Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-02
WAVERLAND
BY MARIE SARAH BRIGHAM.

day, nearly falling over the shaggy little
pug, that came barking at my feet. [ rang
the door bell and Miss Sarah came herself
to answer the call. made known my err
rand and found that four would join US.
At O'Rork's we found three So we were
to have quite party. When we reached
Sir Wren's, Annie came running down the
steps to meet us, eXclaiming in gay voice:
what mischief is on foot now? You all
look SO happyp'
"a picnicP' cried Myrtle, eager to tell
the news
''The St, Clair's and O'Rork's will Join
u.s." said Stella, as we entered the hall.
Sir Wren entered into the pleasure with
the young people and declared he was go
ing too. When the company had gathered,
we all started for the lake. The ST. Clair
girls were fine looking, sensible and full of
life. George, their brother was just bud
ding into manhood, and was preparing for
admission to the bar. Nellie O'ROrk was
lively brunette, saucy and ready for mis-
chief. Johnny was the wit OF the party,
making US laugh at his original witticisms
In spite of ourselves. The young lady who
was visiting the O'Rork's was a fashiona-
BILE belle and a languid beauty.
When we arrived at the lake we left our
orders for our provisions and implements
of pleasure to be brought to the Turks
cottage in about an hour. We entered the
yacht, crrIised about while to enjoy the
scenery, then landed at the cottage. There
we separated into groups as best suited us,
and began to ramble over the beautiful
grounds.
was very much amused to see the way
the Colonel and Johnny O'Rork maneu-
vered to gain Annie for companion in
their walks. But Annie was ready for
mischief, and putting her arms about Stel-
las waist she led the way to the old abbey
that had been a ruin so long that the ivy
had mantled its broken walls and made
them an object Of beauty, and the tall yew
tree in front shaded it from the sun.
what delightful place this must have
been! Such quiet retreat from every
thing that could vex or annoy!' said An
ME, with half serious and half comic ex-
preston.
'Just Think" said Nellie O'Rork, 'there
once stood a grand Old cathedral with holy
men and women reverently kneeling be-
fore their sacred Shrines; but now the
solemn eyed owl and web-winged bat hold
their nightly reyelries here and conduct
the service"
Just see," said Stella, chow nature has
covered these brown and broken walls and
windows with twining vines whose tiny
rootlets creep and cling among the crew.
ces from nave to transcript
mature always loves the beautiful and
hastens with her offerings to cover all
things repulsive or disagreeable," said the
Colonel, as we stood looking at the old
ruins.
From the abby we walked through the
cloister, whose broken pavement seemed
still to echo the tread OF ancient friars,
telling DER their beads and mingling with
their prayers the loves of their early DAYS.
Some of us climbed the broken stairway
to gain q more general view of the wreck
time was making of this grand creation of
the middle ages.
Through all the ruin, from chapel walls
TO oriel windows, there come voices reach
ing downward from the misty past, saving
to us: You, too, must vanish into dustl'
said Stella, as though echoing some long
forgotten thought of her childhood
Back, down the winding stairs we went,
feeling the solemnity of the sacred place
in spite of our mirth. No one spoke until
we stood beneath the old yew tree through
whose foliage the golden sunshine was
dancing in merry glee upon the broken
walls.
''There, can breathe againw exclaimed
Johnny O'Rork. Pm glad the sunshine
can be merry in that ghostly old place.
We passed out through the avenues,
winding among the evergreens and hedges,
to see the Turks waterfall. AS we scram-
bled out and in, around the trees and
rocks, we became separated. I was busy
keeping Stella and Myrtle from slipping
from the fallen logs and rolling stones,
but Just as we We're gaining q firm footing
at the head of the falls, we heard a scream
of terror Looking down we saw the Co
i3ne eo !gsf catcalnG Gee Anne as she Sn 1
She laughed, as he helped her to a place of
safety, and said:
81 thought | had gone to the bottom and
it seemed terrible" placing her hands
over her eyes to shut out the light.
But you are safe, n0w," said Stella.
"Thanks to Colonel Haynes strong arms"
Annie looked up with a bewitching
smile, saying:
Eyes, Colonel, owe you for the loss of a
thousand bruises, to say nothing of my
neck"
The Colonel did not answer but gave her
u
speech that her cheeks flushed and her
bright eyes were shaded by the dropping
lashes Col. Haynes did not trust Annie
alone after that
II am afraid that if I were not near to
save you you would break your neck yet
he said, as we ali started to gather gum
from the spruce trees that grew so plenti-
fully higher up in the mountains We
cotbared tho o11To from the trees and yyera
soon initiating the ruminants. We were
busy wagging our jaws in a most indus
trious, not to say ludicrous fashion. We
did not try to descend by the margin of
the cataract but took a longer route.
Sir Wren had remained at the chapel,
and as we entered the long avenue, we
saw him going to the yacht ready for a
lunch. We all fastened on to meet him
there. Our gum did not satisfy our appe-
titles. Johnny OR ~rk stalked on alone
without speaking to anyone. He had been
glum and melancholy ever since the Colo
mel had saved Annie from falling.
''Where is Johnny going?" asked Nellie
O'Rork.
81 think he is anxious to appease his
hunger with something more substantial
than the vegetable secretion Of the spruce
tree" said the languid beauty who was
with Nellie O'ROrk; and who had tried
very unsuccesSfuliy to secure Johnny's at
tention in our rambles.
AS we reached the yacht I looked back
up the long avenue of trees and saw An
ME and the Colonel coming very leisurely
along. Annie was leaning on the Colonel's
ARM and his head was bent slightly for
ward, as though to give his words greater
force or catch the sound of Annie's voice