following week all
/ Mrs. Brooke's visitors had parted, eX
cepting Jack. One morning, when Felicia
went into the library to fetch book She
had left there, she found her cousin stand
| ing with his hands in his pockets gazing
moodiiy out of the window.
81 did mot knew you were here she
said, en6eavoriag to speak composedly
| Il only came fer Temple Barr
[ She took the magazine from the table
| and was going out of the room; but Jacl
| spoke.
wait a minute, FeEicia-I want to tel
you something l had letter from Aus
tralia this morning. My old schoolfellov
| and chTIm whom / lived with out there
has writ INTO try'te persuade me to &C
back again" He paused, not daring tt
look at Felicia for fear he should lose al
CONTROL over himself and say something
wild-perhaps tell 7ler that he loved her
"'And-snd you think of returning?''
ayes; have almost made up my MIND
! to go next month. The fact is" he wen
ON, trying,to talk cheerfully, go have beer
away so dong from England that feel los
here. There is'no one here who cares fo1
me enough to mind whether l go or stay
/ And doyouEthink," cried Felicia, wild
| ay, ''thasj because Deb was SD blind other!
are .alse? oh, Jack, IL love your'-ant
/ then the pent4up tears gushed forth, anC
she tried tofrush from the room; but JACK
/ caught her and held her tightly in hi:
/ strong arms
! LET me go, -Jackr' she cried "Wha
/ have said? Ga, let me go! did not know
what I was saying, Jack; ] did not NEAR
one ward!''
/ Instead 0fletting her go, however, Jacl
| only tdghtened his arms about her.
| Thank Heaven, Felicia, for those
| Words he whispered, ''fer 1 should have
/ gone away without speaking! 1 thought
nay darling, that you loved Wolverton"
-fOh, jack" she said, as he kissed hei
sweet lips. II feel so ashamed-I shall
never dare to look YOU in the face again
/ HOW nn1ld how conId 1872
/ BET you meant it, Felicia! You care
! whether sc tsr stay?''
"If you CO." she answered, ''you must
| take nae, too"-and, after q pause-"Dc
you neatly love me, Jack, or is it only pity?'
''There is only one answer to that" he
said; and the answer seemed satisfactory