Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-29

Aio SICliSLH WOHutIIuiiy Turing Vie PAST
hour. ''Go get me Priscilla Blake" he says
Hurry, boy hurry! must make it right
with her before l die.''
Before you recover, you mean," says
Brian, cheerily. There! lie down now, and
keep yourself quiet, or you won't be looking
your best when she comes.'
X 4
And now Miss Priscilla has come, and is
standing beside the bed of her quondam
friend, looking down upon him with dim
eyes.
Il am sorry to meet you again like this
George Desmond" she says, at last, in tones
meant to be full of relentless displeasure,
but which falter strangely.
'She made as great a fool Of you as Of me-
Priscilla" is the Squire's answer, whose
tired mind can only grasp one thought,-the
treachery OF the woman he had loved! And
then it all comes out, and the letter the false
Katherine had written him is brought out
from little secret drawer, bound round
with orthodox blue ribbon, and smelling
sadly of dust, as though to remind one of
the mortality of all things, of warmest
sweetest love, of truest trust, and indeed of
that fair but worthless body from whose
hand it came, now lying moldering and for
gotten in a foreign land.
OH, L NouIull nave DcIIcYeu III Ol ueIe
says Miss Priscilla, weeping bitterly 'But
there must have been something wrong with
her always, though we could never see it.
What an angel face she had But the chill
dren, they speak terribly of her, and they
say-that she-and James Beresford-did
not get on at all"
'Eh?' says the Squire. He raises himself
on his sound elbow, and quite a glow Of COL
or rushes into his pallid cheek. Then, with
grOan of self-cOntempt, he sinks back
again, and the light in his eye twas it of sat-
isfactiOn?) dies.
you have met Brian, he says, presently.
'What do you think of him, Priscilla? He
Is good Lad, "a Uery good lad"
''He looks it," says Miss Priscilla shortly.
''He does" heartily. ''Well, Pm told this
boy of mine is in love with your girl"
"Who told you," says Miss Priscilla.
'.Brian himself" says the Squire.
81 like that in him." says Miss Priscilla.
'Well, George, if you will look upon that
as settled, so shall -
$50 be it," says the Squire.
'Eh my dear? but doesn't it make us feel
old to be discussing the love-affairs of these
young things, when it seems only yesterday
that we-that you and l. Priscilla"
''That is buried long. ago don't rake it up
says Miss Blake, huIriedly.
Il was fool," says the Squire. But
somehow, since | have been talking to you,
don't think I'm going to die this time, and
old scenes come back to me, and-I suppose
it is too late now, Priseilla"'
There is no mistaking his meaning.
''Oh, yes; whole lifetime too late,'' says
Miss Priscilla, with a soft, faint blush that
would not have misbecome maiden in her
teens. "But am glad we are friends again,
George"
She presses his hand with real affection,
and then cOlOrS again warmly, as though
afraid of having discovered herself in the
act of committing an indiscretion. Could
that gentle pressure be called forward, or
light, or unseemly? Terrible thought!
$50 am l, my DEAR" says the Squire. And
then again, ''YOu won't think of it, then,
PriScilIa"'
mo, no." says Miss Blake, feeling flatter-
ed at his persistence and then she actually
laughs out aloud, and The Desmond laughs
too though feebly; and then the doctor
comes in again, and Miss Priscilla goes
home, to tell Miss Penelope, in the secrecy
of her chamber. and with the solemnity that
BELTS the occasion, all about the SQuire's
proposal, its reception. and its rejection.
Be assured no minutest detail is forgot
ten; Miss Penelope is soon in possession Of
every smallest look and word connected
with il, and deeply gratifying is the manner
in which the great news is received by that
gentle maiden.
Though late in the day, Penelope" says
Miss Priscilla, as a sort of wind-up to her
recital, ''it was an offer Of marriage any wO-
man might be proud of, be she young or old;
and he meant it, too. He was quite press
ing. Twice he asked me, although my first
was most decided No"
at seems terrible, your having been so
cold to him, poor fellowr' says Miss Pene-
lope, with rpgretful sigh for the griefs of
| the rejected Desmond.
''What could l do?' says Miss Priscilla,
| with an air of self-defense. This thought,
that she can actually be accused of having
| treated the sterner sex in hard-hearted
fashion, is cakes and ale to her.
1--WE must not talk of this, Penelope" she
says, presently. ut would be unfair. 1t
| must never transpire through us that George
| Desmond laid his heart and fortune at my
| feet only to be rejected"
| TO her these old-world phrases sound
| grand and musical and full of fire and senti-
ment.
mo, no." says Miss Penelope, acquiescing
freely, yet with sigh; she would have
dearly liked to tell her gossips Of this honor
that has been done her dear Priscilla. And,
after ALL she has her wish, for the story gets
about, spread by the hero of it himself.
The Squire, tired, no doubt, of keeping
secrets, and perhaps (but this in whisper)
| grateful to her because of her refusal, goes
about everywhere, and tells people far and
near of his offer; so that when their friends
| flock to Moyne, and, giving The Desmond
| as their authority for it, accuse Miss Pris-
ella CT her refusal, and she still, with maid
| emily modesty, parties their questions, Miss
| Penelope, feeling herself absolvtd from fur
Their reticence, comes to the front and gives
them full and true account of the wonder
| full event.
Eyes, Priscilla might indeed have reigned
as queen at Coole had she SO wished it, and
well graced the position too, )" winds up Miss
| Penelope, on ali these occasions, with much
| pride and dignity.
Brian, who had been busy all the morning
swearing informatiOnS and so forth, with
MIR. Kelly and the groom, before magistrates
| and others, coming into his uncle's room
| about half an hour after Miss Blake's de-
parture, finds him considerably better both
in mind and in body, though feeble in spirit,
AS is only natural. Indeed, the bullet had
done him little harm. CAUSING merely flesh
|
man of his years.
''Come here, Brian; I want to tell you
something" he says, as the young man
| leans over him.
You are not to talk" says his nephew,
| peremptorily.
IF you won't listen to me, rll send for
| Bailey, the steward,'' says the Squire
| Nonsense! it does me good.'' And then he
| tells him all the particulars of Mss Pris-
nilla,S visit relating TO his encra ranant u.itl,