Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-12-01

l II.
Miss Plckarts was cross, and tore her
dress and Aunt Charlotte sprained her
| foot and besides something more dis
! agreeable than all that had happened
My dear her aunt had whispered,
! as she was starting, Mr. Bland has
come back. He will be there TODAY
| Be sure and"
] That was all she heard. She turned
hastily to look after the baskets and
| thought distaStefully.
Nh. Bland! The horrid old rich
| person Aunt Charlotte thinks is per-
| lection incarnate. What did he want
| to come for?" And to Mr.. Bland she
was introduced when they all reached
| the grove; short, pompous little man
with grey hair and 4 fierce dyed NOUS
tache and Il bunch of seals on his
watch chain.
so glad to meet you-at last" he
mrmured. Miss Charlotte has
spoken of you so much l want to
get to know you Well"
And Mildred bowed and answered.
| that all her aunt's friends were
| friends of hers
MI. Bland was everywhere in the lit
| ue village from that time on. And every
| where Mildred went he sought her
lie had come back to his native town
he tod her, to live always now. He
had retired from business and was
prepared to enjoy himself. Personally
Mildred did not object to him: he was
| tussy and a trifle irritable at times
| but good-hearted and harmless: how
ever in the capacity in which Miss
Charlotte presented him, she did Oh
| ject to him.
HE is so nice, my dear" she would
say, land so wei off and quite to be
| depended upon, you see. Nothing could
| please me BETTER
And then the suggestive little pause
would come which Mildred obstinatplv
refused to fill in or to appear to under
| stand.
All through the long winter even
lnss he would sit and play rubber
with Miss Charlotte while Mildred
played or sang; and every evening he
would depart with the same little
cough and the same little gesture and
the same little speech: Good night,
Miss Mildred, good night. And good
night Miss Chal'lotte; | trust [ have
not staid too long Good night"
And Miss Charlotte would remark
rs the door closed: "A most est
able young man, my dear. | do so
wish" And just there Mildred rose
regularly and poked the fire with tire
less energy or else burst out with
some song whose most prominent
characteristics was it's crescendo.
Il wish he wouldn't come every
night" Mildred would think as often
as he appeared. "Me-marry him."
And the little old nursery rhyme in
vari;lbly occurred to her.
when the sun comes up in the west
some day,
, When my magpieS voice is still,
When the skies fall down and we
have lark pie,
Why, then, my good sir, | will!'
There was an unusually early spring
and in April the days We're almost
warm. Mildred had gone out one even
ing alone to her favorite place by the
tai. rock IN the bank of the little lake,
hoping to have an hour of Mr.. BANDS
visit over before she went home. But
as she was standing, watching the
stars come out one by one someone
came toward her.
! 1T is you, Miss Congdon," said Mr..
BANDS voice, delightedly, and it
seemed to Mildred it had never sound
ed SO mwelcOme'y. Il thought | rec
osniZed YOU" he went on, and l want
ed to see you very much alone so |
have followed you. l want to ask YOU
something"
Could it be possible, Mildred thought,
that he was going at last to ask
You KNOW" he was saying, solemn
ly, Il am no longer Il young man,
Miss Mildred. But 1 hope / have many
years yet to live; years, though, which
[ begin to fear will be lonely ones, and
So"
Mildred was watching with painful
interest one bright star low in the
horizon. and struggling with an almost
irrepressible desire to laugh. 1t was
coming after all.
And So" he went on, q have tried
to have your friendship and your help,
for I desire now as / have for many
years to have for my Wife-NIiss Char
| lotte"
In the quick revulsion of feeling
! which swept ov*h' her she turned
uqickly and grasped his hand warm
ly.
You shall have all the help I can
give YOU" she said, Il am so glad,
Mr.. Bland; and now go to her at once
and say all you have to say"
! But she won't-you don't think"
he began timidly.
''Go" she said, impdnously. go at
once. 1t will all come right"
And so he went; and half laughing
and crying but wholly glad she sat
down by the rock to think.
1t was growing chilly when she rose.
A little mist was rising and a few
clouds were drifting across the sky.
A cold, dark night with a chill wind
blowing; and strange loneliness crept
into her heart as she hurried along.
The lights shOne warmly through the
red curtains in the sitting room Of
Miss CharlotteS house. They were
happy now, too, while She
Some one was standing by the gate,
not Mr.. Bland surely and alone? And
the curates calls were on Mondays
always. No, not Mr.. Bland, not the