Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-08-31
ii " DIS GOD 5 Storm.


the bay across the shore as the sun
cred. 1t was not a quiet sunset, but it
was beautiful. On the doorstep of one
Of the cottages along the shore sat
Therese, praying that she might die.
She sat there with her brown little
hands clinched, her eyes dry and flash
ing and two little red spots burned on
her cheeks. 1t had been hours since
she had spoken to any one, and her
mother had at last left off coaxing and
scoldins and questioning.
After all, she knew why Therese sat
there clinching her little hands. She
had told her that it would be so, but
Therese would not listen then. The
evening meal was set, and presently the
father came
Therese moved enough to let him in
at the door, but she did not speak. He
gave her an inquiring look but went on
into. the house.
What ais the child?" he asked Of
the mother, as she flew about adding
the finishing touches to the supper
table.
She has lost her lover with the curly
hair" answered the mother. One of
the fine ladies from the city has him
DOW. He follows her around like lit
tie dog. Therese is a fool to care
.'Hushr' said the father Have you
no hearth
Then he went out to where the
daughter was sitting on the doorstep.
Come, little maid," he said, '1et us
walk to the chair and back before we
have our supper"
The chair was a great bowlder that
stood out away down the shore near
the water, rudely fashioned, during the
centuries that it had stood there, into
the shape of huge settee.
Therese sat very still for a moment
after the father spoke, but he put his
big hand gently on her arm and pres
entity she rose to go with him, mutely
comic rted.
''Where are you going?" called the
mother after them. The supper is
ready and waiting
Then it will have to wait" called
back the father. Come, little maid"
They walked down the shore in sill
ence until they reached the chair. The
reese climbed up into her favorite place
and her father stood by her resting his
gray head on her knee.
She stroked his thin locks back from
mis- temples gently. She was sorry that
she had prayed that she might die. She
had almost forgotten him
Fine ladies are tickle" he said; she
may come back"
1t was the first time they had alluded
to her trouble and he did not look at
her, uncertain how she would take it.
He felt that the words We're weak
ones, but he wanted to comfort her and
he could not think Of anything else to
say.
Tnerese stopped stroking his hair
and he felt her little hand tremble as
it rested on his head. Then she laugh
ed a hard little laugh and began to
finger the gray locks again.
II do not want him that way" she
said. IF he comes at all he must leave
her for me. I do not hate him, for she
stole him with her ways that only
wicked people know; but I will not
have her send him back to me-
Therese was very quiet when she
came back with her father, but the
walk had done her good and she was
about the house after supper was over,
helping her mother as she was used to
do
oh 40 hn6 no iprhf
her eyes were still dry, but she prayed
that she might be forgiven for the
wicked things that she had thought.
For the first few weeks after she
came with her mother to stay at the
old farmhouse, near the shore, the
hours and days had dragged drearily
with Eleanor Southland. She was used
to being amused and entertained, and
there was nobody at the farmhouse to
entertain ner.
On the other hand, she was called
upon part Of the time to amuse, or try
to amuse, her mother, who was in per
petual ill-health.
Her mother enjoyed being in i'll
health, but she enjoyed it in melan-
choly way that needed some one to see
her suffer and pity her quite often.
1t was with great joy, therefore, that
Eleanor discovered that there was in
the neighborhoOd a young man who
was good looking, who was intelligent
above his class and who had curly hair.
She made his acquaintance down by
the shore where he was fixing up an
old beat.
Her hat blew off into the water and
he fished it out for her, and they both
laughed to see the way it was drench-
ed.
She put it on and the salt water ran
down over her cheeks and that made
them laugh again. 1t was a very limit
ed neighborhood and it was easy to
get acquainted.
Eleanor went back to the farmhouse
and told her mother that she had dis
covered a type They talked it over
together and enjoyed the idea and de-
cided that it was very fortunate.
When they discovered a few days
later that the type could sing curious
little Swedish ballads quite acceptably,
and that after the days work was done
he wore clothes that were really pre-
sentable, they were even more pleased.
Eleanor managed to see good deal
Of her discoverer, and after awhile she
induced him to come to the house.
It was not long before his coming
there was quite the usual thing. The
two women f1attered the young man
outra geously and pretty soon Otto be-