Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-01-15


thought, silent admiration.
"May / see you homer" said Horace,
as the rooms began to thin.
Sorry, but I am already engaged"
MAY [ call tomorrow?
"Ah!" thought the widow, as she
gave permission, ''ne intends to COM
mence his siege in good time"
The next morning the beautiful and
witty widow looked even more lovely
than on the previous evening. She re-
ceived her guest with quiet, easy grace,
and they chatted for some minutes on
Indifferent subjects. Then something
| called out remark on the literature of
the day, and from that they passed on
| to books. One author after another
| was discussed. quotations flew about as
| thick as hailstones, and each was really
| trying to lead the other out of their
depth. Mrs. Dayton's thought was:
''Thls man is no fool, in spite of his
| impudent vanity" And Mr.. Cooke
was thinking:
"What mind Horace, that wager
| must be won. 1t is worth more than
thousand dollars. my boy"
| From books they passed to music,
| and it was an easy transition to the
grand piano in the corner. Mr.. Cooke
took his seat at the instrument to recall
to her memory a favorite air. His
| voice was good, his accompaniment
| showed skill and taste, and bent upon
| dazzling the widow, he sung with feel
ing and power.
"Do you remember ths?" he asked,
| touching few chords of duet FROM
Martha. after finishing his own song
She replied by singing the first notes.
A bold chord supporting her OCCASION
ally, she gradually let her voice out in
| oil ioh 10 Ia ~,
it. He sung low, listening intently.
All Mr.. Cooke, who is dazzled now?
| At last he rose to take lis leave, asking
and receiving her permission to call
again; and Mrs. Dayton took up a book,
| threw it aside, practiced a few mo-
ments, and stopped when she was sing
| ing his song, walked out and returned
home, wondering why she could not
get ''that man" out of her mind.
To say that their future intercourse
was pleasant is dull phrase to describe
it. Each being bent upon making
| conquest Of the other, their best powers
were exerted, their richest treasures of
| wit, accomplishment and thought dis
| played; and somehow Mr.. Cooke began
to feel ashamed of his wager, and Mrs.
| Dayton wished she had never seen
Horace Cooke.
Tt was one lovely day in early spring
| that he called to take her to ride, and
| found her sad and dispirited. Fortunes
would not have made her confess it,
but the gay widow was in love.
| They were out of town, driving
| through an avenue of large, splendid
| trees, when Mr.. Cooke began to talk of
/ love. 1t reused the widow from her
i depression to ward off the thrusts she
| felt he was making at her secret.
1 ovo ~ chic sold ccorpf,,1lv GfPnh
| schooi-boy's first passion before he
| leaves ainafores is dignlfed by the
name. An old mans doting is called
love"
"Yet the hottest, highest feeling Of
| the heart ofman in his prime of power
has no other name," said her COM
| panion.
"Man r' she said, scornfully. "Man
in his prime of power I'll tell you
| how it Is with men. From the time
they walk to school with the hoydenish
girl until they are 20, they fancy they
are in love !! Every pretty face calls
| just tried to dignity. They love fifty
times, and to the fifty-frst flame is Of
fered the battered, WORKOUT heart as if
| 1t were bran new and fresh"
"You wrong u.s., he said, reused in
| his turn by the keen satire in her tone
and look. Though each admiration of
boyhood and youth may call forth
| passing feeling, it is evanescent, and
passes like ripple on deep water. But
when the depths of these waters are
| stirred by the hurricane of real, earnest
true love it is no subject for ieers; but if
not calling for return il at least merits
sympathy and comfort" and he let his
voice fall into low, tender cadence.
Mrs. Dayton felt uncomfortable. The
| laughing response which rose to her
| lips died there. She longed to tell him
her beliefin his doctrine. They were
going slowly, quietly along, each occu-
| pied with his own thoughts, when the
scream of locomotive startled the
horse and he dashed forward at full
gallop.
| There was a rush crash, and they
were on the roadsiGe-the horse man
gled corpse, the carriage thrown vio
| lently back several feet; Mr.. Cooke in
sensible on the grass, and Mrs. Dayton
on the other side of the road uninjured.
Mrs. Dayton sat up, and with nerv-
ons, historical laugh, called her COM
panion's name. He did not answer.
she went to his side. He was still,
white, insensible. and she thought him
dead. With wild cry she raised his
head to her breast, calling his name,
{ Horace, GEAR Horace, ana begging
him to look at her. Then she looked
round for help. There was no house in
sight. Mrs. Dayton was not a woman
| to spend many moments in useless
| grief. She soon recovered her pres
ence of mind. Her vinaigrette full Of
salts was hanging at her belt, and she
drew out the cork and tried it's effect.
| Her companion was only stunned, and
in few moments he was able 70 feel
her hand on his brow, hear her voice
in his ear. He kept perfectly still. his
! eyes closed, and his breathing low
| The most delicious ecstasy was holding
him quiet. The low, sweet voice, but
/ which would never before speak one
word of preference for him, was now
saying:
Horace, dear Horace, speak to me
once more" Then there fell upon his
| face tear.
He family opened his eyes. The
next instant he regretted it, for he
found his head on the grass, and Mrs.
Dayton at least five feet from him.
Are you hurt?'' she said, quietly.
| Had ho hooY, draor1;rr Woc fhic