Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-10

Mary, please"
"Mary. | have seen you sickly
child; [ have been anxious-who would
not? l have seen you grow in health
and strength, and every virtue"
"And seen me tumble into the water
and brighten you out of your senses,
and there's nothing one loves like a
downright pest, especially if she loves
US; and do love you, Mr.. Hope, dearly,
dearly, and | promise to be pest to
you all your days. All, here he comes
at last" She made two eager steps TO
meet him, then she said, "Oh! forgot"
and came back again and looked pro-
digiouSly demure and innocent.
Walter came on with his usual rush,
crying, MARY, how good of your
Mary put her fingers in her ears. mo,
no, no; we are forbidden to commune
cate" Then, initiating a stiff man of
business-for she was a capital mimic
when she chOSe-"any communication
you may wish to honor me with must
be addressed to this gentleman, Mr..
Hope; he will convey it to me, and it
shall meet with all the attention it de-
serves"
Walter laughed, and said, That's in
geniOus."
"Of course it is ingenious" said Mary,
subtly. THAT'S my character to fault"
well, young people," said Hope, II
am not sure that have time to repeat
verbal communications to keen ears
that heard them. And I think 1 can
make myself more useful to you. Wal
ter, your father has set his lawyer on to
Mr.. BARLEY, and what is the conse-
quence? Mr.. BARLEY fOrbids Mary to
speak to you, and the next thing will be
a summons, lawsuit, and a great defeat,
and loss to your father and you. Mr..
BARLEY sent me the lawyers letter. He
hopes to get out of clear contract by
pleading a surprise. Now you must go
to the laWyer-it is no use arguing with
your father in his present heat-and
you must assure him that there has been
no surprise. Why, [ called on Colonel
Clifford years ago, and told him there
was coal on that farm; and [ almost
went on my knees to him toproft by il"
you don't say that, Mr.. Hope?"
Il do say it, and [ shall have to swear
it., You may be sure Mr., BARLEY will
subpoena me, if this wretched squabble
gets into court"
But what did my father say to you?"
He was kind and courteous to me. I
was poor as rat, and dusty with travel
on foot; and he was fine gentleman,
as he always is, when he is not in too
great passion. He told me more than
one landowner had wasted money in
this county cropping for coal. He would
not waste his money nor dirty his fin
gers. But he thanked me for my friend
ly zeal, and rewarded me with ten shil-
lings."
"Oh!" cried Walter, and hid his face
IL his hands. AS for Mary, she put her
hand gently but quietly on Hopes shout
derS, as If to protect him from such in
suits.
why, children" said Hope, pleased
at their sympathy, but too manly to
hunt for it, 1T was more thanhe thought
the information worth, and [ assure
you it was blessed boon to me. | had
spent my last shilling, and there / was
trapeSing across the island on a wild
goose chase with my reaping-hoOk and
my fiddle; and my poor little Grace,
that THAT l."
Mary's hand went moment to his
other shoulder, and she .murmured
through her tears, "YoU have got me-"
Then Hope was happy again, and in
deed the simplest woman can find in a
moment the very word that is balm of
Gllead to a SOrrOWful man.
However, Hope turned it, off and con-
tinued his theme. The jury, he said,
would pOunce on that ten shillings as
the Colonies true estimate of his coal,
and he would figure in the case as dog
IN the manger who grudged Barley the
profits of a risky investment he had
merely sneered at and mot opposed, I'M
til it turned out well; and also disre-
garded the interests of the little COM
munity to whom the mine was boon.
NO" said Hope; tell your lawyer that
| am Bartley's servant, but love equity.
L have proposed to BARLEY to follow a
wonderful seam of coal under Colonel
ClitfOrd'S park. We have no business
there. So if the belligerents viii hear
reason will make BARLEY pay royalty
on every ton that comes to the surface
from any part of the mines and that
will be 81 200 year to the CliffordS.
Take this to the lawyer and tell him to
untiX that hero'S bayonet, or he will
charge at the double and he the death
OF his own money-and yours"
Walter threw up his hands with
amaZement and admiration. What a
head" said he.
"Fiddledeel" said Mary; "what a
hearth
I'm word, phoenix" said Hope,
dryly. praise is sweet, especially BE-
hind ones back. So pray go on, unless
you have something better to say to
each Other;;" and Hope retired briskly
into his office. But when the lovers took
him at his word, and began to strut up
and down hand in hand, and murmur
loves music into each others ears, he
could not take his eyes off them, and
his thoughts were sad. She had only
known that young fellow few months,
yet she loved him passionately, and he
would take her away from her father
before she even knew all that father
had done and suffered for her. When
the revelation did come she would per-
haps be wife and mother, and then
even differentiation would fall compare
lively flat.
Besides his exceptional grief, he felt
the natural pang of a father at the pros
pect of reSigning her to a husband.
Hard is the lot of parents; and. above
all, of a parent with one child whom he
adores. Many other creatures love
their young tenderly, and their young
leave them. But then the infancy and
youth of those creatures are SO short.
In few months the young shift for
themselves, forgetting and forgotten.
But with our young the helpless periods
OF infancy and youth are so long. Pa
rental anxiety goes through SO many
trials and so various, and they all strike
roots into the parents heart. Yet aft
er twenty years of love and hope and
fear comes a handsome young fellow, q
charming highwayman to a parents
eye, and whisks her away after two
months courtship. Then, oh, We young,
curb for moment your blind egotism,
and feel a little for the parents who
have felt so much for you'll You rather
like William Hope, so let him help you
to pity your own parents. See his sad
face as he looks at the love he is yettoo
unseltish to discourage. To save that
tender root. SickIN child he tranSnlant-