Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-04-28
CHAPTER VI.

When one hears q name frequently on
the lips of each person in household, al
ways in praise, always coupled with anX-
ious thought for its owners presence, one
may know pretty we'll that he or she is
pretty we'll worth the love lavished, that
the love is beyond all partisanship, and
that it is not excited by selfishness or self
interest.
Chow many days shall we have to wait
for Philip" was the daily question put by
Mr.. Darlington.
.'Surely we ought to hear from him to-
&Sy;it seems so long since he has writ
tcr," was the never failing suggestion of
his step-mother, if the news from him was
in the least scanty.
|'Oh, | do want Philip back" was
Maud's childish wish.
NWhen Philip comes, we can take Flor
ence to Kew, to see the flowers, and to
Hampton Court to see the old pictures"
pretty Ethel said hundred times.
One pair of lips alone were silent, or
curled contemptuously; one pair of bright
eyes downcast, that they might yield no
answering SYM pathy.
At last Philip came.
Florence i'll the proud solitude of her
own room, which she seemed especially to
favor for the first time for many days, heard
the rapturous greeting in the hall below,
the soft glad voices Of the girls, the tri-
umphant welcome of their mother, the
pleasant tones OF the maids; and her hor-
ror deepencd and was intensified. In her
eyes Philip Darlington had nothing to IA
YOr him; he must Of necessity be an out
rAgcously Objectionable person, whose po-
sitiOn in his fathers house would give him
the right to treat her with ill-bred and in-
t0lerablc familiarity. But she could only
endure
."Florence, come down! Philip has just
arrived! Come down TO see him!' Ethel
said, rushing eNcitedly into her Cousins
room. .Do, Florence dear; he wants so
much to see youw And the answer cruel
ly repealed her.
81 think the anxiety to see an utter
stranger may be endured, don't you Ethel?
Remember, he is not really my cousin, as
you are"
Ethefs bright look vanished instantane-
ously
son, Florence, don't say that; it will
hurt us all so much! You don't know what
dear Phil is to us. DO come, and see for
yourself. Or may l." she asked with sud-
den brightness, "tell him to come up
here?"
"Nct for the world, Ethel" Florence
said haughtily. '"Since you wish it so much,
1 will come down presently to see your
brother" And with this ungraCiOus prom
Use Ethel left her
Miss Worthington ''came down." but
too late. Maud and Ethel had carried off
their brother t ihe hated shop to see his
father, lust three hours sooner than he
would have seen him had he remained qui-
etlv at home. Florence had heard them
scampering past her door, and tAen down.
stairs agail.
Miss Worthington came nearer, and IN
her aUmt's kind homely face began to think
that she could trace likeness to her moth
er's picture, now hanging in her room up
stairs.
"Iou are beginning to get used to Us,
and our homcly ways" her aunt said. al
noticed that they tried you little at tirSt'
Florence thought that she had carefully
hidden her teeings-''but you see, Flor
ence, your mother married out of her sta
ton. Whether or not she was happier for
it, Heaven Knows" Mrs. Darlington added
thOughtfully. "Of course you must have
lived different kind of a life always from
ours, and must feel the difference now; but
you are young enough; l hope, dear, to
get reconciled to the change
"Indeed, aunt, am as happy as I can be
anywhere" Florence put in.
Eyes, dear, l know; and at present of
necessity must suffer very much," Mrs
Darlington said, stretching out her hand
ana touching the gir's heavy Grape. '.But
you must try, dear, to be resigned to the
will of Heaven. L wanted to say this to
you, Florence-not unkindly, DEAR" Mrs.
Darlington went on, taking the girls hand
in herS-you must try to identity yourself
more with our life, rs necessity for your
health"
Florence was crying softly; filed with
sorrow for her father, she was conscience
stricken too, because her distaste had been
seen through. But she did not Withdraw