Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-12-13
q fellow Qster.
BY 10 T x
Continued.

and questioningly at one anothef, Mrs.
FeIlowes teIegraphed despairing sig
mails to her husband.
at has been a most wearing day"
said Mr.. Waring at last, II feared my
wife would break down under the
strain. No doubt you felt it too?" he
went on with his brows raised, looking
concernedly at his guests. 81 thought,
my DEAR" and he pressed her hand, 81
thought, my dear. that our daughter
Gwen bore it admirably, the girl ap-
pears to have much courage, the cour-
age of your race, my love-"
He beamed softly down ON her, and
paused for an uncouScionable time,
then suddenly he remembered himself
and started.
'Our daughter Gwen is very beau
tiful person." he went on, musing
aloud. 81 do not think | ever noticed
the fact until lately. until that night
she went to some-h'm -party with
Lady Mary. Dearest. do you recol-
iect?'
Perfectly" said Mrs. Waring, get
ting a shade paler. and with a trOu-
bled look in her eyes, "you saw her,
Mrs. Fellowes," she said with sudden
eagerness chat night?"
II did indeed, Ovens beauty was
a shock to me. But | didn't know
"Ah, yes, very busy, l remember,
but we came out To see Gwen, she was
OF the stairs. and we got no farther
than the door, the lamplight shone on
her and cast soft strange lovely shad-
ows on her white silk-it was silk,
was it not, Mrs. Fellowes ?''-She
nodded. "And her arms and neck
were like-down-"
"Snow," murmured her husband.
mo, dear, they looked too warm
for that, and her face! We were,
think, little frightened at its beauty"
She gave q little shy laugh.
eve should have come out, but just
then | do not think I could have
spoken. My husband thought I was
not very well and he brought me back
Henry spoils me, Mrs. Fellowes-but
today | shall never forget Ovens
look, neverw and her small face got
still one shade whittier.
She tried to say something but she
only made a little husky noise, she
turned to Mrs Fellowes and tried
again.
''You know Gwen" she said family,
"do you think she was happy today,
as bride should beT'
Mrs. Fellowes looked keenly at her
and turned to her husband
Mrs. Warning must lie down, she is
worn out" she said.
He made ready the sofa and drew
the trembling small creature down on
1t.
Mr.. Warning yielded her up with a
disturbed and astonished gaze, and
stood aside contemplating events pa
tiently
Henry" she said softly, after rest
ing silently for a moment, task Mrs.
Fellowes what we want to know-tell
her our-our fears"
He came over and laid his hand on
her sunny head. that time seemed to
have quite forgotten
my dear friends" he said solemnly,
"my wife and | are in some perpleX-
ity. The fact is-h'm we have never,
so to speak, known much of our daugh-
ter Gwen, she is difficult person to
know. From time to time we have
attempted to gain some nearer
knowledge of her. but she-ahem-in
fact did not seem inclined to encour-
age our advances. From her very
babyhood." he went on more f1uently,
"the girl has interested us very keen
", she has been quite a study to us,
but | regret to say we have never
arrived at any very definite conclu-
sion about her. we have never quite
understood her"
Never said Mrs. Waring, suddenly
bending toward Mrs. Fellowes, with a
look very like terror in her face
"Of course you more than I, DEAR
said Mr.. Warning, you have your
woman's instincts to guide you, and
they as a rule. are trustworthy"
II have never known Gwen" said
she, with very unusual decision.
what is your opinion ON this mat
ter?' said Mr.. Warning, turning to
Mr.. Fellowes. "you know our daugh,
ter
1t was all cruelty pathetic, his
voice, and his face, and his gesture
and the strained hopeless look in his
small wife's eyes.
"Gwen is not ready yet for complete
happiness" said Mr.. Feilowes; "wher
she is. it will come to her in full meas
ure."
"But-she is a person of intelligence
and what is called grown-up," sale
Mr. Waring anxiously. "and very per
feet in her development-outw
he added, a doubtful look f1eetins
across his face.
Eyes, TO look at, she is perfect, bu
does it not strike YOU said Mrs. Eel
loves slowly. chat much of Gwen:
womanhood is still elemental? Do 70,
not think that some of her senses are
also still in that condition.
"Ah" murmured Mr.. Warning. look
Ing sadly down on his wife, sab.
have thought, I have feared this.
tannot see in our daughter Gwen {
complete creature but I thought. know
ing so little of women as do, tina
| might be mistaken. Do you hope TO
ultimate completeness in our daugh
ter?" he asked suddenly, watchin.
curiously for the answer.
The rector's superior knowledge O
Gwen had fixed him very uncomfort