Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-13

In that curious sense OF dual exis-
tence that had long possessed him, he
seemed at that moment TO be looking on
at something thai had been, or was
about to be, no sense O. outrage to him.
self piercing the lnSanSlouIty that en-
wrapped him; but FRANK. catching
sight OF that face beyond, and as though
glance had power TO Dissolve the
group, Madcap and the BOYS were lett
behind, and the two men brought face
to face.
All well, Frank" said Mr.. Eyre,
Drou<ht back to realities by the grip OF
tie young fellows hand.
All We'll" said Frank, with a sigh.
the DlEe,S white washing mas taken
effect. and am accepted by the county.
But WAT does it mdtter:n he added
quickly. "Madcap is out of spirits, and
you are looking i'll
i We not slept since yesterday" said
Mr.. Eyre. I'VE viii so out. and YOU
snail take lis through your woods" and
he stepped through the open window
with Frank beside him. lie noted. if
he did no. inquire into, the blush with
which Madcap met them: but as thew
took their way to the Towers a curious
sense of urealily possessed him. and
an odd idea occurred to his mind. lie
thought that he was dead, and that
these two, whose happy voices and
lau rhter sounded in his ears like echoes
from great distance. were living. and
he, all unseen. q spirit who kept pace
beside them. and of whose presence
they were ignorant, as his memory by
them was forgotten. He seemed to
walk on air. his head light as his shad-
OW cast before him, down = long, long
arcade that had no ending. and in
which he was doomed to walk with
these two who knew him not, forever,
though with it all he had a vague sense
that he was asleep. and dreaming over
again something that had hapDeuod to
him yesterday, or the day before
Air. sky. and earth were lulled to an
exquisite calm; the very birds cheated
into the belief that spring had come
again, poured out their songs as sweet
" as in that brief time of love and hap
pjness. 1t was the hour Of the years
repOse. the quiet fOldin OF its hands as
it sank peacefully to sleep. its prepara-
tons over, its fruits garnered in, like
one Of those sanity lives whose even
ing is even more salts wing than us
vigorous, striving youth.
Half way down the avenue MadcaD
paused Suddenly, as the regular blow
OF a Wo0dman's AK sounded in the dis
tdnco.
,Hark!' she cried. You are cutting
down these trees" and she turned to
Frank with eyes of reDrOaah.
1t is only the Wookpeckar,' he said.
No" he added in a lower tone, mot
one of these lofty glorious heads ever
fell ut my bidding,-never shall as long
as | live. There is something APPEAL
ling, even blaSphemOus to me, in the
sight of one of these mOnarChS, that
have Weathered so many storms. crash
ing tC earth at the bidding of man, not
God. 70 be rent by thUnderbOlt is
grand, but TO be heWn down by the AK
degradation"
1T is like a human life" said Mad
can, looking Wisttuily up at the inter-
laced bOughS overhead. FLOW much
better to be struck down by one blow
the short sudden pang quickly over.
bearable because OF the happiness and
yigOr lasting to the end. than to die
gradually-frSt ones illusions, then
hopes, then perhaps love, then, by and
by youth, and ones soul and heart dy-
inc last of all"
Franks eyes sank; he supposed her
to be thinking OF Hester, but Mr.. Eyre
looked up, while Dody, struck 10y the
word de, exclaimed
Don't die. mummy: don't die" and
chung with desperate fondneSS to her
hand, while Doune announced his in
tentiOn of killing any one who hurt her,
with his new pocket-knife
You have OYertired YOURSELF" ex-
claimed Frank, seeing how white She
had suddenly gone; and as he spoke,
she staggered Slightly, and involuntari-
ly putting out her hand, seized that Of
Mr.. Eyre.
1t was like stray clasp recalling
wandering soul to earth. He took the
hand. and drew it under his arm, look
ing down at her with glance that
made her steps still more uncertain as
they traverSed the remainder of the
avenue.
Job saw them approaching. and in
dulged in a pantOmlne that expressed
intense hatred of something or some
body. though when they had entered
the house he was aSSiduOus in bring
ing wine. and waiting upon Mrs. Eyre,
who had long ago won his heart.
When she was settled in an easy
chair by the library window. Frank
took the children away, looking back
once as he went to where she sat, as III
bygOne years he had so often pictured
her sitting as his wife; though this was
a paler Madcap than the one he had
hoped to win.
1T is place to dream in," she said,
almost timidly, when she found herself
alone with Mr.. Eyre, her eyes turning
from the avenue to glance around the
room in which she SAT, lofty and Deduti-
ful with its ceiling and walls Of oak,
blackened with age, and decorated with
arms and trophies OF the chase. But
Mr.. Eyre noted that blood-red stain
was thrown across her bosom from the
stained glass of the upper window. in
which the coors gIoWed like tulip
bed through which the sun is shining.
And to be happy in as WELL" said
Mr.. Eyre And this was to have been
your home, Madcap. How much more