Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
My sweetheart, what cruel thing to say

My sweetheart, what cruel thing to say
to meT'
But see how you scold me! Only now,"
nervously plucking little bits of bark from
the tree, you accused me OF dreadful things.
Yes, sometimes I doubt you
Il wonder where | leave room for doubt?
Yet l must convince you. What shall l
swear by, then?" he asks, half laughing;
the chaste Diana up abOve-the lovers
friend-is in full glory tonight; shall 1
swear by her?"
'Oh, swear not by the moon, the incon-
slant moon, lest that thy love prove like
wise variable" quotes she archly; land
yet" with sudden change of mood, and
certain sweet gravity, Il do not mistrust
you"
She leans slightly toward him, and, I'M
| asked, gives her hand into his keeping once
again. She is full Of pretty tender ways
and womanly tricks, and as for the best
time for displaying them, for this she has
natural talent.
Desmond, cIasping her hand, looks at her
keenly. His whole heart is in his eyes.
Tell me that you love me-" he says, in a
low, unsteady voice.
How can l? l don't know. I'm not
sure" she says, falteringly; and" shrink
d
late. See how the moon has risen above the
frs. l must go home"
Tell me you love me first"
81 must not love you; you know that"
'But if you might, you could?"
'sYe-eS."
"Then l defy all acknowledgements, and
friends, and lovers. l shall win you in the
teeth of all barriers, and in spite of all OPP
position. And now go home, my hearts de-
delight, my best beloved. [ have this as
surance from you, that your lips have given
me, and It makes me confident of victOry'
But if you fall she begins, nervOusly;
but he will not listen to her.
There is no such word,' he says gayly.
cor, if there is, l never learnt it. Good
night, my love-"
Goodnight" A little frightened by his
happy yehemence, she stands well away
from him, and holds out her hands in fare
well. Taking them, he opens them gently
and presses an impaSSiOned kiss on each lit
tie pink-tinged palm. With d courteous
reverence for her evident shyneSs, he then
releases her, and, raising his hat, stands
mOtionless until she has sprung down the
bank and SO reached the MOyn fields again.
Then she turns and waves him second
and last goodnight. Returning the salute,
he replaces his hat on his head, and, thrust
inc his hands deep in his pockets, turns to-
ward COOle-and dinner. He is somewhat
late for the latter, but this troubles him lit
tie, so set is his mind upon the girl who has
just left him.
Surely she is hard to win, and therefore
Il ID desirableI THE women of Ireland"
says an ancient chrOnjcleT ARE the cOveSt,
the most c0quettiSh, vet Withal the coolest
and YirtuouSeSt women on EARTH" Yet, al
lowing all this, given time and opportunity,
they may be safely wooed. What Mr. Des-
mOnd complains of bitterly, in his home
ward MUSINGS tonight, is the fat that to
him neither time nor opportunity is afford
eU.
''She is womln, therefore to be won:"
but how is his courtshipto be sped, if thorns
are to beSot his path on every side, and if
persistent malice blocks his way to the feet
Of her whom he adores?
lie reaches home in an menviable frame
OF mind, and is thoroughly unSOcable to
Owen Kelly and the old Squire all the even
ING.
Next morning sees him in the same mood;
and, indeed, it is about this time he takes to
imagining his little love as being hapless
prisoner in the hands of two cruel OgreS q
am afraid he really does not apply the term
''0greS'' to the two old ladies of MOyne),
md finds a special melancholy pleasure in
depicting her as a lovely captive condemned
to- solitary cOnfin ment and dieted upon
bread and water.
To regard the Misses Blake in the light
either of OgreS or witches required some
talent; but Mr.. Desmond at this period of
his love-atfair, managed it.