Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-23
FORGIVEN.

1--WE love each other" she answered.
Now, had introduced those two,
and Richard had called Hilda a statue,
and spoken of her as ''cold." / never
dreamt he would come to be her lover,
and / confess / was not glad to hear
it. / could not say rejoiced, but I
kissed her and, as time went on,
began to fancy that all would be well
and they happy.
was sewing on some white muslin
one day not long before that of the
wedding, when Richard came up the
steps of the verandah and sat down
near me, lingering my work:
''Do you think Hilda is really fond
of me, GeorgetteP" he said after space
IF silence.
] laughed.
women always laugh" said he.
"She is so calm; she has no passion in
Ter eyes. l have tried to make her
Jealous, and | cannot do it."
Il won't laugh this time,n said |;
shut I'll tell you one thing: you might
enjoy having jealous sweetheart, but
you will be very glad that your wife
has confidence in YOU"
~ have my doubts" said Richard.
ooh, I'm an idiot, know! Hilda is
perfectiOn-Only like a spice of evil
in a woman now and then. Do you
know Stella Rivers?"
81 have met Mrs. Rivers" said L
San ugly woman with a temper"
''No man ever called Stella ugly"
said he. "She makes more conquests
in a day then other women make in a
Che OF, NO in IS
-bird-she fairly quivers.
And such chic dresses as she wears"
''HoW French we arei' said [.
81 cannot help it when talk of
Stella" said he. ''She is Parisienne at
heart; she lived there for years, you
know There is very little of the frozen
Puritan about StelI."
"Stell?n said l.
"Well, old Rivers calls her Stell," said
he.
Her husband" asked /.
"YOu have sarcastic tone to your
voice tonight" said Richard, ''and it
does not improve you, Miss GeOrgetta.
Her husband. Yes-and her greatest
admirer."
"Well, so long as he is pleased NO
one need find any fault" said |.
"That stupid Mr.. Alsopp asked her
Stella didn't mind" said Richard: 'she
thinks it great joke"
And just then Hilda came down the
stairs, and we said no more Of Mrs.
Rivers. She was women | detested.
She had married an old man whose
wife had not been dead year on
their wedding-day, and people said she
was engaged to him before the old
lady died. He had settled most of his
money on her, and she firted terribly,
still her wealth kept her in society.
Oh, did not like her, nor this talk of
Richards about her.
[ liked it less when one evening. hay
ing accepted an invitation to the theatre
l saw Richard sitting with Mrs. Rivers.
He had told Hilda that he was OBJ
fged to attend to some business that
evening.
This was business of curious sort,
truly! Still, next day, while / was
wondering whether it was my duty to
make mischief, [ received little note
from him:
MISS GEoRGETTE,-Mrs. Rivers asked me
to be her escort" it said. ''Rfvers had little
touch of govt, and the tickets We're bought,
and would have been wasted. 1t was quite
impromptu. ] bad not thought what / was
doing, and was on my way to Hilda. i saw
RICHARD"
1t struck me that woman whose
husband was i'll should have stayed
with him, and I only half believed the
story. Still, / should only trouble
Hilda by mentioning what [ had seen.
We were making the wedding-dress
now. At so late an hour the best
thing was to keep my finger out of the
pie.
Hilda looked very happy in those
days, but l saw curious trouble
brooding in Richards face.
| knew what it meant on the we'd
6ing-day, when, as we were pinning
the brides veil, and fastening the
nge-blossoms in her hair, curious
trembling ring came at the door, and
in moment someone staggered up the
stairs, dashed open the door of the
room in which we had gathered to
array HiIda in her wedding-dress.
It was old Mr.. Rivers, his face pale,
his eyes bioodshot. We thought him
intoxicated; but when he spoke we
knew this was not so.
81 disregarded ceremony, know"
said he, ''but my excuse is strong.
Miss Hilda. | think you can hear the
news best. You are young, and hope
is yours whatever happens. am old,
and this to me is the end of everything.
NV wife eloped with Richard Sale last
night. / am going in search of them;
and l shall kill him when | find him!''
l remember how he stood before US,
how Hilda dropped into my arms. the
confusion and excitement of it all, but
vaguely, as we remember dreams. A
little later they came and told US more
terrible news. Old Mr.. Rivers had
only gone as tar as the gate, wnen ne
dropped in a fit of apOplexy. In
week lie was dead.
Itwas nobody's business to follow the
wicked pair, and no one took the
trouble to do so.
The old man had not altered his will,
and Mrs. Rivers was very rich. Be-
fore long we heard that they were
actually married.
Hilda never spoke of him, but she
never seemed 10 like any one else. I
think size was paler and thinner than
she would have been, but she did not
NOPE.
In a house on the heights, a pretty
place with a garden about it lived Mr..
and Mrs. Gale. They quarreled per-