Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-15

of blossoms. pink and white. Frank
came to me as | sat at work in the shadow
Of the Two or three trees in our little vii
lage garden, and sat down at my feet.
'Fai.hful LITTLE woman he said. L
Wonder if you know how dear you are TO
me?"
| trembled ami my heart throbbed so I
could scarcely breathe
You are rich and am not be said;
but know YOU W Il not think that am
fortune hunter. I am sort of wreck Of
what | was. think something went out
of ne when my poor GLADYS VAS lost
hat Is. youths essenre. feel land
look how grey | am growing. Bot | long
fCr dear friend-for a wuman's tender
Hess for q wife who will be what you can
he TO me. Will you have me, such as
am, with my children and my saddened
spirit, and all my lmperfections on my
head?'
Would? | dared not speak; but put
my hand in his. ! knew he did not give
M the love he had given poor Gladys:
but should have a rlght TO live near him
to receive his caresses to be all to
him that | felt | could be.
He shall love me yet as passionately
as man ever loved woman" I said to my
self, when, no more repressed, no more
afraid Of loving him 90 well, am once
his wife. "
I was happy as the angels are for lit
tie space.
We were to be married very soon, but
as yet had told no one. bad my we'd
ding dress sent down from the city. viii
Iage gossips knew nothing Of it, and 0. e
evening went to my room to try it on.
It became me very we'll It was a pale
pearl silk, with pretty white bonnet,
and In that [ was to walk up the church
aisle on the next morning. We were to
have little journey and return.
Il am pretty again thought to my
self. The looks | lost long ago have
come back to me in my JOYS" aud went
up to the glass and kissed my own refec-
tICn.
As my lips touched the mirror | heard
sound below-a wild cry, a scream of
fear, a shout of joy. What had hap
pened?
| rushed to the head of the stairs. They
were dark. The hall below was fully light
ed. Under the blaze Of the swinging
lamp J saw Frank Barron holding his wife
Gladys in his arms. She wore a travel
ing dress. His sudden clasp had caused
her cap to fall to he ground and her golden
halr to escape from its comb. Living
and lovely she stood there embraced by
him.,
rushed back to my room, tore off nv
dress, mid it, locked it safe from sight,
donned the gown that came first to hand,
cried God he p met" and went down the
stairs. BY this time he had her in the
parlor and was looking at her through his
tear-wet eyes.
"As beautiful as ever" he cried; "as
beautiful as ever!"
Thank God. GIad5sI' | cried. And
surely l thanked God that she had come
when she did sac kissed me, but not
warmly.
Fancy me all this time on a desert IS
land, said she. Il had to 60 back to
London Tor clothes and money, and 7
thought it best not to cable
Her tones were fippant, her looks de-
FAINT.
Tired of taking care Of the babies?"
she asked. How do they look? They
won t know me-"
Later she came to my room.
Il heard you were going to marry
Frank" she said Hadn't you better
confess? On the whole. suppose. YOU
like to leave us?"
81 have packed my trunk" I said.
'Gladys, you nust have suffered; tell me
about your life on the island. How
could you keep SO well, so fresh, so
bloomipg?"
II can't bear to talk of If" she said.
cit was horrid, of course. How old and
ugly Frank has grown"
with grief for you," | said.
was gone next morning without
adieus
A little later ( met an English friend.
She took my hands.
Il thought you would give Mrs. BarroA
up, she said. Her husband has taken
her back after ALP"
at is no crime to be cast on a desert
island" says |.
desert iSl4nd" she laughed. 'Did
she tell him that story? She lest the
steamer and went back to her own house.
ohe found it hard TO leave some one she
had come to know, and when the boa5 was
lost she made capital of it in America.
We knew she spent good many months
and a good deal OF money in the Isle of
Wight. ana her temper was too much even
for Lord -. So she came from a desert
island-and he believes it. How funuv!'
] never saw either of them again.-Ex-
change.