Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-12

.
Thompson. She did not want to marry
her cousin if her mother objected. but she
would never marry anyone else
At last Mrs. Cantwen put an end to the
scene by fainting; and Patrick, offering to
revive her, was Indignantly ordered from
..le mouse by the daughters After hur-
Ileu WORD TO fearful Kitty, he departed.
! ne next day was a very trying one at
Tue Laurels. All visitors were denied, and
1hrs' Oan1weu remained in bed. victim to
spasliioCilc hysterIa, affectionately tended
by her dutlful children. Kitty was NOT
allowed to cross the threshold OF the room.
ana was treated by her sisters with silent
out bitter contempt In the EVENING the
! Invalid was coaxed down to the SITTING
room, where she lay on the sofa with
/ closed eyes, surrounded by the girls WORK
ing and reading in silence Kittv's eyes
were filled with tears-she could scarcelv
see to draw her needle through. bDt -
one noticed or pitied her
The first interruption To this dis,,
scene was the arrival of a mysterious 10.
which, the servant announced. a man boS
| just brought and left without any NEE
sage. 1t was addressed to Miss Catherine
| Cantwell"
In great surprise Kitty proceeded to nm
pack 1t, the members of her family taking
no interest whatever in her OCCUPATION
| presently, however, a sharp exclamation
| alracted their attention, and moment
Iater the invalid was sitting upright on
ner couca with very wide-awake ewes and
the glrls-books and work flung aside
| were leaning across the table. STARING
| dumfounded at the contents of Kitty's
parcel-an ivory casket lined with satin in
! winch reposed the most exquisite 1,1r1,re
| OF brllliants they had ever set ewes on
necklace, earrings, bracelet. rings IT,
certainly was regal set, and its pure.
| sparkling beauty had an electrifving effect
upon the family
| "Oh, they are too loveIyp' "Such stones
such stonesp' "And the setting-why
| it is work of art" Look, look-tbere
| are your initials in pearls on the braceletp'
| kitty Kitty, what does it all mean?"
Il don't know" she replied, in a dazed
| voice "You know as much about them
as / do"
ut means Mr.. Thompson-that's what
it means, you wicked grill" cried Mrs.
Cantwell, bitterly. He ordered this for
you, little expecting the treatment he"
Mr.. ThompsonW interrupted Kitty.
"Oh, mother, he never could afford pres
ent of this kind-it would swallow up a
third of his capital
''Then from whom can it be?" cried the
girls blankly.
1--WE shall have to advertise in the Times
that's what we shall have to do" said
Zeldie, as the ornaments were being re-
stored to their case, when Kitty, who had
been pressing a spring at the back of
pendant, suddenly looked up, her face
flushing scarlet, and exclaimed
1rJ,xa Who H.
Patrickr'
cousin Patrick! Oh, nonsenser' Exit
ty, you're dreaming!'' 'Impossiblel'-in
chorus.
81 am making no mstake-I know it by
word scrubbed inside here. No, Ethel,
you are not to see it. 1t is meant only for
me-"
From cousin Patrick Then they're
pastep' said Maud, scornfully.
Mrs. Cantwell made no remark, but
drew the case towards her and examined
the diamonds critically and attentively.
Il am sure they are real" she announced,
in slow puzzled tone. There is a clear
ness, a hardness and a weight about
them that could not be initiated. And,
even were they limitations they would be,
as works of art a more valuable present
than | should have thought your cousin
could afford-that is, if they came from
him. It's very perplexing. think, in the
circumstances, Catherine, you had better
write to Patrick tomorrow morning and
ask for an explanation
With these words Mrs Cantwell took
the mysterious property into her posses
sion, and retired with it to her room.
The next morning, nothing loath, Kitty,
Immediately after breakfast, drew her
writing desk up to the window. when her
mother, who had not appeared before, sud-
denly entered the room, dropped in .
chair, united her bOnnet-strings with an
air of exhaustion, asked for a glass Of
wine, and then said
My dear children, don't be alarmed
1 have most extraordinary news to tell
you Last night L could not sleep a mo-
ment-those diamonds troubled me so.
The responsibility was too much so got
up very early and drove down to your
cousins hotel, where / saw him, and also
a Mr.. Fisher, his solicitor, who had ar
rived from town the night before; and
from him, my dear children, / learned that
my nephew is not what 1 supposed him to
be-a young fellow in struggling circum-
stances-but, on the contrary, a rich man
"a very rich man indeed-owner of one of
the principal thoroughfares in Melbourne
besides gold-mines up-country which he
works himself, and lot of other valuable
property in various parts of the world.
The family | understand, prospered won
derfully from the first year of their emf
grafton, and poor Philip died well-to-do
man; and since that time it seems that
everything his son has touched has turned
to gold. never was so surprised and de-
lighted not only on his account, but on
yours, my dear Catherine-for | cannot
tell you, my child, how it has cut me to
the heart to have to interfere between you
and the husband of your choice; but a
mothers duty, mothers cruel expert
ence- Ethel, my dear, I'll take cup of
tea"
This strange announcement was received
in breathless silence three of her daugh-
ters' fair cheeks flushed uneasily and each
of their hearts, the barrister's brides in
Guided, echoed mournfully the sorrowful
dirge-
'sToo Iate-too late! Oh, if we had only
known in timer
Kitty rose to her feet, no sign Of triumph
ON her troubled brow, and, facing her
family, she exclaimed in a tremulous Bit
ter tone
"WeIl, mother-well, girls-we have
made a pretty business of it, haven't wes
This young man with the Midas-like touch
has not at least struck gold on these prom
ising premises, has he? He has been toll
ing honestly, good-humoredly, with inffn-
tie forbearance for the past two months
on this kindly soil, and we have all been