Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-15
MS winning smile

his winning smile.
pray don't speak of that hateful man.
she answered, ''as your faithful old friend
He is nothing of the kind. What did you'
tell me when ne took leave Of US after his
last visit: and l owned | was glad that he
was gone? You said: Faith, my dear, Pm
as glad as you are. ;"
Her good-natured husband laughed at
this little picture of himself. .'Ah, nv
darling, how many more times am / to
make the same confession to my pretty
priest? Try to remember, without more
telling. that it's one of my misforIunes to
be man of many tempers. There are
times when | get tired to death Of Vimp-
any; and there are times when the CHEEKY
old devil exercises destinations over me-
declare you're spelling the eyebrows that
I admire b. letting them twist themselves
into frown? After the trouble | have
taken to clear your mind of prejudice
against an unfortunate man, it's dis
heartening to find you so hard on the
poor fellows faults and SO blind to his
virtues"
The time had been when this remon-
STRANGE might have influenced his wife's
opinion. She passed it over without no.
tice, now
"Does he come here by your invitation?'
she asked.
How else should he come here, nv
dear?"
She looked at her husband with doubt
too plainly visible in her eyes, IL wonder
what your motive is for sending for him. -
she said
He was just lifting his teacup to his lips
he put it down again when he heard
those words.
are YOU III unls morning." ne asked.
No"
Have ! said anything that has offended
you?"
"Certainly not.'
"Then must tell You this. Iris: I don't
approve of what YOU have Just said 1t
sounds, to my mind, unpleasantly like
suspicion of me and suspicion Of my friend.
see your face cOpfessing it, my lady, at
this moment"
you are half right, Harry, and no more
What you see in my face is suspicious Of
your friend"
Founded on what, if you pleasef,
POUNDED on what | have seen of him
and on what | know Of him. When you
tried to alter my opinion of Mr.. Vimpany,
my view your view. l deceived myself for
your sake. put the best construction on
what he said and did when he was stay
ing here. 1t was well meant, but it was
Of no use. In a thousand different ways,
while he was doing his best to win my
favor, his true self was telling tales of
him under the fair surface. Mr. Vimpany
is a bad man. He is the very worst friend
YOU could have about YOU at any time
and especially at time when your pa
thence is tried by needy circumstances.
Zone word, Iris. The more eloquent
you are, the more l admire you. Only,
don't mention my needy circumstances
again."
She passed over the interruption as she
had already passed over the remonstrance,
without taking notice of it.
dearest, YOU are always good to me-"
chn iry, I'D I
thinking that love gives me some little in
fuence over you still? Women are vain
are they not?-and | am no better than
the rest of them. Platter your wife's van
1ty, Harry. by attaching some Importance
to her opinion. Is there time enough, yet,
OF the question, is it? Well, then, if he
must come here, do-pray, pray do con-
slider me. Don't let him stay in the housed
Ill find u good excuse, and take a bed
room for him in the neighborhood. Any
where else, so long as he is not here He
turns me cold when | think of him, sleep
ing under the same roof with ourselves.
Not with us! oh, Harry, not with us!'
Her eyes eagerly searched her husbands
face; she looked there from indulgence,
she looked for conviction. No! he was
still admirlng her.
ION my word of honor" he burst out,
"you fascinate me. What an imagination
you have got! One of these days, Iris,
shall be prouder of you than ever. l shall
find you famous literary character |
don't mean writing a novel; women who
can't even hem handkerchief can write
a novel, It's poetry Pm thinking of.
Irish melodies by Lady Harry that beat
Tom Moore. What a gift! And there are
fortunes made, as have heard, by people
who spoil fair white paper to some pur-
pose. L wish [ was one of them"
Have you no more to say to met sac
asked.
What more should there be? You
wouldn't have me take you seriously, in
what you have just said of Vimpany?"
"Why not?'
"On, come, come, my darling! Just
consider. With a bedroom empty and
waiting, upstairs, is my old Vimpany to
be sent to quarters for the night among
strangers? | wouldn't speak harshly to
you, Iris, for the whole world: and l don't
deny that the convivial doctor may be
sometimes a little too fond of his drop of
grog. You will tell ME, maybe. that he
hasn't got on nicely with his wife; and /
grant 1t. There are not many people who
Set such pretty example of matrimony
as we do Poor manufacturers all
THAT'S to be SAID about 1t. But when you
tell me that Vimpany is bad man, and
the worst friend l could possibly have, and
so fortn-what better can | do than set
it down to your imagination? pye
pretty fancy, myself-and L think l see
my angel inventlng pOetlcal characters,
ND amoug congenial clouds. What's the
matter? Surely, you haven't done break
fast yet?'
eyes"
Are you going to leave mel"
81 am going to my ROOM"
"You're in a mighty hurry to get away.
I never meant to veX you, Iris. All, we'll,
il you must leave the table. I'1 have
the honor of opening the door for you at
any rate. | wonder what you're going to
do?"
ITO cultivate my IMAGINATION" she an
swered. with the first outbreak of bitter
ness that had escaped her yet.
His face hardened. There seems to be
something like bearing malice in this" he
said. Are you treating me, for the first
time, to an exhibition of enmity? What
am | to call it, if it's not that"'
Call it disappointment" she suggested
quietly, and left him.
Lord Harry went back to his breakfast.
His jealousy was up in arms again.
''Sne is comparing me with her absent
friend" he said to himself, land wishing
she had married the amiable Mountjoy
instead of me-"
So the first quarrel ended-and Mr..
Vimpany had been the cause OF it.
CHAPTER XXXVIII-ICI ON PARLE FRAN,
Gals.
The doc or arrived in good time for din
ner, and shook hands with the Irish lord
in excellent spirits.
He looked round the room, and asked
where my lady was. Lord Harry's reply
iiomes tic horiz Jn He had be en- taking O
long ride, and had only returned a few
minutes since: Iris would (as he suppOsed)
;nir irr1l1