Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-01
MONICA.
A STORY OF THESE TINES.
CHAPTER xxi.

| down from the Gaiety Theater, Dublin,
! who have seen about the stage, and there
have been other men from the village of
| ROSsmOyne to help in the decoration OF the
ballroom, and between these two different
sets of men an incessant war has been
raging for many days.
Now at last the house is comparatively
quiet, and as four o'clock strikes, Madame
0 Connor finds herself in her own special
den (the only spot that has not been disturb
ed with a tea-equipage before her, and all
| her ladies in-waiting round her.
| These ladies, for the most part, are look
ing full Of suppressed excitement, and are
in excellent spirits and iIreproachable tea
gowns. Mary Browne, who has developed
| into a general favorita, is making some
| laughing remark about Lord Rossmoyne,
who, with all the other men, is absent.
Dye know what it is, Mary%' says Mad
| anne O'COnnOr, in her unchecked brOgue;
''you might do something else with Ross
moyne besides making game of him."
WHAT" says Mary Browne.
Marry him, to be sure. A young woman
like you, with more money than you know
what to do with, ought to have protector.
Faith you needn't laugh, for it's only COM
mon sense Pm talking. Tenants, and the
new laws, will play the mischief with your
soft heart and your estate, II you don't get
some one to look after them BOTH
"Well?' says Mary Browne.
| ''Well, there's ROSSmOyne, as l said be-
fore, actually going begging for a wife.
| Why not take him?'
Il don't care about beggars," says Miss
| Browne, with slight smile. Il am not one
OF those who think them picturesque"
HE isn't beggar in any other sense than
the one 1 have mentioned. He is very
good match. Think of it. now.'
Il am thinking. Indeed, ever since my
first day here | have been thinking how
deeply attached he is to Mrs. Bohun. For
give me, Mrs. Bohun."
! Olga laughs lightly. There is something
about this plain girl that repels the idea of
| offenSe.
"What on earth put that idea into your
head?' says the hostess, opening her eyes,
| who talks too much both in season and out
of it to be able to see all the by-play going
on around her. You aren't setting your
cap at him, are you, O,ga my dear?"
Indeed, no." says Olga, still laughing.
allow could so absurd a notion have got in
to anybody's head?'
"How, indeed?" says Monica, gayly.
There's Owen Kelly, then; though he
isn't as well off as Rossmoyne, still he will
be worth looking after by and by, when the
old man drops off. He's as goOd-hearted a
fellow as ever lived, when you know what
he's at,-which isn't often, to do him justice.
1t struck me h was very civil to you last
| night"
HE was" says Miss Browne, whose mer-
rment is on the increase. But l never met
any one who wasn't civil to me; so found
him commonplace enough. All If he had
only been uncivil, nOwr'
tsWall tbara no ic of a - cave
Madame O'Connor, sententiously.
Il hope he's comfortable" says Miss
Browne, kindly. Il sha'n't try to make him
less so, at least. Why don't you recommend
MI. Desmond or Mr.. ROnayne to my nOtice?'
! with mischievous glance at Monica and
Olga Bohun.
Tn afraid they are done for" says Mad
anne, laughing now herself. And | only
hope that handsome boy Ronayne isn't lay
| ing up sorrow for himself and living in a
fools paradise. Indeed, Olga, pretty as you
are, I'll be very angry with you ii [ hear
you have been playing fast and loose with
him.
The old lady shakes her head grimly at
Mrs. Bohun, who pretends to be crushed be-
meath her glance.
ITO prevent you offering me any more
suitors," says Mary Browne, steadily but
with a rising blush II may as well tell you
that l am engaged to be married"
Good gracious, my dear! then why didn't
you say so before?'' says Madame. sitting bolt
upright and letting her pince-Ittz fall I'M
needed into her lap.
Il really don't know; but I dare say be-
cause you took it for granted l wasn't"
''Mary," says Mrs. Harrick, speaking for
the first time, and for the first time, too,
calling Miss Browne by her Christian name,
tell Us all about it,"
Yes, do" says Monica, and all the wo-
men draw their chairs instinctivelya degree
closer to the heroine of the hour, and be-
tray in her a warm interest. After all, what
can equal really good love-affair?
$50 on, my DEAR" says Madame OCon-
nor, who is always full Of life where ro-
nance is concerned. Il hope it is good
| marriage"
'The best In the world, for me-" says
Mary Browne, simply, though he hasn't
penny in the world but what he earns"
AS she makes this awful confession, she
isn't in the least confused, but smiles bright
ly.
''Well, Mary, must say l wouldn't have
believed it of you," says Madame.
II would" says Monica, hastily laying
her hand on one of Mary's. 'It is just like
her. After all, what has money got to do
with it? Is he nice, Mary?'
$50 niceE' says Mary, who seems quite
glad to talk about him, land as ugly as my
SELF" with little enjoyable laugh, 80 we
can't call each other bad names; and his
name is Peter, which Of course will be con-
sidered another drawback. though like the
name myself. And we are very fond of
each other,-I have no doubt about that;
and that is all, l think"
No, it is not all, says Madame O'Con-
nor, severely. "May l ask when you met
this young man?'
Il must take the sting out Of your tone at
once, Gertrude" says her cousin, pleasantly,
''by telling you that we were engaged long
before poor Richard died" Orchard was
the scampish brother by whose death she in
herited all.)
Then why didn't yor marry him?'' says
Madame.
| 81 was going TON fact, we were going
to run away" says Miss Browne, with in
tense enjoyment at the now remote thought,
doesn't it sound Observation-Disclosures
the news about Dick reached US, and then l
could not bring myself to leave my father,
no matter how unpleasant my home might
be-
what is hep" asks Olga, with friendly
desire to know.
"A doctor. In rather good practice, too,
In Dublin. He is very clever" says Miss
Browne, telling her sorry so genially, so
comfortably, that all their hearts go out to
her, and Madame O'COnnOr grows lost in
reverie about what will be the handsomest
and most suitable thing to give Peter" as
wadding-present. As she cannot get bey ond
a case Of diSsecting-knlves, this revere Is
short.
perhaps il you saw some one else you
| might change your mind" she says a new
| Thought entering her head (Of coursa there