Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-05-19

was weaving wreaths with artistic taste
round the pictures and glasses of the Car
rington'S drawing-room. How happy she
was, and how fair she looked, as she keenly
enjoyed her first labor!
ga year agol She would not stop to
think; but yet some thoughts forced them
selves into her mind. A year ago the splen-
did rooms in Portland Place were being
decorated for heavy Christmas dinner,
where mirth would be the only thin Lack
ing. Then she had Ianguidly given orders
TO professional artists, and criticised their
successful efforts, only to find trivial de-
fects. 1t was different now. Maud, Ethel,
and Philip were all in council with her;
but they did little else than admire.
"Look, Ethel, and tell me if this long
wreath must droop lower. l am too near
to see," Florence said; and she drew back
wards from her insecure position to try to
note the effect.
Philip had been anticipating exactly
what now happened. Florence, not very
expert IN climbing ladders, lost her foot
ing; and, but for Philips strong arms would
have fallen heavily to the ground. AS it
was, she was held safely enough, her head
lying on her cousins upturned face, her
hands clutching recklessly at his breast,
her face afiame. He held her only for a
moment, and she felt--she was nearly sure
her cousins moustache brush across
her forehead. Resentful, frightened. and
ashamed, she struggled from his grasp; but
her resentment was disarined in IN instant.
She saw his hand covering his face. She
did not see he was smiling.
81 have hurt YOU, ! am sure ~ she cried.
and she grasped his wrist, shaking ii petu-
lantly.
''Florencc, he is laughing at YOU" her
cousin told her; and then Florence saw
that he was, while she was almost crying
herself.
HHow dare your" she exclaimed. He
always had power to torment her, and she
almost hated him for it.
"How dare | what-eatch you when you
fell? Well it was presumption on my part,
Florence. was it not? [ have read some
where" Philip said gravely, "of u Spanish
Queen, whose horse was carrying her swift
ly to destruction-to touch the Queen was
death in those days. Well, common
herdsman perilled his life-doubly you see,
for he caught her Majesty in his arms as
she was falling to certain death below
The Queen was very magnanim0us-she
actually spared his life, in spite of his
contact With her Maiestys sacred per-
sonr'
He spoke half in anger. half in fun, and
she was listening, watching like a fright
ened child. A sudden impulse prompted
her to reach out her hand towards him
again, and he grasped it quickly.
"sHow foolish you are to say such things
TO me--I mean how good you were to save
me, l might really have been hurt! And
how silly [ was she said neryOusly and in
coherently and trying now yatnly to loosen
her hand from his grasp.
''My presumption is forgiven, L see" he
answered lightly; :'but [ forbid your
mounting again. l might not be equally
successful nor you equally magnanimous.-
You see had been thinking for the last
ten minutes how to catch you, for [ saw
your fall WIS evident sooner or later. Per-
haps it is an omen, Florence" he said,
laughing the laugh that angered her so OF
ten, that hurt her pride so sorely, and that
touched her heart so deeply.
"Ihere is an utter want of dclicacy, Flor
euce, in your making any sort of public ap-
pearance in Your present deep mourning.
Your cousin 1a!argareC and myself are both
equally amazed at your wishing such a
thing, or indeed for any gaiety. If, as you
say, it is impossible 30 avoid it, at least you
must not think of dancing; but this surely
| need not warn you about. Unless you
are strangely altered you will scarcely
care, think, to make an exhibition Of your
self with tradespeople."
Thus wrote Lady Raven to her niece );
aud. though Florence crushed the letter
Indignantly in her hand, she could not help
10 hoy HaanIy sba MD
thized year ago with the sentiments it
contained.
Her pleasure was spoilt, she told herself;
but her pride and conscience were alike
unhTrt. She knew her mourning was too
deep for ordinary feStiVitY, but her wishes
had cheated her into thinking she could
not avoid this. Y compromise was just pos
sible, she thought, and OF that she would
avail herSeif-she might adorn herself as
best she could, and as she secretly yearned
to do, for admiration, but she would not
dance. She could hardly absent herself Oh
the occasion, as her aunt had postponed
the yearly ball from Christmas to the COM
mencement Of the year just on her account.
That alone must make her join in the fes-
tivity, and she also felt instinctiveIy that
the Carrington's were proud Of having her
with them, oil displaying their high-born
relative, and her beauty-this she felt,
though she scarcely admitted it to herself.
Miss Worthington could not discover
one single shortcoming i'll good taste or re-
tnement in the arrangements made for the
reception of her aunt's guests. The girls
looked charming i'll simply-made white silk
dresses. There was no full band Of mu-
sicians engaged for the Occason-which
Florence had always considered as indis-
pensable for their own balls-but there
was grand piano of splendid tone, with
an efficient performer, and cOrnet to add
effect to the dancing. But Florence could
not help feeling that she was unsuitably at
tired for the occasion.
II look like bird of ill-omen among you
ALL" she told Maud disyontentedly. 81
must hide myself in corners where L am
not much seen, and happily, 1 shall not
Dance"
In former times she hau always reyelled
in the knowledge that she was the centre
of attraction in any gathering. Now, in
her sombre dress, her want of sympathy
with the rest, she felt herself eclipsed !;
but she had not much to fear, although she
did not know it. Her black velvet dress,
exquisitely made, and cut square at the
ueCh, Win ldltlhS Slbo" SiStfSS, Suibtu
her to per1ection-at least so thought Phil
ip Darlington when she met him on the
stairs. He was laden with three large bou-
quets-one of them pure white, without a
tinge Of color.
"Take which you like the best, Flor.
ence-you are to choose; and l could not
tell whether you might not object to color"
She took the white one, and the best,
with sparkling eyes.
"And these belong to it also,' he said