Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-08-11
less something to roll from her arms to


eyes little well-worn baby's frOck, and
tiny pair of shoes that had been worn,
but never walked in.
A tear came to the eye Of more than
one present as she looked. Poor SOUL"
said the farmer softly; but as they turned
with that new impulse OF pity toward
her she had disappeared, and none. not
even Sally, coIld tell which direction
she had taken.
''S'pOsin' she meets the young mis-
tress." said the smithy'S wife. aghast;
"master III be rare am mad II any gossip
gets to her while he's away. He'll bring
Us all 10 book fort when he comes
back"
And indeed by this time the penalty
of talking gossip of any kind to the
masters wife was well knOwn-instant
dismissal from his service within doors,
stern deprivation of all favor or en-
plOvment without.
Il han't glimpSed her nOwhere's,"
cried Sally. returning GREATNESS; aspect
she's half way TO ALarmitOn by thiS'n."
BuC none needed her,
'''Tis himself.' cried one.
"What aiIs him?" cried another, all
pushing away from the pool and to-
ward Lord Lowell, who came swiftly
down the lane, reaching the group al
most before the words had escaped the
speakers lips.
lis she here?" he said, glancing from
one to another, too preOccupled by his
fears to heed their looks or even utter
the name Of the woman whom he had
come to seek.
''She just slipped away like bit o.
moonshine," said the sections wife,
ducking courtesy, AN nObuddy saw
where she went; but most like she'd be
on her way to the Jail"
ITO the jaiL?" said Frank, with a sud-
den look OF relief, and made d step for
ward, but started back, as the crowd
dividing, he found himself face to face
with the pool, then pulled himself to-
gether, and disappeared almost as
rapidly as Hester had done.
"Did We see how cOld-like he got as
he looked at it?'' said one in a whisper.
"He've got a good heart so well as
handsome face, an there > summit fine
in the way he stands by her. 'Hev' you
see her?' says he, Wi'out blush, just as
| if she were nothin' to be ashamed on,
an off he goes arter her as quick as
| swallow"
''I'll not believe he's to blame said
an Old man, who had only just hobbled
up, and leaned heavily on his stick;
| the Lovels was allus a sWeet-bloOded,
| clean lmDed lot, and there N5t5 never
word to tn diScrelit O any one o. 'em,
an he's the moral Of his father, who
died the day after lis wife because a.
couldn't live without her; 50 Iuey was
buried in one cOtIin, an tHt agU o tn
two ~ 'cm didn count mp 10 ii. ty."
'It minds one OF a purity cid verse, as
seems twas iulue Il luppu5 or 'em,
sad the bl8ckSmlth'3 wiz
Lady Nancy she lied rs it might be today,
L0.l Lowell n died 20 tomorrow:
Lady Nancy So led oi5 Or p.ire, pure grief,
Lord Love, 5e died ont OF SORROW, sorrow,
Lord Lowell he died out OF sorrow.
THAT amt t. whole OF" said the old
| man, and he repeated in q QuaVerlng
voice
And out O. her bosom there grew a red rose.
And out O her lovers briar briar,
Ind out o her lovers brian.
Poor souls" said the sections wife,
but Pm thinking that when death calls
up you" and she pointed toward the
Hall. IF so be he takes her first there'u
be two to bury there stead o. one"
All! he do love her," said another;
'''tis only through her that you can
strike at tn squire's heart; but if ever
| she come to know all that lies to his
| door"
farmer angrily; '''twould be black
hearted man or woman as would do it.
an the squire's steady enough now, an
makes her a deal better husband than
one of them mealy-mOuthed men, as
goes to church regular an busts out
when their wives amt a-lOOking."
To be sure he's quiet enough now"
said Phillis, the village beauty, disdain-
fully, she don't seem to know there's
woman in tn world but tn mistress. [
| often think as you old folks remembers
sight o things as never happened!"
"Ay," said the old man, YOU'RE about
right there, my lass; Mr.. Eyre ha' for
got it all, an so had best we; and arter
| all, tits things as happened thirty year
ago that we mind best, not what hap
| pened as it might be yesterday, bit
| ten or twelve year at the most''
ITO be sure said the blacksmith;
NOW there's tn ovid squire, God rest
his soul, p'raps he's gone by now, an
mebbe he wasn't sorry to go, he've had
pretty good spell at it, an must ha'
| bin pretty well past tn old games by
well mind as twas yesterday his wild
| doin's, if he fancied anythin', whether
| twas passon's daughter or tn cow
| herds maid, twas all one; word in her
| ear, an off she'd go, and none could
| stop her."
"Ay," said the old man, with a
| chuckle of senile delight, ''th' young
squire weren't far behind him. There
was Comfrey Hazel now-her weddin'
day was fixed, an she seemed to like
her 10 well enough, when one mOrnin'
| the squire stopped at her fathers door,
an aXed drink O. milk. Out she come,
as imp a lass wi as apple-bud a face as
ever you see, an handed him the mug
WI hand all the whittier an the sweet
er for the curd she'd just been presSin'.
"'Will you go a ride VII me, my dearp
| said he, jest like that, an she looks up,
| an catches the CLINT O. his eye an the
smile o his lip, an her heart begins to
| beat, an the red looks out O. her cheek.
an he puts out his hand, and she puts
hers in it, and her little foot on hiS'n
| an he swings her into the saddle afOre
him, an off they goes, her own mother
| lookin' arter 'em as they went. They
was gallOping along at tull speed, an
| she were looking round at him wi her
| little red mouth pressed to hiS'n. when
close ahead O. 'em he saw a muck-cart
| WI man in it; 'tWere too narrow a
lane to pass it, an the squire were gOin'
! too fast to stop O. a minute, SO he Just
gripped Comfrey tight and set his mare
at the cart and over she went like a
! bird, just touching the pipe in the mans
mouth with her heels, the beauty AS
, l.. 9 fellow stared stupid-like, Comfrey
looked over her shoulder an saw
twas her 10, an seeing nm so FOOLISH
| like, and all covered with muck, she
burst out larfin' at him, then put her
hinny mouth up to the squire's, an I'll
| go with you, seq she, an go she did, an
never come back; they call her Moll up
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