Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-05
ROSES HEROISM.

IGJDE - 1LllO1Du.
"Oh, deari | wish [ could be he
rome myself, pouted Rose Pemberton,
tossing aside the thrillingly sensational
novel which she had just finished with
a deep sigh Of discomfort. I'm pretty
enough, I'm sure''-casting an ap-
preciatiye glance at the mirror OPP
posite in which her piquant face and
curling golden hair were pleasingly
reflected but nothing ever happens
nothing ever will happen either, so
far as | can see-that has the least bit
of romance in it. Just this same old
humdrum life; I'm tired and sick of it.
If something startling would only oc-
cur! if | could only fall desperately in
love with some one"
Here the low, discontinued murmur
of Roses voice ceased, and a faint
blush crept into her pretty cheeks, as
her thoughts drifted away toward a
certain some one" who had never
formed a part of that humdrum life of
which she had so often and SO bitterly
complained.
Rose had numberless admirers, as
the prettiest girl in the village always
will have. and she could recall an al
most equal number of fiirtations which
had served to brighten the monotony of
her village life.
But they were tame affairs; her heart
had never been really interested for a
moment.
As for the grand passion, Rose knew
nothing of it, save in her romantic
day-dreams and in the impassioned
noOraS of hon. fayrOr.ita nnup1S
She had laughed at her would be
lovers, and declared her conviction
that there was no such thing as love
in real life.
But of late pretty Rose had secretly
begun TO entertain a somewhat differ
ent opinion on that subject.
A handsome, manly, intellectual face
and pair of beautiful, laughing brown
eyes were the direct causes of her
change of heart.
Yet their owner seemed in no haste
to enroll himself on the list of her adj
mirers. Indeed, Rose knew him only
by sight, for William Severance was a
stranger i'll the village; she had seen
him in church two or three times and
occasionally on the street, but he had
never sought an introduction to the
belle of the place and beyond pass
ing glance of admiration, had not
evinced any special notice of her at
fractions
Perhaps that was the very thing
which had awakened Roses interest in
him. At ali events she often caught
herself dreaming Of those handsome
brown eyes and wondering what she
should say if Mr.. Severance were to
tell her the story of love which she had
so often heard from other lips.
But there was little danger of that
apparently. Rose bit her red lips in
chagrin as that thought forced itself
upon her, even while she was contem-
plating her pretty, graceful image in
the mirror; and catching up her wide
brimmed garden hat, she suddenly quit
the room and the house and went hur-
rying down the path with kind of
desperate determination in her heart to
get away from the dullness of every
day existence and wiring an adventure
of some sort from the unwilling han DIS
of fate.
I'm go down to the river" she said
after a moment of indecision at the
gate, and if can find boat I'll row
about in the most dangerous places
can find. And hope something will
happen, but it WON'T she added sar-
castieally unless | upset the boat on
purpose"
Turning into the winding road that
led out of the village, she soon came to
the river, and found fragile shell of a
boat dancing at anchor on the waves,
as if left there by fate for her special
use
Rose unfastened the chain, and was
soon shooting swiftly down the stream,
keeping time with her oars to her own
restless thought.
All at once a sound, breaking the
stiffness of the scene, drew her atten-
ton to shore, and with that glance
Roses heart gave a mad jump, and
then seemed to stop beating, for there
on the bank, only a few feet distant,
busily arranging a pile of fishing
tackle, sat the hero of her present
thoughts the handsome stranger with
the laughing brown eyes.
And they were quietly laughing at
her now. Rose thought, as a blush of
confusion dyed her fair cheeks vivid
red.
The sudden start she gave jostled one
of the oars out of her careless grasp.
and, reaching with thoughtless haste
to recover it, the something which
she had so recklesslv wished for hap
pened; for the next instant, to her dis
gust and terror, she found herself over
board and laundering about in the wa
ter, looking as little like her ideal
heroine as could well be imagined.
Mr.. Severance did not wait for the
faint cry for help which those proud
lips of hers uttered when Rose found
her own efforts useless.
He fastened to her rescue, and when
he had brought her, all pale and ex-
hausted, to the shore, Rose, glancing
shyly upward, saw those brown ewes,
no longer laughing at her, but full of
grave and tender anxiety that thrilled
her heart.
Il am not all injured" she said, re-
plying to that look, with slight laugh
which she meant to be careless; land
hope my boat isn't, for must try my
luck with it again by starting home at
once
But your strength is quite exhaust
ed he said decidedly, as she rose
slowly to her feet L shall row YOU
back to the point from which you start