Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-07-21

equally scOrn to harm, as to detain her"
And so you could not be JEALOUSY"
said Madcap, some Of the old color and
mischief stealing back TO her pale face.
Not |! Do you mean to try me?"
Look" she said, as if in answer: and
they turned on the brow of the hill, and
together gaZed down on the vast woods
of LOvel spread out beloW-WOOds upon
| whose brown surface the young green
had encroached little by little. like the
sea upon q coast set thick with little
islets and promOnuOries, till at length.
growing bold, it had Overspread all. and
now lay pulsing in the sunlight-a tide
whose ebb ard flow bore mysterious
WhiSperingS with it, rising at moments
to a song more sweet and human than
| ever yet was reached by oceans lullaby.
at is like a birds variations on the
one note that he has by heart, and ex-
presses so perfectly" said Madcap
dreamily, her eyes fixed on that eX-
quiSite green.
'And do you wish him back?" said
| Mr.. Eyre, looking keenly at his wife.
Indeed [ do" she said, looking to-
ward the distant turrets that rose gray
ly out Of that shimmering light. Not
| a day passes but | think Of him-pOOr
Frankie
And do you think he has stayed
away these six years on your accOunt?"
Il don't know" said Madcap, turn
ing her head aside; "only you see l was
Franks first, his ongy sweetheart"
And that is better than being a
mans last" said Mr.. Eyre.
And why not first and last?" said
Madcap, that spark Of faithfulness in
her eyes which, once lit in a woman,
I from however unworthy a source, is
quenched but with her breath. might
not two people love each other MOUTH,
and qrOlD to each other in middle age,
till at length they toddled down the
steep incline more in love than ever?"
'Asyou and Frank might have done?"
said Mr.. Eyre; land now [ come to
think of it, you seemed to love each
other very much. That box on the ear,
for instance"
He had been worrying me-" said
Madcap. hanging her head, land so |
got On the ladder to count the plumS."
And ate six" said Mr.. Eyre. Il
reckOned them as [ stood at the bot
tom"
You came three hours before you
were expected" said Madcap reproach-
fully; land who would have thought of
your walking straight to the kitchen
garden?"
You came down Backward" said
Mr.. Eyre, smiling at his recollections;
''such young shape, and such slim
foot and ankle, wished the descent
had been twice as long; and half way
down you stopped, and said you would
stay there till dOOmsday unless I
promised not to try and kiss you
And you promised" said Madcap
logged by memory into f1ercer bushes
than the actuaIities of life had caused
her these five years. 1T sounded just
like Franks voice; but when I turned
round and saw you-why had you got
that look on your face? she cried, stop
ping short to laugh. ''Of course [ box
ed your ears-who could help it?"
And so my acquaintance with
Franks sweetheart began" said Mr.
Eyre, thinking Of his friend.
why did I go" he added, as one
thinking aloud. Il loved the boy. and
I suppose loved you for his sake before
ever | saw you"
But when did you begin loving me
for ntyself?" said Madcap, coaxingly.
you tucked your skirts round your
ankles and walked out of the room on
your hands?"
You had no business in the school
room, nor Frank either" cried Madcap.
ashamed. 81 had forbidden him to
come there; and-and how do you know
it was [, after all? No one could posi-
lively swear to another PERSONS beels!"
And, when next we met, you walk
ed demurely and wore boots" said Mr..
Eyre, gravely; yet [ could have sworn
to those shoes as the very same that I
had seen tWinkling down the ladder.
No-I did not fall in love with you
then"
But perhaps you had done it al
ready" said Madcap, saucy, though
abaShed.
Perhaps" he said; "and your"
~ GU were so old, so grave, $3.50
respectable" said Madcap, looking
away. DO you know. Twas SO amazed
when [ heard that you had the reputa-
ton of being-wicked.'
Did Frank tell you that?"
''''Fra1ok! No; it was Lady Betty"
And what did you say?"
That it must have been so long ago,
| wondered people hadn't forgotten It'll"
Did | seem such an old fellow to you
as that Madcap?" said Mr.. Eyre, laugh
inc.
80! yes" she said, graveIy; ''you see
Frank and l were so dreadfully young
and two Of a trade never agreed
And so, as [ was old, the tales of my
wickedness did not trouble your"
NO" said Madcap, very low; ''Only
when you stayed away so long-some-
times they would knock hard at my ears
to be let in; and when Lady Betty
screamed out, He's got another sweet
heart; he'll never come back | began to
say to myself that [ was to be punished
just as had punished Frank"
No" said Mr.. Eyre; 'others may
suffer, but you never shall. 1t was our
first parting; would to God" he added,
with sudden bitterness, THAT | might
never have left you for an hour since
the moment that we first met"
And yet you stayed away All ytsueI-
day and last night" said Madcap, as
they left the high-road for part Of Mr..
Eyre's estate that he rarely visited.
20! mere matter Of business; it
won't detain me again." he said, care
lessly, as through an open gateway they
Rode under groves that looked a paradise
OF blossom, over sheets of hyacinth
That seemed the heavens upbreaking through
j the earth;
for high above them closed vast apple
bOughs, now all coral and white with
blossom, while at their feet the hyacinth
of her million bells had woven a carpet
of azure across which now and again a
bird swept low, as thinking that in seek
ing earth he had CHANGED to light upon
heaven.
From overhead the busy coil of wing
ed life struck out a faint aromatic scent,
penetrating as the wild, far-Of sweet
ness of the blackcap's note. To an ex-
quisite rhythm of sight, sound, and
| scent Madcap seemed to move as she
passed down that long arcade, silent,