Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-02
MON ICA.
"A LOVE STORY OF MODERN DAYS.


a third would be my DEATH"
So saying, he shoulders the forbidden gun
and marches off.
Monica and Kit. getting down from theil
elevated position, also pursue their path
which leads in a contrary direction.
Monica" says Kit, presently, slipping
her slender brown fingers through her Sis
ters arm, what did Terry mean just now
when he spoke of some one being spoons
on you? Does that mean being in love with
you?'
Il don't know" said Monica in a troLbled
tone. IF | ever had lover before, should
k1OlU; but
''That means he is" says the astute Kit.
"And I'm sure" with a little loving squeeze
Of her arm, Il don't wonder at it,
You must not say that says Monica,
earnestly. Indeed, he said few things to
me, but that is nothing; and"
you think he likes you?'
EYES," reluctantly.
Il believe he adores the very ground you
walk on"
''Oh, no, indeed"
IF you say that, he isn't a real lover. A
real one, to my mind, ought to be ready and
willing to kiss the impressions your heels
may make in the EARTH"
THAT would be the act of fool, and Mr..
Desmond is not a fool"
Ergo, not a lover And yet think he is
yours, Monica" coaxingIy, ''did he say any
pretty things to yOu"'
''What should he say? only met him
twice"
you are prevaricating," gazing at her
severely. 'Why don't you answer me hon
estlyp'
81 don't know what you call pretty
things"
eyes, you do. Did he tell you your eyes
were deep, deep wells of love, and that your
face was full Of souI?'
mo he did not" says Monica, somewhat
Indignantly; "ccrtainIy not. The ideap
Gle must have said something to you,"
says Kit arllessly Darling love, why won't
you tell your own Kitten all about it?'
A little smile quivers round Monica's lips.
'Well, | will, them" she says. In her
heart | believe she is glad to cOnfide in
somebody, and why not in Kit the sympa-
thetic? First, he made me feel he was de-
lighted to meet me again. Then he asked
me to go for a walk alone with him; then
he said he waS-my lOver" "And then he
asked me to meet him again to-day with
yOU."
with me! think that was very delicate
of HIM" She is evidently fattered by this
notice of her existence. Plainly, if not the
rose in his estimation, she is to be treated
with the respect due to the roses sister, 1t
is all charmingl she feels waited upward,
and incorporated, as it were, in a real love-
affair. Yes, she will be the guardian angel
of these thWarted lovers.
'And what did you say?' she asks, with
gravity that BELTS the occasion.
Il refused in a low tone.
'"To meet him?"
eyes"
"Wth me?" says the dragon of propriety.
''Yes"
"But why?'
Because of Aunt Priscilla" And then
She tells her all about Aunt Priscillas
speech in the carriage, and her reply to it.
81 never heard such a rubbiShy request in
my litep' says the younger Miss BereSford,
disdainfully. ut is really beneath notice.
And when all is told it means nothing. AS
read it, it seems you have only promised
to forget you ever spoke to Mr.. Desmond;
you haven't promised never to speak to him
again." Thus the little Jesuit
"That was not what Aunt Priscilla meant"
eff she meant anything, it was folly.
And, after all, what is this dreadful quarrel
between us and the DeSmOndS all about? 1t
lives in Aunt PriScilla'S brain. I'll tell you
what L think, Monica. l think Aunt PriS-
ella was once i'll love with old Mr.. Des-
mond, and mother cut her out; and now,
just because she has been disappointed in
her own lOYe-atfair, she wants to thWart you
in yours"
'She doesn't indeed. Any one but Mr..
Desmond might show me attention, and she
would be pleased She was quite glad when
Mr.. Well-when he made himself
agreeable to me-"
From all you told me of him, he must
hoy do II 10
fectly certain | should hate Mr.. Ryde, and
Pm equally sure l should like Mr.. Desmond
What did he say to you, darling, when you
refused to meet him even with mG?" She
lays great stress on this alluSiOn to herself.
He said | might do as l chose, but that
he would meet me again, whether liked it
or not, and So0p!'
''Now, that's the lover for nnep' says Kit,
enthusiastically. mo giving in, no shilIy-
shallying, but downright determination.
He's an honest man. and we all know what
an honest man S.-'the nOblest work of
God I'm certain he will keep his word,
and do hope / shall be with you when next
goa meet him, as l should like to make
friends with him."
AT this moment it occurs to Monica that
she never before knew how very, Ucry fond
she is of Kit.
'Oh, well, l don't suppose I can see him
again for ever so long" she says. But even
as the words pass her lips she knows she
does not mean them, and remembers with a
little thrOb of pleasure that he had said he
would see her again soon. Soon! why, that
might mean this evening, -nOw,-G1ty mo-
ment! mStinctively she lifts her head and
looks around her, and there, Just little
way off, is young man coming quickly to-
ward her, bareheaded and in evening dress.
Il tod you how it would be-" says Kit, in
nervous whisper, taking almost bit out
of poor Moniea's arm in her excitement.
"Oh, when have a lover l hope he will be
like he"
Her grammar has gone after her nerve.
Monica is silent; some color has gone from
her checks, and her heart is beating faster.
1t is her very first dfGiTe, SO we must for
give her. The bareheaded young man has
come up to her by this time and is holding
out his hand; silently she lays her own in
it, and colors treacherouSly as his fingers
close on hers in a close, tender, and posses
Sive fashion
Il found the river too chilly" he says,
smiling, 80 l came on here. Having been
unsuccessful all the afternoon and morning,
hncIU | shou find you flOlU." This is
your sisterT' looking at Kit, who is regard
ing him with an eve that is quite ''piercer."
Yes" says Monica. Kit, this is Mr..
Desmond"
L know that" says this enfdnt terrible,
still fixing him with glance of calm and
searching scrutiny that is we'll calculated to
dlsconcert even 4 bolder man. Then all at
once her mind seems made up, and coming
forward, she holds out her hand, and saws,
'How dye do?' to him, with a sudden, rare
sweet smile that cOnvinceS him at once of