Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-12-18
1lcIng the awful cnange In her COUSINS

rlclng the AWFUL cnange In ner oousin's
face.
Your loverr' she repeated, then fell
back in her chair, the picture falling
into the glowing fire. Lois uttered .
little scream and was soon by her
cousins side.
She bathed the pale face, rubbed the
cold hands. and still the eyes didn't
open; then growing more and more
frightened. she was about to run for
help. when low moan was heard and
Rose sprang up from the sofa
What is it. Lois?" sue cried.
You tainted. dear. Come, SIT
down." answered Lois. drawing her to
a chair.
''Oh. yes. l remember. Lois. take
me to my room. can't STAY up" and
Lois. unconscious of the cause of her
cousins illness, took her to her room.
then returned to the drawing-room.
The fire had nearly died away and
the room was quite dark. but finding
her way to Chair she sank down to
think of all that had happened. She
had shown the picture to Rose. and
then she did not faint; it was after that.
so it could not have been the picture
that caused it.
Then she thought of the picture.
Where was itT Rose was holding it
near the fire; it must have fallen in.
She kneit down before the CRATE and
looked anxiousl y among the dying en-
bers, but saw nothing. She was about
to turn away when her eyes rested on
something. and. reaching it, she drew
the half-burned picture from the ashes.
Nothing but one eye remained WISH
BILE. and that one looked laughingly in
to her face.
She felt as though she had lost her
best friend, and. looking sadly at the
one eye, she threw it back into the fire
then went to her room. She had to
pass Roses room on her way. and on
reaching the door she hesitated whether
to 60 in or not. She heard a noise as
the scratching of pen. Rose must be
writing. She would 90 in and see
that she was better at any rate. She
knocked and a faint voice asked:
"Who is it?"
ut is only Lois. dear"
There was a moment of silence then
the answer: Don't come in tonight,
Lois. am better and want to see no
one" And poor, innocent Lois passed
on to her room.
A few days afterward Lois and her
aunt were in the drawing-room alone,
Rose having gone for drive.
You won't mind. dear, if Rose isn't
home after this week, will you?" asked
her aunt, looking up from her work.
why, auntie, is she going awayP"
asked Lois, quickly.
Her aunt sent for her before YOU
came. but she didn't care to 60. Now
she isn't feeling we'll, and wish, to 90
away from everybody. she says"
oh. no. | will not mind" answered
Lois. and the subject was dropped.
The next Monday Rose babe Lois
goodbye and departed.
1t seemed lonesome to Lois now,
but. being lively herself. she managed
to stay and enjoy herself as best she
could.
Spring had come again in all her
loneliness. and Lois enjoyed the long
walks through the woods by the side Of
babbling brook, and every afternoon
was spent in that way.
1t was one of the warmest DAYS in
May, SO taking her books she wandered
off to her favorite haunt. She had a
great deal to think of to-day. for while
in Roses room she found a miniature
photograph of the same young man
whose picture she had had.
Rose must have known aim; she
would write that very night and ask
her. Then, after reading for awhile,
she sat still and looked into the water
at her own reflection.
She did not hear footsteps behind her
until voice aroused her from her
reverie.
Pardon me, but can you direct me
to Mr.. Thorne's residencep"
She looked up and her face flushed
crimson. for there beside her stood the
original Of the unknown photograph.
She slammed few words and he
must have understood her, for he went
on his way.
Lois gazed after him, and he looked
back once at the pretty girl by the
brook.
1t was almost dark when she reached
home. and her uncle was sitting on the
veranda with some young man. As she
drew near she recognized him.
MY dear. this is Professor Stone"
said her uncle. She seemed to hear
no more, only remembered that Pro-
lessor Stone was her cousins intended
husband. The memory of the burned
photograph came back and she UNDER
stood why Rose had acted so strangely.
There was not so much sport in it
after all. Professor Stone was also
thinking. He remembered mysterious
letter he had received from his fiancee
relieving him of his engagement be-
cause she had heard of his deceit and
of his loving another. 1t was all very
strange he thought. That night Lois
wrote to her cousin, explaining her
joke and asking for an explanation
from her. She soon received it, and as
Professor Stone had asked for the same
he received an explanation of the
whole affair.
Lois was very silent the following
days, but after she had told Professor
Stone of her cousins engagement she
was not so still and lonesome, for the
Professor was constantly in her COM
panv. and she soon answered Roses
letter in the same style. at the same
time writing to Tom to tell him that