Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-03-16
Short and Sweet.
FIN DE Steele LOVE.


terly aggrieved with fate because her
eyes were brown instead of blue or
blue gray or blue black. But she re-
ligiously trained her orbits to look as
melting as if they had been blue; she
| parted her hair in the middle and let
a few curls-put up over night-es-
cape about her forehead She was de-
voted to white muslin gowns and SIM
plicity in general
Violet was given to the keeping Of
souvenirs. She had whole scrap
book full of dance cards, menus, ger
man favors, pressed flowers, scraps Of
poems and the like. And-for there
was a methodical streak in her nat
ure-there was few words written
beneath, souvenir, for the assistance
of faulty memory" For instance, be-
meath a carefully pressed and mounted
white rose was the inscription June
9, '93; high school graduation; from
bunch given by Will l.. M. Gave him
one back" And beneath a bit of blue
ribbon were the inspiring words,
Worn by me at picnic, Sept. IL, 'S5.
Jack has q piece too" 1t may be
added that Violet never opened book
of souvenirs save for the purpose Of
adding another to her collection and
cataloguing it neatly.
Violet was &c, and still a sweetly SEN
| timental person, when Horace Wander
hoff and his uncle came within her
circle of acquaintance. 1t was ru-
mOred that Horace would inherit his
uncle's fortune eventually. He was a
rather impulsive, somewhat poetic
youth He had written sOnnetS, it was
said He looked like Goethe, at any
rate and had proper Scorn of con-
ventions, q fOndneSS for moonlight
rambles and 4 liking for the moon and
sea. And Violet'S friends said cat
last" with great meaning, when they
saw Horace's infatuatiOn for Violet.
| He wrote her verses (all Of which
We're duly entered in the souvenir
book and Violet read them with an I'M
wonted little thrill in her sentimental
heart and an unusual Softness in her
brown eyes. He brought her flowers
not the dollhouse blooms of convention
but, little, shy things that grew in the
woods, and that should mean to her
that even his walks were full Of
thought of her His uncle sent occa-
sional punches of whatever costly
blossoms struck his eye down town,
and all Violet's friends said it was
pleasant of his uncle to help Horace'S
suit on, but thatHOr ace understood
Violet'S romantic temperament better.
Horace brought Violet his favorite
To
to- When she didn't have any time,
she merely looked unutterable things
and begged him not to mind if she
couldn't say much about them; she
could never speak f1uently of what af
fected her deeply.
! 1t was one day, when Horace had
: seen her taking her mission Sunday
school class off to look at pictures OF
something of the sort, that he told hel
6 he had something to say to her. He
9 looked a little white as he made thu
+ announcement, and Violet raled lit
tie too AS usual, she was very swee
to behold. The children had enjoyed
J. the day, and had admired her, which
! gave her a deeper pleasure in hersel
. than usual, and, therefore, a more Ell
. trancing look But when she saw thai
look on Horace'S face a sudden ant
quite uncommon feeling struck her
= She said, hastily:
please don't-please don't say any
, thing"
Il must" answered Horace, husklly
Il cannot go on this way any longer
When I see you, sweet and high
l. minded and honest as the day
NO, no. you must not proteste
!! Violet. Pity for him and a strons
hitherto unfelt desire to be SINGER
made her so on. II am not thes
lie things. 1 am afraid 1 know what yo
al are going to say Please do not
u is no use
You do not know" asserted Horace
land it is of use. / cannot be insinceI
I'd with you. 1t is impos'-
* Nor I with you Do not go ON.
Id am not what you think. I am NJ
is simple and honest. 1 am-dont sa
that you want to marry me-for al
engaged to your uncle since yeste
n day. That's the sort of woman I am
Horace looked at her with curiol
light in his eyes
r. I'm awfully sorry, Miss Kent
> said, in conventional tones, ito hay
no forced you into a perhaps unpremet
IN tated announcement Of your engag
be ment I was going to tell you that
% was reproaching myself for not ha
% ing told you before-that I am goil
no to marry Miss Augusta de Million.
So didn't feel quite square about it-f
40 you and I have had a slight affair
ic. the heart, you knew. But I'm 81;
lis you are going to marry Uncle Ma
nv He's trump. if he is as poor as
Id church mouse"
ar ''Poor?" said Violet. But Horace
a not hear, for he had crossed to t
,st piano and was asking her to Sil
robin Adair'' for him. Before
went away he asked for a flower fro
her belt with as much earnestness
ted if the announcement had not be
lis made. And Violet gave it gTaciou:
18th enough. But she made no entries
/ her souvenir book that night