Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-03-13
"A LOST LOVE. :"

n LOO1 LO Y Il.
Out in the November twilight, with
the elms and oaks making a crimson
canopy Of autumnal foliage above her
fair young forehead, Gerty Deane would
have made pretty subject for an
artists sketch as she stood in her pale
pink muslin dress, and her jetty, silken
hair all blown about in the riotous au-
tumn breeze.
"Oh, Robertr' she cried her dimpled
face Frightening as a tall figure strobe
up over the slope of the hill, Il thought
you would never comet"
Mr.. Glare surveyed his pretty fancee
critically.
Don't do that, little one," said he,
as she tried to relieve him of one of his
travelling wraps. ''How you are sun
burned! And [ think you stoop a little.
| wish they would look after you lit
tie more"
The sunshine faded out of Gerty's
face in second. 1t was hard that he
should begin to find fault with her in
this first moment of their reunion.
I'm sorry don't suit you" said
she, in trembling voice. You used
to like me before you got that horrid
office in the custom house and left Vel
low Valley"
"a man is not fossil, child" said
Mr.. Glare, carelessly. 1--WE grow Il IN
tally as well as physically. And no
one can help his tastes changing"
Gerty Deane stopped short at the
gate, where the honeysuckles made
natural arch, and the two great columns
of velvet-green box kept their century
old vigil.
Robert said she, your letters
have puzzled me of late, and your
words and manner now puzzle me still
more. Do you mean that you-are
tired of me?"
How you do catechise one,' said
Glare, impatiently. Did l say that l
was tired of you? You are dear,
sweet-natured little puss, and of course,
a man can't expect to have everything
at once. But the truth is that | have
been mixing in rather intellectual
society of late, and after taste of
champagne it's hard to come down to
cold water again"
Gerty looked wistfully at him.
Il don't venture to call myself in
tellectual, = she said But | read
great deal, and l Try TO keep up with
the age, Robert do, indeed, for your
sake
He looked with sort of patronizing
good humor down al ner earnest face.
MY darling" said he. you are per-
feet as you are. A man doesn't ex-
pect canary 10 ape the liquid notes of
the nightingale. Now, run in out of
the dew, and tell them to bring me a
cup of tea"
Gerty obeyed, docile, but still uncon-
WINGED. What right had Robert Clare
to treat her like child? She was al
most sorry, for a moment-almost, but
not quite-that she was engaged to
him. And the more she thought of it,
the more she was determined to free
him from bonds which she instructive
ly felt were becoming burdensome.
He shall not marry me because he
is sorry for me-" she told herself. eff
he had remained here at Yellow Valley
all would have been right. But he has
drifted into the wide sea of city society,
and it is as he says-he begins to per-
ceive the difference between champagne
and cold water. Noi'' with the bright
tears sparkling into her eyes, 81 love
him dearly, but l Will not ruin his fu-
ture and mine to avoid being called an
old maid.n
And so that very day, when Robert
Clare was dreaming over book, with
the poisoning clouds of the old apple
tree raining their soft pink shells down
over his head, Gerty came resolutely
out to him with a little turquois ring in
her hand.
Robert" said she, Il have been
thinking the matter over, and | have
come to the conclusion that we shall
both be happier if our futures separate
from this point
''Gertyr" he exclaimed in amaze
ment.
Here's the engagement ring,
Robert, " said she. speaking calmly in
! spite of the lump in her poor little
throat. Please don't attempt to argue
the point, for nothing will induce me
/ to change my mind.'
He accepted the tiny blue token re-
| luctantly.
You will remember, Gerty," said
he, ''that this is your own doing"
Il shall not forget it, said she.
''Seen her! No, of course I haven't
seen her. said Mr.. Clare. That's the
very spice and sparkle of the thing.
We have correspondent for three years,
and I've never so much as looked at
her Photographic
''1ncognito, eh?n said Phillip Wayne.
carelessly.
Something Of that sart. And I've
read her book-.A Lost Love- you
know. Really, 1 think it's the most
talented thing of the day. Autumn
| Leaves too, the little collection of
poems, has had splendid run. Every
one is reading it. And you really
know her?n
Il have the pleasure of knowing her
most Intimately returned Wayne.
She is beautiful, of course?"
Very
'.And her manner?"
"She is very quiet and retiring. No
one would ever suspect, either, that
she was successful authoress. or the