Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-12-30


prospects have greatly altered, am no
longer''-
But she cut him short with little
gesture of entreaU: "Oh, not here,
please, Mr.. Tweddle," she said. Tell
NE about it in the g;lrdensr
Very WELL" he said relieved. RE
mind me when we get therein case I
forget, you know"
Remind your cried Ada. The idea,
Mr.. Tweddle! 1 certainly sha'n't do
any such thing
she thinks l am going to propose to
her, he thought, ruefully. 1T will be
Il delicate business uudeceiving her. 1
wish it was over and done WITH
!. 1t was quite dark by the time they
had crossed the river by the ferry and
made their way up to the entrance to
the pleasure gardens, imposing enough,
with its white colonnade, its sphinxes
and lines of colored lamps.
But no one else had crossed with
them, and as they stood at the turn
stiles all they could see of the grounds
beyond seemed so dark and silent that
they began to have involuntary missiv-
lngs. Il suppose said Jauncy to the
man at the ticket-hole, 1.-The gardens are
open, eh?"
oh, yes" he said gruft1y, They're
open, they're open; though there amt
much going on out of doors. being the
last night of the season." Bella again
wished that they had selected the Adel-
hni rr'sS
marked that Jauncy might have
known"
We'll" said the latter to the party
generally, what do you say-shan we
go in, or get back by the first train
home?"
Don't be so ridiculous, James," said
Bella peevishly; whats the use Of 60
ing back, to be too late for everything?
The mischief's done now"
oh, let's go inv' advised Ada. "the
amusements and things will be Just as
nice indoors nicer on a chilly evening
like this" and Leander seconded her
heartily.
So they went in, Jauncy leading the
way with the still complaining Bella.
and Leander Tweddle bringing up the
rear with Ada. They picked their way
as well us they could in the darkness
caused by the closely planted tress and
shrubs, down winding path, where the
sopped leaves gave a slippery foothold
and the Branches flicked moisture in
sultingly in their faces as they pushed
them aside.
A dead silence reigned everywhere.
broken only by the wind as it rustled
among the bare twigs or the whistling
of fiaring gas-torch protruding from
some convenient tree.
Jauncy occasionally shouted back
some desperate essay at popularity, at
which Ada laughed with some perse-
verance until even she could no longer
resist the influence of the surroundings.
On Il hot summer evening those
brilliantly Illuminated and
crowded by holday-makers, have been
the delight of thousands of honest Lon
doners, and will be so again; but it Is
that on this particular occa-
sion they We're pervaded by Il decent
melancholy.
Ada had slipped hand, clad in GRIM
son silk, through Leander's arm, as
they CROPPED through the gloom together
and shrunk to his side now and then in
an alarm which was only half pretend
ed. But if her light pressure upon his
arm made his heart beat at all faster
it was only at the fancy that the thrust
L.,
least did he account for it to himself
afterwards.
They followed on down a broad prom
enade, where the ground glistened with
autumn damps and the unlighted lamps
looked wan and spectral. There was 4
be;lr-pit hard by, over the rails of which
Ada leaned and shouted defiant Boo"
but the bears had turned in for the
night, and the stone re-echoed her
voice with a hollow ring. Indistinct
bird forms were rOOSting i'll cages; but
her umbrella had no effect upon them.
Jauncy was waiting for them to come
up perhaps as a protection against his
fiancee's approaches. In another hour,
he said, with an implied apology, you'll
see how different this place looks;
we've come a little too early. Suppose
we fill up the time by nice little dinner
at the Restoronc; ell, Ada? What do
you think, Tweddle?'
The suggestion was received favora-
bly,, and Jauncy, thankful to retrieve his
reputation as leader, took them towards
In IN 10
Presently they saw lights twinkling
through the trees, and came to place
which was clearly the focus of festivity;
there was the open air theatre; It's drop
scene lowered, its proscenium lost In
the gloom; there was the circle for al
fresco dancing, but it was bare, and
the clustered lights were dead, there
was the restaurant, dark and silent like
all else.
Jauncy stood there and rubbed his
chin. "This is where / dined when we
were here last" he said; land capital
little dinner they gave us, too"
what I should like to know" said
the elder Miss Parkinson, lis where we
are to dine tonight"
'Yes," said Jauncy encouragingly,
don't you fret yourself, Bella. Here's
an old party sweeping up leaves, Wen
ask him" They did so, and were re-
ferred to a large building in the Gothic
style, with Tudor doorway, known as
the 'Baronial ALL" where lights shone
behind the painted windows.
Inside, few of the lamps around the