Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-17
A FAIR EXCHANGE.
Diana! my own darling Diana!"

D1ana! my own DARING Dlana!
With low cry of utter gladness the
young man hurried forward and
clasped the girl to his breast-clasped
her and kissed her, and looked down
joyfully into the startled viOlet-biue
eyes; but she, laughing and blushing
in lovely embarrassment, tore her.
self out of his arms and stood shyly be-
fore him.
I'm not Diana-Tm only Dolly"
she explained demurely. ''And you
must be Rupert Leslie, though | did
not know Diana was expecting you
home so soon"
''She was not expecting me: /
planned to take her by surprise. Is it
possible this is little DollyP You are
the living image of your sister," he
said, regarding her with a mingled
look of surprise, confusion, and ad-
miratiOn.
''Oh, indeedp answered Miss Dolly,
not particularly fattered. "But she is
great deal older than | am"
''Of course" murmured the young
man, more and more COMPOUNDED;
''yOu are the picture of what she was
five years ago, when | saw her last"
al am eighteen, and my sister is
twenty-three," remarked Dolly, with a
little air of superiority. but Diana is
just as pretty as ever" she added,
patronisingly, land will be awfully
glad to have you back, [ suppose.
Shall run to the house and tell her?"
81 have been in the house and spoken
to your mother. Diana was out here
in the garden, she said, and that was
one reason | made the mistake, l sup
pose" he said dreamily, his eyes still
lingering on the beautiful, flower-like
face, so fresh so piquant, so perfect.
Dolly was born coquette, and
selfish to the core of her heart. She was
fully aware of the impression she was
making; even now she was thinking,
with a thrill, would it be possible to
cut Diana out, and catch this handsome
and generous fellow for herself?
For the DavenpOrts were poor, and
Dolly longed for cOstlier dresses and
jewels to set off her beauty; she envied
her elder sister her good luck; beaux
Miss Dolly had, in superabundance,
but among them no such excellent
part as this-rich and fascinating. She
glanced up at him from under her
long curling lashes.
''Its too bad got the first kissm
she laughed, the soft color flying to
her wild-rose face. Diana will be
furious"
Don't tell her them" murmured
Leslie, laughing little, too, and I'M
able to withdraw his admiring gaze
from the lovely young girl. Five
years! | never thought about their
changing Diana; yet, of course, / am
older as well as she"
"Oh, out a mania man ought to be
eight or ten years the oldern'
'Have you anyone in particular in
your minds eye, DollyPn he asked,
laughing because she laughed.
mot yet" with little affected sigh.
''But, really, | must look about for my
sister. You must be dying to see her,
know, after all these years. Why,
five years seem to me like half life
time! | wonder you've had the patience
to stand here. listening to my non
sense; | won't tell Diana. nor how YOU
took me for herr
Rupert Leslie himself wondered why
be had remained by Dolly and let her
talk without demanding to see his
sweetheart. He had come into that
sweet June garden, eyes and heart
aglOw, his whole soul rushing in adj
vance of his footsteps; for now. at last,
after long ''toil and endeavor," the
supreme hour, so intensely longed for,
was here, when he should feel the
arms of his true love round him once
again"
He had seen her, he thought. fairer
than ever, standing there in the old
rose-arbor, dressed in white, and he
had stolen forward and caught her to
his breast in a burst of rapture; and
after all, it had not been his Diana, but
that little sister of hers grown up! He
was conscious of slight shrinking
from the idea of the first meeting, now
with the real Diana.
Meantime, not six feet away, out
side the leafy arbor, sitting in the
deep, glistening fragrant grass, book
in her lap, showers of rose-petals drop
ping over her golden hair and pale
blue dress, was Diana Davenport-a
moment ago dreaming happily of her
coming lover, but now white as death,
her hands clinched, her lips quivering.
She gave no token of her nearness, and
the two moving away in search of her,
did not learn that she had overheard
their little chat,
Dolly was always entirely selfish"
she whispered to herself, after time.
Il have given up everything else to
her. and now she will try to win him."
She crept carefully out of the garden
into the house.
my dear, Rupert has comet" her
mother called out joyfully, as she was
slipping up to her room.
''Yes, mamma; / must smooth my
hair"
Once safe in her room she looked at
herself long and sadly in her mirror.
IF am pale and grave and thought
full" she murmured, II have become
so waiting and watching for him. If
i had loved him less | might not have
pinned away my roses. Yes, Dolly is
loyely-soft and tender and lovely as
the roses out there-and as soulless;
but he Will see only her girfisn bloom,
and she-she will break my heart"
1t was half an hour and over before
Dolly brought Rupert to the house in
the search for Diana, who was waiting
in the cool, dim jasmne-scented draw
ing-room. pale aud quiet and cold.
A perfect glory of moonlight flood
ed the long veranda which gave grace
to the plain, roOmy cottage where d
widowed mother had reared her two
lovely ughters-daughters whom to-
morrow she was to lose, as mothers
lose girls whom they give to men in
marriage. Perhaps Mrs. Davenport
felt that she did not so much lose her
dauOnterS as o.liu two sons. for She