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

-CnaG OF a SIck-nurSe-anQ she haQ SHOWN
| herself to be as tender and compassionate
as she had before shown herself to be brave
and high-spirited. Not day passed that
she did not visit every one of the wounded,
| both in her own house and elsewhere; and
despite her foibles and superstitions, how
| splendidly had she behaved throughout
! She interested me immensely, and adj
mired her-nothing more-of course, moth
ing more. For had l not renounced love
and all its works. And even though l
| had not, the very idea of love would, in
| the circumstances, be impossible and alb
| surd, if only because of the difference in
our positions. Nab was queen, in how
| ever small way, penniless adventurer;
| and her people would certainly never per-
NIT such nleSdllidnce. No, hard as it
| might be, must go, and the sooner the
| better.
! As arrive at this stage of my reflections.
| the subject of them enters the room. She
| is in deep mourning, for, like everybody
| else at Fairhaven, she has to lament the
/ loss Of kinsmen and friends. Of the fff-
! teen hundred who went out to the fight,
! less than a thousand returned to their
! homes. Among the slain is Amyas. He
was one of the last to fall, and nobly re-
deemed the promise he had made to his
cousin.
"I am glad you are so much better to-
day, and that the doctor allows you to talk
a little,' said Nab. She was more subdued
In manner than had ever seen her, and
the pallor of her face and the dark lines
about her eyes showed how much she had
suffered and how deeply she sympathized
with the sorrows of her people.
"Yes, I All very much better, and think
| l shall soon be all right again; but the
scenes witnessed at Wynter's Hill will
never be effaced from my memory.
dream of them every night 1t was like
pandemonium. HaYe you heard whether
any Of the CariberOes escaped?"
| $50 far as we can ascertain, not one.
| None have been seen, and we have taken
possession of all their canoes. But it is
time we talked about yourself. The vic
tory was dearly bought, yet it was worth
the price; it has saved the commonwealth,
and | don't think the Cariberoes will ever
| invade us again-at any rate, not in our
| time. Well, this victory we owe to you-'
mo, mol If you had only seen how
| pluckily those young feIlows fought, how
| splendidly they captured the gap, you
would know better. l really did very lit
tle."
II give our young soldiers all the credit
they deserves; yet | am sure that but for
the way in which you organized and led
them we should not have won the victory
They all say so; say so, too, and [ forbid
you to contradict me. You have behaved
splendidly, and l want to know what re-
compense we can offer you"
"Recompense?"
HJb 1o IN ha
whom the queen delights to honor2"-
smiling.
Let him go home"
The smile vanished, and was replaced by
an angry frown.
'Let him go homei You want to leave
us, thenP'
Don't put it in that way, please. Ishau
be very, very sorry to leave you; but have
! friends in England, and an old mother,
who is a widow. am her only son, and
If she thinks | am dead, it may bring her
gray hair with sorrow to the grave 1t is
my duty to go home-if I can"
And among these friends there is one
perhaps dearer even than your mother?"
mot at all. There is nobody else care
very much about, or who cares much about
me. dare say all the others have pretty
nearly forgotten me already"
How would you CO."
IF you would point out the position Of
the island on the map, and lend me the
'Sunflower,' and few men, think Bolso-
yer and L could navigate her to some port
where we should find vessels-possibly
steamer bound for England"
And you would never come back?"
THAT depends. should be very sorry
L mean | should hope to come back-some-
time"
"Sometime?"
II mean that | am poor man, and have
my way to make in the world, and might
not be able to come back so soon as could
like"
Nab seemed much agitated. She rose
from her chair, walked excitedIy up and
down the room, then returned and sat near
me, at the head of the sofa.
Il have confession to make and ques-
ton to ask" she said, in low, tremulous
voice. 81 know 1t is not usualin England,
but here, in Fair Island I thought
mean that did not intend-but now that
you want to go homeland it is right you
should must. Has it never occurred to
you-have you not SEEM Gmpetuously)
''that-that love you-love you with all
my heart, and that l should be glad-oh,
SO glad!-to be your wife, Say, now, have
you never thought of thIs?"
This avowal took me so completely by
surprise that | knew not what to say
could hardly think, in fact-for in my
widest dreams it had never occurred to
me that it would ever enter into Mab's
mind to make me formal offer of her
hand and heart.
you do not answer-you are angry
with mep' she exclaimed, in a broken voice.
''You think am unmadenly You do not
love me. Well, be it so'--averting her
face; that face which had never seemed to
me so beautifV
mo, no, mol" said, taking her hand
and pressing it to my lips. Not until this
moment did l know how dear you are to
me; and if had known should not have
dared to speak. You are grand woman,
a true queen, my queen, and love you as
you say you love me-with all my heart"
LAS l say love you! Oh, how little you
know?-"
l drew her toward me and put my arm
round her neck.
do not think that 1 shall ask you to
forego your visit to your mother. I will
go with you to England"
''YouswiIl go with me to Englandw
do you think would let you go alone.
Now that we are no longer in fear of
Carib invasion, can easily be spared for
few months. And l want to see England.
We are very backward. We must have
more books, and printing press and ma
chinery, and other things. And when we
come back you shall take part witk me in
the government. We will abolish slavery
I have been reading Uncle Toms Cab
T.,