Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-07

coed to business.
A week went by and Daniel worked
hard and with heavy heart In all
that time he had not caught even so
much as glimpse of Miss Carrin gton.
For all chance of seeing her he might
as well have been at the antipodes.
He began to fear that he had made a
bad move. For as Horace Bedford he
could infict himself upon her as an
occasional visitor, but as Daniel Brown,
gardener, he could think of no excuse
for intruding on the society of his en-
ployer.
At last, Just as Daniel was on the
point of ''laying down the shovel and
hoe" like distinguished individual of
whom most of you have doubtless
heard, Miss Darlington came into the
garden to see if the carnations were
budding. She was smiling and gracious.
She praised Daniel for the improve
ment he had made in the dahlia beds,
and suggested some important altera-
| tons in various details, which he was
only to happy too carry out.
| After that she came to the garden
every morning neutrality-suspicious.
at the close of day-and she and the
gardener got very well acquainted,
and to understand each others tastes
and opinions thoroughly.
Never did a gardener work more
diligently than Daniel, and, to do him
/ justice, he had no small degree of
ability in the science. Everything
throve finely under his care, and Miss
Carrington's garden was the most
fiourishing garden in the vicinity.
1t was passing strange to Augusta
| Darlington the interest she felt in this
Daniel Brown. More than once she
had made herself the promise that she
would stay away from the garden and
let the gladiolus and lilies blossom at
their leisure, butin spite of these resolu-
tions, she was constantly drawn to
Daniels domain, and once there it
was astonishing how much they found
to talk about. From flowers the
transition to poetry and art was easy,
and here Daniel was quite as much at
home as his mistress, and the two soon
discovered kindred tastes and sympa-
thies.
By and by Mr. Brown was invited
occasionally into the parlors, and Miss
Darlington played for him, and the
irrepressible Daniel sung one or two
touching ballads in a very mellow
tenor.
The lady of the house began to ask
his judgment upon pictures and statu-
airy, and then they read poems to-
gether. and played chess, and did
many other things equally improper,
considering that one was mistress and
the other servant.
Matters went on in this strain until
Miss Carrington's friends laughed
| about her penchant for the gardener
among themselves, and one young lady,
holder and more gushing than the
others, joked Miss Darlington in re-
gard to ''her Daniel" saying at the
same time something disrespectful of
him.
Augustus cheek grew crimson, and
she turned upon the young lady in such
way that Miss Morse shrank back
and got the table between them as soon
as possible.
"A man is man whether he wears
broadcloth or the drilling! and heaven
be thanked | have sense enough to see
and acknowledge it! Mr.. Brown may
not be what you fashionable people
call gentleman, but he is a noble
manr'
And Daniel Brown, passing beneath
the open window, heard this spirited
defense and was at no loss to guess
that the Mr.. Brown referred to was
himself.
Was he happyP
AS we'll ask if the sun gives light.
The next day Miss Darlington went
out on the lake sailing. She was quite
in the habit of going alone, and there
fore no one thought of observing her
movements. But Daniel had taken it
upon himself to watch her continually,
and whenever she went down to the
boat-house, and unfastened the Fairy
Queen, he was sure to be seen near at
hand, though keeping himself out of
sight.
This evening the sky was very dark,
and threatening, and Daniel was al
most persuaded to step forth and ask
Miss Darlington not to venture out,
but he was not quite sure that she
would be pleased with his interference.
So he permitted her to pass by.
She got into the boat. shook out the
light sail and drifted with the wind.
Not three rods from the shore sudden
flaw struck the sail. and in an instant
the boat capsized, for Miss Darlington
was too much off her guard to be in
time to prevent the accident.
Daniel plunged into the water, and
SWAN to the spot where Augusta had
disappeared. He caught her, bore her
to the shore, and there, while he still
held her in his arms, she said:
'Oh, Mr.. Brown, what shall | ever
do to repay you?"
And he replied upon the spur of the
moment:
You shall love me. You shall give
me the life | have saved!"
'Why?" she asked, in a whisper,
very low, but he heard her.
Because | love you. Because you
are the only woman in the wide world
that can fill my heart. Because, next
to God, hold you sacred!"
| She put her arm around his neck,
and pressed her cold cheek against his.
IF am worthy, take mew
You know just how lovers generally
ratify their vows, so | need not
chronicle what followed. l suppose
my hero and heroine were as silly as
young people usually are on such oc-
| casions.
A day or two afterward, while Miss
Darlington was in the garden and
Daniel was reading "Evangeline" to
her, she stopped him suddenly.
ut is very strange" she said, "but
it seems to me that | have known YOU
in some other stage of existence"
"Whv?" he asked, smiling curiously.
| "BecauseYour voice is familiar. there