Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-19
"Oh!1 CRED mary. all OF a sudden.

=
clare it's Mr.. Hope, come home safe
and sound. Dear Mr.. Hope! Oh, now
my happiness is perfectl"
''Mr. HOpei" screamed Mrs. Easton.
"Drive faster, for Heavens sakel Turn
your horse, sir and gallop away from US
as hard as you cani"
well, but, Mrs. Easton-" objected
Walter.
Mrs. Easton stood up in the carriage.
"Man alivep she screamed, "you know
nothing, and know deal; BECOME, or
you are no friend of mine: you'll make
me curse the hour that interfered"
go, darling" said Mary. kindly, and
so decidedly that he turned his horse
directly, gave her one look of love and
disappointment, and gallOped away.
Mary looked pale and angry, and
drove on in sullen silence.
Mrs. EastOn was too agitated to mind
her angry looks. She kept wiping the
perspiTatiOn from her brow with her
handkerchief. and speaking in broken
sentences: IF we could only get there
firSt-fool not to teach my sister her
lesson before we went. she's such a
can't you drive faster?"
why, nurse" said Mary, don't be
SO afraid of Mr.. Hope. It's not him I'm
afraid of; it's papa"
you don't know what you're talking
about, child. Mr.. BARLEY is easily
blinded; I won't tell you why. 1t isn't
so with Mr.. Hope. Oh, if I could only
get in to have one word with my sim
pie sister before he turns her inside
outl"
This question was soon decided. Hope
drove up to the door whilst Mary and
Mrs. EaStOn were still some distance off
Il 1Trr. IN, INn10
they emerged again into sight of the
farm they just caught sight Of Hopes
back, and Mrs. Gilbert curtesying to
him and ushering him into the house.
Drive into the stable-yard," said Mrs.
EaSton, family. HE mustn't see your
travelling basket, anyway"
She told the servant to put the horse
into the stable Immediately. and the
basket into the breW-hOuSe. Then she
hurried Mary up the back stairs to her
room. and went with a beating heart to
find Mr.. Hope and her sister.
Mrs. Gilbert, though simple and I'M
guarded woman, could read faces like
the rest, and she saw at once that her
sister was very much put by this visit
OF Mr.. Hope, and wanted to know what
had passed between her and him. This
set the poor woman all in a futter for
fear she should have said something in
judicious, and therel pom she prepared
to find out, if possible, what she ought
to have said.
What! Mr.. Hope!" said Mrs Easton.
wei, Mary will be glad. and have
you been long home. SIR"
Game last night" said Hope. "She
hasn't been well, hear. What is the
matter?" And he looked very anxious.
well. sir" said Mrs. Easton, very
guardedly, she certainly gave me a
fright when she came here. Shelooked
quite pale; but whether it was that she
wanted change-but whatever it was,
it couldn't be very serious. You shall
Judge for yourself. Sister, 60 to Miss
Mary's room, and tell her"
Mrs. EaSt0n, in giving this instruc-
ton, frOwned at her sister as much as
to say, Nov don't speak, but GO"
When she was gone, the next thing
was to find out if the woman had made
any foolish admission to Mr.. Hope: so
she waited for him.
She had not long to wait.
Hope said: Il hardly expected to see
you; your sister said you were from
home"
"Wen. sir" said Mrs. Easton, eve
were not so far far off, but wedid come
home little sooner than we intended,
Mary wouldn't have missed you for all
the Uie1CS in the county,"
With that she made an excuse. and
left him. She found her sister in Mary's
room; they were comparing notes.
Now" said she to Mrs. Gilbert. "vnn
tell me every word you said to Mr.. Hope
about Miss Mary and me-"
well, [ said you were not at home,
and that is every word; he didn't give
me time to say any more for question
ing of her health"
THAT'S lucky" said Mrs. Easton dry
ly. THANK Heaven, there's no harm
done; he shan't see the carriage"
Dear me, nurse" said Mary, "all this
time I'm longing to see him."
"Well, you shall see him, if you won't
own to having been a night from home"
Mary promised, and went eagerly to
MIR. Hope. 1t did not come natural to
her to be afraid of him, and she was i'm
patient for the day to come when she
might tell the whole story. The recep-
ton he gave her was not of nature to
discourage this feeling; his pale face
for he had been very ill-fushed at
sight of her, his eyes poured affection
upon her, and he held out both hands to
her. "This the pale girl they frighten-
ed me about" said he. "Why, you're
ike Iuo roses III y uly.
That's partly with seeing of you, sir"
said Mrs: Easton, quietly following,
but we do take some credit to our
sevles so; for Miss Mary aUas rather
pale when she came here week ago;
but, Ia, young folks want change now
and then"
Nurse" said Mary, 81 really was not
well, and you have done wonders for me,
and hope you won't think me ungrate-
full, but l must go home with Nh. Hope"
Hopes cOuntenance flushed with de-
light, and Mrs. Easton saw in moment
that Mary's affection was cooperating
with her prudence. Il thought that
would be her first word, SIR" said she.
why, of course you will, miss. There,
don't you take any trouble; we'll pack
cart; but you must eat mOrSeI, both
of you, before you go. There's a beau
tiful piece of beef in the pot, not over
sailed, and some mealy potatoes and
suet dumplings. You sit down and
have your chat, whilst Polly and get
everything ready for YOU"
Then Mary asked Mr.. Hope so many
questions with such eager affection that
he had no time to ask her any, and then
she volunteered the home news, eS-
pecially of Colonel Clifford's condition,
and then she blushed and asked him if
he had said anything to her father about
Walter Clifford.
Not much" said Mr.. Hope. "You
are very young, Mary, and it's not for
me to interfere, and won't interfere.
But if you want my opinion, why, adj
mire the young man extremely. / al
ways liked him; he is straightforward,
upright, manly, good-hearted chap, and
has lots of Dlain good SenSe-Heaypn
knows where he got it,"