Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-31

1
wanted blue, now let her have it." A re
| spouse from Inga seemed to follow
"Yiss, she haf say blue" Then bells
began to ring and the dreamer suddenly
sat upright. Tt was the door bell that
had driven the nightmare away. Some
one vas speaking on the piazza below
Perhaps it might be
~ beg pardon for this intrusion, Mr.
Jennings. fl had hoped to meet your
sister at the dance tonight. As she was
not there, and as I cannot come to-mor-
row, l ventUred to commit this breach of
etiquette. May I see her for a moment
or two?"
Jeremy wes heard explaining the cause
OF absence, and regretting that his sister
was too i'll TO see any one that evening
Lou drew back from the window with a
sudden sense of disappointment. 1t was
Roger Marston who had spoken.
But come in and have cigar" pro-
posed good -natured Jeremy, who usually
found the comets" style rather over
po~ering, but noticing certain anxi ty
and perturbation in the latter's manner
tonigh felt inclined to be cordial.
"Thanks,ssno. I have promised to re-
turn to the Vances'. Excuse me, but
you are quite sure I cannot see Miss
Jennings?"
Jeremy remembered that HE sister had
particularly desired not 10 be disturbed,
was very sorry, but was quite sure. He
really was sorry, seeing the trouble in the
petitioners face. although he had many a
time wished for the comets" discomfit-
ure.
"Will yon tell her, then, for me, how
much I regret her jllness, and give her
these roses, which I had hoped to present
in person?"
On, these women!" Jeremy soIiloquz-
ed, as he turned back into the sitting
room with magnificent cluster of roses
in his hand. ''I'd have sworn she favor
ed Marston, and yet she sent Bob for a
blue ribbon. And now she's thrown the
blue ribbon away. Well, it's too much of
riddle for me. Asleep, sis?" he inquir-
ed in cautious tones at his sisters door.
NO"
Feeling better?"
"Not yet"
"Here are some splendid Jacque roses
With the comets compliments. Will'you
have them now?"
"Not tonight. Just get Igna to put
them in water please"
"Not encouraging" Jeremy reflected.
He left the roses in the kitchen and re-
turned to his book. But scarcely had he
read three chapters more before another
ring at the bell interrupted. "Why Wal
ter, old fellow" was his hearty greeting,
have you stolen away from the revelsf"
"You, too?" he had almost said. "Come
10 see why I wasn't there-eh?'
"You know well enough why / came,
jeremy. Is Lou
"Lou, provIdentially-for me-had a
bad headache. Come in"
"No, unIess-' Is she we'll enough for
me to see her."
"I'm afraid not. She just told me she
didn't feel any peter. What COMPOUNDED
couquettes women are!" Jeremy added to
himself as he delivered these unwelcome
tidings second time. 81 wish-I de-
clare wish I'd gone to the party!"
81 am sorry-sorry she is ill, too. You
know I must be off early tomorrow, and
tonight is my only chance of-of-
He broke off there. Honest Jeremy
was sincerely troubled. The crumbled
blue ribbon on the floor above could
mean nothing than that the game was u Q
with Walter
"Have a cigar" he proposed, offering
what comfort he could.
"No. just give her these violets, will
you, and tell her-ah!"
Jeremy had taken the flowers, inwar6ly
anathemathizing his sister as "heartless
little firt," seeing Walters face suddenly
grow radiant with hope and delight as he
uttered the above exclamation, he turned
to discover the cause. There stood his
sister, till wearing the tum bled lace
dress, with disheveled curls and red eyes,
it is true, but with an expression on Der
face, as she held out her hand to Walter,
that as Jeremy afterward said, "told the
whole story"
M. de Trop could not suppress long.
low whistle OF amazement as he walked
off with the violets still in his hand. So
it was blue, after all. He carried the
violets into the kitchen, again astonish-
ing Carl and Igna, who both rose to re-
ceive him.
"More flowers to put in water9"
eyes"
"And more happy couples" .Jermey said
TO himself as he went out the back door
and took refuge in the shrnbbery, where.
for an hour, he smoked and moraiized on
life's chances.
Next morning his sister did not ap-
pear at breakfast, but he found her shortly
after in the kitchen, where she had gone
to secure the violets. Those unfortunate
blossoms had been thrust heads down
in to pail of water. The roses had re
ceived the sam treatment, but they were
left to their fate, and the owner ran away
from Jeremy's congratulations. The lat
| ter rescued the Jacques, and a day later
they fell to pieces on his mantel; but the
violets were boarded as Louis dearest
possessions long after scent and color
passed away.
yUb,, W. S;nI IN nui ot-cand