Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-27

home.
Then, too, Bertha had so many low
ers and Daisy so few. To be sure, the
former, ever eager for attention, met
them fully half way, while the modest
little flower waited quietly for notice
or attention.
Of course it was not now at all sur
prising that Osborne Palmer was soon
made quite at home in the Clyburne
mansion. He and Bertha had one day
long and confidential conversation,
and after that there was no restraint
in their intercourse.
If, however, he wrote any more
verses on his lady's eyelids, Bertha
neither spoke of nor exhibited them.
About this time there appeared in
the social armament where the ely
burnes sparkled a new star of great
magnitude, neither more nor less than
a genuine sprig of British aristocracy;
he was poor, to be sure, but he was
unmarried, and more than one manag-
ing mamma was quite ready to ex-
change her daughters ducats for a
share of his lordship's title.
And Silas Clyburne, as ambitious as
Lucifer. made up his mind thatit should
not be his fault if the young man were
not attracted by his Daisy. Thereupon
ensued series of entertainments of
all sorts; Clyburne began none of them
but he gave the last of each series; for
so much more costly was his dinner or
ball or theater party or luncheon or
gayety of any sort that no one ventur-
ed to succeed him.
'Papa," said Daisy to him one even
ing as he CHANGED to be alone in the
library for few moments, Il have a
piece of news for you"
How his heart jumped! The foreign
fish had certainly been swimming
round and round the bait on the ely
burne hook; was he really going to
nibbleP
"Well. my darling. what is it?'
IBID you know or suspect that my
cousin Bertha was the girl for whom
Mr.. Palmer was willing to throw away
his lifeP"
mo! You don't mean it! Well,
well, am surprised. Heartless little
jade that girl is, anyway; just like her
father"
"Oh, papa, you do her injustice.
She did discourage him, then, because
well, because he was poor, but, of
course, she never dreamed he would
take it so to heart"
And, of course, she knew her
father would frown on any such
matchi"
''Of course, rich men don't like to
see their daughters wed poverty"
sob, that's nonsense, my dear; any
father of sense will first look at the
character and capabilities of his
daughters lover, and if they are all
right the purse is secondary. AS for
Osborne Palmer, / assure you, my
dear, | have watched him closely since
he has been here, and | consider him a
very fine fellow. Of course, his would
be suicide is against him, but I've
come to the conclusion that worry and
starvation had made him two-thirds
crazy"
''Do you think a girl would"
''Be luck to marry himP Yes, do,
and if you know of any girl who
thinks of doing so--now hush, my
dear, don't speak! Don't tell me any.
thing! l have very particular reason
for not wanting to know anything
you tell her or him, or both of them,
that to save all fuss and awkwardness
/, if | were him or her, would slip off
quietly and be married"
''But, papa, do you really mean that
you would forgive"
There is no question of forgiveness.
You just tell Osborne what | have
said, and if he has the sense | give him
credit for he will understand me-"
At this moment Palmer himself came
into the room. There the converse
ton ended abruptly.
For some days thereafter Mr.. ely
burne was so good natured, so almost
generous, that every one observed it;
his fellow directors and associates
nudged one another and said: ''Now's
your time to talk to Clyburne on such
and such a project;n and his clerks
whispered: How queer Mr.. Clyburne
seems! Wonder if he's going to die?"
One intimate friend, a venturesome
fellow, had the hardihood to say:
What the mischief has come over
you lately? / never knew you to be so
genial. Whom have you heeced this
week?'
''Oh, I've got such rich thing on
Obed Jenness T." replied Clyburne,
chuckling to himself for the thousandth
time. Didn't cost me anything but a
little advice-cheapest thing in the
world, you know. He can't get ahead
of me on this score"
The friend didn't mention this to
any but ten of his most intimate
friends, and as they were equally Sc
cretive it did not take long to set every
man on change to slyly watching Obed
Jenness. Tney naturally supposed
that CIyburne had referred to things
financial, not matrimonial.
Bertha visited Daisy quite often
about that time. and Mr.. ely burne lost
no chance of publicly insisting that
Bertha must send for her things and
remain the rest of the week with
Daisy.
One morning, during visit, SER
want came to Mr.. Clyburne as he sat at
breakfast and tremblingly said:
Mass Clyburne, sab, Miss Daisy amt
in her room, sahi"
mo? Gone for a walk, suppose"
IFS feared not, sab. An'-an'
Miss Bertha done gone too"
They'll probably be here soon.
Keep some coffee hot for Them
''B-but, sab, Mary she say as how
de beds amt been slep in"
Neither of them?" asked Mr.. ely
burne, little anxious.
'.N-no, sab; an yur's a note Mary
foun' in Miss Daisy's room," added the
man, handing tiny envelope to his
master, but standing as far from him
as the width of a silver salver and