Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-10
LOVE OR MONEY;
OR,
A PERILOCS SECRET.
By CHARIFs RElDR,
Author of "Put Yourself in His Place, I"
etc., etc, etc.
o r,

well, it is for once" said Hope.
@Why, you little duffer. don't YOU see
that the bridge is too low?"
lie slackened the string. removed the
bridge, htted on higher one, tuned it,
and handed it over.
There, said he "play us one of the
tunes of Egypt. The Rogue's March,
ell? and muzzle."
The supple Oriental grinned and made
2belsances, pretended otto know THE
Rogue's March" Ito the hen-hOuse), and
went off playing Johnny Comes March
ing Home" (Bridewen to witt.
Then did Miss Clifford S French maid
trip forward Sinking with a parasol
to mend: "Desolee dee nous deranger,
Monsieur Hoppe, naais notre deneoaseiIe est
au desespoir; oh, ces pords0ls AnglaiS"
"COn7u," said Hope, 'rOyons co." and
IN minute repaired the article, and
the girl spread it, and went off wrig-
Cling and mincing with it, so that there
was a pronounced hOrse-laugh at her
minauderies.
Then advanced a rough young Eng
lish nurse out of a farmhouse with
child that could just toddle. She had
left an enormous doll with Hope for re-
pa and the child had given her no
pc, for the last week. Luckily the
doh las repaired and handed over. The
mite, in whose little bosom maternal
feelings had been excited, insisted on
carrying her child. The consequence
was that at about the third step they
rolled over one another, and to the spec
tators at little distance it was hard to
say which was the parent and which the
offspring. Then the strapping lass in
charge seized roughly, and at the risk
of dislocating their little limbs, tossed
into the air and caught, one on each of
her own robust ARMS, and carried them
off stupidity irritated-fOr want of a
grain OF humor-at the goOd-natured
laugh this caused, and looking as if she
would like to knock their little heads
together.
Under cover Of this an old man in
broad hat, and seemingly inffrm, crept
slowly by and looked keenly at Hope,
but made no application. Only while
taking stock of Hope his eyes flashed
wlckedly, and much too brightly for SO
old man as he appeared. He did not
go far; he got behind tree, and watch
ed the premises. Then a genuine old
man and feeble came and brought Hope
his clock to mend. Hope wound it up,
and it went to perfection. The old man
had been a'stOut fellow when Hope was
a boy, but now he was weak, especially
in the upperstory. Hope saw at once
that the young folk had sent him there
for a joke, and he did not approve it.
"Gaffer," said he, sthis will want re-
pairing every eight days; but don't you
come here any more; I'll call ON you
every week, and repair it for auld lang
syne."
Whilst he toddled away, and Hope re-
tired behind his lathe to study hismodel
In peace, MOncktOn ragged at the sight
of him and his popularity.
Ay," said he, you are a genius. You
can modela steam-engine or mend
doll, and you outWitted me, and gave
me fourteen years. But you will find
me as ingenious as you at one thing,
and that's revenge"
And now higher class of visitors be-
gan to find their way to the general ia
vorite. The first was a fair young lady
of SURPRISING beauty. She strOlled pen
sively down the green turf, cast hasty
glance In at the workshop, and not see
ing Hope, cOncludedhe was little tired
after his journey, and had not yet ar
rived. She strolled slowly down then,
and seated herself in large garden
chair, stuffed, that Hope had made. and
placed there for Colonel Clifford. That
worthy frequented the spot because he
had done so for years, and because it
was sweet turfy slope; and there was
wonderful beech-tree his father had
made him plant when he was five years
old 1t had gigantic silvery stem, and
those giant branches which die crippled
in beechwood but really belong to the
isolated tree, as one Virgil discovered
before we were born. Mary BARLEY
then lowered her parasol, and settled
into the COlonelS chair under the shade
PdtttLR 5Gg5-of the wide-spreading
beech-tree
She sat down and sighed Monckton
eyed her from his lurking-place, and
made a shrewd guess who she was, but
resolved to know.
Presently Hope caught a glimpse of
her, and cane forward and leaned out
of the window to enjoy the sight of her.
lie could do that unobServed, for he
was long way behind her at a sharp
angle
He was still a widower and this his
only child, and lovely as an angel; and
he had seen her grow into ripe lowell
ness from a sick girl. He had sinned
for her and saved her; he had saved her
again from a more terrible death. He
dotted on her, and it was always a special
JOY to him when he could glOat on her
unseen. Then he had no need to make
up an artificial face and hide his adora-
ton from her.
But soon cloud came over his face
and his paternal heart. He knew she
had lover; and she looked like a girl
who was waiting pensively for him.
AHC DGLu nub lliGIS 1OI WuOui
she knew only as her devoted friend
At this thought the poor father sighed.
Mary'S quick senses caught that, and
her sweet face neame0.
~ on are there, after all, Mr.. Hope"
Hope was delighted. Why, it was
him she had come to see, after all. He
came down to her directly, radiant, and
then put on a stiff manner he often had
TO wear out of fidelity to BARLEY, who
did not deserve it.
This is early for YOU to be out, Miss
Barley"
"Of course it is" said she. But
know it is the time OF day when you are
kind to anybody that comes, and mend
ali their rubbish for them, and could
kill them for their impudence in vast
ing your time so. And L am as bad as
the rest. For here [ am wasting your
time in my turn. Yes, dear Mr. Hope.
you are so kind TO everybody and mend
their things, l want you TO be kind to
me and mend-my prospects for me-"
Hopes impulse was to gather into his
arms and devour with kisses the sweet
specimen of womanly tenderness. frank
inconsistency, naivete, and archneSS.
As he could not do that, he made HIM
self extra stiff.
your prospects, Miss Bartleyl Why,
they are brilliant. HeiresS to all the
growing wealth and power around YOU"
wealth and power!" said the girl
what is the use of them, if our hearts
are to be broken? Oh, Mr.. Hope, papa
is so unkind. He has forbidden me to
snaalx f0 him Then oraVply -"rThaf