Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-08

come. l suppose, in time-by all ac-
counts, it comes always to the beau
tiful-but | shall not know what on
earth to do with it when it arrives
and oh. | don't want it! l want to
live at full pitch l couldn't manage
that with my feet clogged with honey
You want TO be loved. my dear. to
be loved, loved. loved. and when you
are. you'll find out what an arrant
little goose you are making of your
SELF
The girl turned suddenly upon her
and gave her one of her most volcanic
hugs. When Mrs. Fellowes got out of
it, painting. she set to putting Gwen 5
dress in order with sundry soft touches
to neck and arms.
Il 60 love nice soft sirlish flesh.
she said, with a little laugh. ooh.
how I do wish to goodness that John
wasn't Il parson this night Of all
others. / want dreadfully to see you
there. but he can't come, it's impOs-
sibIc. you know Sam Tidd is dying
and even for you / couldn't 90 without
him.
Mrs. FellOWeS! she cried sweeping
round. are you not coming? This is,
oh. this is awful. I never looked at
your dress. I was so taken up with
my own. Oh. to 90 alone with Lady
Mary. and to my first BALI
Her face was furious, and Mrs Eel.
loves could have cried 81 did not
tell you at first, | was so astonished
at your brilliant completeness. | am
sorry
Gwen stamped.
at is atrocious. abominable, To 90
alone with no one in the room to care
rap how | look. You can't help it,
I know. but oh. you must see the
beastlineSs of the whole thing
'The carriage is coming. darling.
come down to your mother
81? Certainly not! Mary and Simp-
SON. she called
"There isn't it lOvely?" said Gwen
as Simpson wrapped her in her cloak
81 do love the sheeny changes in white
plush! Mrs. Fellowes, you will come
down with NE. won't you? | hardly
know Lady Mary"
When they came to the foot of the
stairs Mary came forward and said in
a quick, frightened tone:
Miss Gwen. God bless you, dear!
They will be proud of you! The room
is we'll lighted. shall T open the door.
Miss"
did they ask for me?" demanded
and was turning slowly round, that
the old woman might have a good view
of her.
"ASk. Miss!'-She broke off
81 know they did not, and they don't
want me either, and Mrs. Fellowes
isn't coming-did you know that? I
am glad You like me, Mary"
She stopped suddenly seeing tear
on Mary's cheek, and kissed it into a
wet smudge on the bed of wrinkles.
then she turned and kissed Mrs. Eel
loves lightly, and walked down the
great hall like young queen setting
out on a triumphal progress.
When Gwen dropped her cloak and
y
ton, she had two spectators she GER
tainly never bargained for.
\ wave of universal eXcitementeflad
somehow reached Mr.. and Mrs. War
ing in their learned retirement. prob
ably carried there by Mary's frequent
appearances for trivial cauSeS,-she
dared not make an definite suggestion.
for fear of Ovens most memorable
wrath
My love-" said Mr. Warning at last,
something unusual seems to be the
matter!'
Mrs. Warnings brows knitted as
usual, then gradually cleared.
yes, / really believe this is the oc-
casion of Owens first ball. I remem-
Der now Lady Mary mentioning some
thing about it, and-ah, yes, don't you
remember you gave Mrs. Fellowes a
check for some dresses and other
things to do with balls? All, nine
o'clock. is it really? And l fancy [
hear a carriage-didn't Lady Mary say
she would come for her? l think,
dear" she said, 81 think, dear,
should like to see Gwen"
and l too,' said Mr.. Warning, stand
ing up with eagernesS, shall we go to
her room? l suppose we might do
So" he added, half fearfully.
1t certainly did seem rather a liber-
ty on their part.
"Oh yes, I think that perhaps she
might like it."
So they opened the door and were
just about to set forth when the sight
of her in shimmering soft waves of
silk and tulle. her round column of a
neck poised like that Of an empress,
and her arms thrown out gracefully
that Mary might see the whole Of her,
arrested the two and held them in q
silent spell, standing hand in hand on
the threshold. Then, hand in hand
still. they went back into the library
as if in a dream. and over to the deep
embrasured window that opened on
the carriage drive. and listened to the
very last sound of Lady Mary s
wheels. When they came back to the
fire there was tear in Mrs. Warings
eye. and her husband felt horrid-iust
as if he had lost a good thought.