Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-06-11

! SlIe oldIhS away ITOu IueLu dCIOSo tllc Id WIZ
to where two ladies are sitting together.
''Have you seen that girl of Kitty Beres-
ford's, Edith?" asks Madam o Conner of the
elder lady.
''That little washed-out-looking girl who
came with those two old Miss Blakes?' asks
| the youthful old woman, with profoundly
! juvenile lisp.
Faith, I don't know about her being
washed out" says Madam O'Connor, blunt
ly. Il think she is the prettiest creature I've
seen this many day."
"You are so impulsive, my dear Theresa ~
says her friend, with a shipper; ''all your
geese are swans"
And other peoples swans my geese, /
suppose" says Madam, with glance at
| the tall girl, which somehow brings the con-
versation to full stop.
Meantime, Monica is crossing the soft
| turf, with the moody man called Rossmoyne
| beside her. She can see her goal in the dis
lance, and finds comfort in the thought that
| soon she must be there, as she cannot bring
herself to be agreeable to her new acquaint-
ance; and certainly he is feeling no desire
| just at present to be agreeable to her or to
| anybody.
AS Monica comes nearer to her friend, she
gazes anXiOusly at her, as though to see if
! time has worked a change in her.
! She is quite little woman about ive-and-
| twenty, but looking at least four years
younger than that. Her eyes are large, dark,
and miSchievouS. Her hair is so fair as to
be almost silyery; naturally wavy, it is cut
| upon the forehead in the prevailing fashion,
| but not curled. Her mouth is small, muffin
Gus, and full Of laughter; her nose distinct
| ly retrOusSe. Altogether she is distracting-
| ly pretty, and, what goes for more nova
days, very peculiar in style, and out of the
| common.
She is exquisitely dressed in costume
that suggests Paris. She is a harmony in
black and white, as Lord Rossmoyne told
| her an hour ago. when he was not wearing
| his disconnected expression. Seated beside
her is tall pallid woman with a cold face,
| but very yelvety eyes and smile rare but
| handsome. Every now and then this smile
betrays itself, as her companion says any
thing that chances to amuse her. She is a
Mrs. Herrick, cousin of Olga BOhun'S, and
is now on a visit with her at Aghyohillbeg.
| There are several men grouped round Mrs.
BOhun, all in various standing positions.
One man is lying at her feet. He is tall
slight young fellow, of about tWenty-three,
with lean face, dark hair, and beautiful
teeth. He has, too, beautiful eyes, and a
| hiiOoo
intensely earnest and very sensitive.
He is looking up at Mrs. Bohun, ard is
talking rapidly, as Monica and Lord Ross
moyne come up behind them.
Mrs. BOhun, rises hurriedly from her seat,
and, going up to the girl, embraces her
warmly.
'Ah my pretty Monica my little saintp'
| she cries, In her sweet, gay voice, what
happy breeze has blown you hither%'
! Il am living here,-at Moyne, with my
aunts," in happy, breathless way. 'Some
days ago they described you to me, and I
knew it must be you. was right. And to-
day L have found YOU"
''Fm always found out, as a rule" says
Mrs. Bohun, with light laugh. "That is
my standing grievance. You know Hernia,
don't you?' indicating the tall, c0ld-looking
woman near her, who so far unbendS' as to
take Monicas hand kindly and bestow upon
her one of her handsome smiles. ''She has
come here to look after me and see that
don't get into scrape or make myself I'M
| happy"
could you be unhappy says Rossmoyne,
from behind her chair, in so disagreeable a
tone that every one looks at him. DE
| cidedly," thinks Monica to herself, "he has
either neuralgia or an execrable temper"
'Miserably So" says the pretty widow,
airily. Though, after ALL refiectively, 81
| believe L have even greater talent for MAX
ing others so. That, however, is my mis-
fortune, not my fault l was born So like
that poor man with the twisted neck"
''Well this is not one of your miserably
unhappy hours, at all events" says Hernia
Herrick. "You have been in magnificent
| spirits ever since you came to Agyohillbeg.''
you've learned it?' says Olga, staring at
her with pretended surprise. 1.-THE name, I
mean. Well, you are clever. 1t takes most
people four long weeks Oh, yes, l am bliss
fully happy here. l ought to be. 1t would
be the grossest ingratitude if | were other
wise, as all the men have been good enough
to fall in love with me, and that, of course,
is the principal thing"
| AT this the young man at her feet smiles
openly and presses his face unperceived
against her gown; but Rossmoyne throws
up his head and chances with coldly dis
| pleased expression into the vague distance.
| Have you been here lOng?" asks Monica,
turning to her friend.
VERY long," pettishly. Something-per-
haps Rossmoyne-has annoyed the capri
cious beauty.
only a fortnight" says Mrs. Herrick,
briefly. ''You must know that
Il don't judge time by days and weeks; it
seems long," says Mrs. Bohun, years, an
eternity almostF'
A sudden gloom appears to have fallen
upon the group Rossmoyne's dark face
grows darker still; the smile fades from Ro-
haynes face shadow falls athwart his
eyes.
81 think like the country" says Monica,
suddenly. 1T is so calm, so quiet, and there
are moments when the very beauty of it
| brings tears to nv eyeS'
Il love it too" says Ronayne, quickly, adj
| dressing her pointedly in friendly tone,
although no introduction has been gone
through between them. II wonder how any
one who has once tasted the sweetness Of it
can ever again long for the heat and turmoil
of the town."
Eyes, for time it is charming, all-sufic-
ing" says Mrs. BOhun, 'but for what lit
| tic time! Perhaps,-I am not sure,-but
perhaps should like to live for three months
of every year in the country. After that, l
know l should begin to pine again for the
smoke and smuts Of my town."
IF you are already wearied, 1 wonder you
stay here" says Lord Rossmoyne, sullenly.
And wonder what has happened to-day
| to your usually so charming temper" re-
| turns she, laughingly uplifting her face to
his, and letting her eye rest on him with al
most insolent inquiry.
Desmond says good temper Is a mere
matter of Digestion" says some one at this
moment. Monica starts more at the name
| mentioned than at the exceedingly vermont
words uttered. She chances at the speaker,
ana sees he Is a very ugly Young man with
a nice face, ana remarkably dismal ex-
preston. He is looking at Rossmoyne. ''Sit
down, dear boy he says, soto uoce and
very sadly. There's too much of you; you