Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-06-14

Ldlus Oe SADtCleu ~ Dtuupn llNSel
with a portionless wife Elsie is
sweet girl, and 1t would be hard I
give her up, but a man must look on
for the main chance. However. it's al
right, and I'm glad OF it,
But if Frank Gilbert's sympathy wa
all outward show there was anothe
man whose heart was filed with sin
cere pity ana hopeless love for Elsie
Poor Hugh Clifford. He had loved The
girl ever since he was her champion
at school. If Frank Gilbert had mo-
appeared upon the scene with his
handsome face and polished manners
Eslie would have accepted Hugh when
he asked her to be his wife. AS it was
she refused him gently, but decidedly
Aunt Martha, who was Hugh's conf
dant, Sympathized with him.
And now the funel al was over and
search began for the will To the sIIr-
! prise OF ALL it was lot to be found
! Lawyer Bentley and his partner as
sisted in the search, and you NAV well
: believe that Gilbert at least searched
i faithfully, but all to no avail. Every
, thing that could afford a hiding place
/ for the missing document was care
fully examined, especially the writing
desk that Aunt Martha had seemed so
. anxious about just before her death.
Lawyer Bentley remembered per-
fectly the circumstances of drawing I'D
the will, but was obliged to believe
that for some unknown reason Aunt
Martha "a
to make another.
If it were any one but Mrs. Will
kins," Elsie thought, L could bear it
better, but it really seems as if auntie
couldn't rest in her grave with that
woman i'll possession OF her house [
have Frank left, and although we shall
be poor at first l will try my best to
make him happy"
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilkins did not long
remain in ignorance of the fact that
NO will was to be found and came to
Alton in great triumph. Elsie, who
had not yet left her old home, received
them with quiet dignity. Mrs. Wilkins
announced her intention of moving
over and taking possession Of the house
that week.
Il always did like this part of the
country better than our own county,"
she SAID to her husband, and [ am
coming right away. You can stay over
there and see to selling off the furni-
ture, cause we won't need none Of it
here, and you'd better rent the house
If you can" Then, turning TO Elsie.
who felt almost suffOcated with indig-
nation, she said sharply, Il S'pOse you
have got another place to stop, haven't
you, Miss Redner for 'twouldn't be
very convenient to have you here after
we Gomez
Il have no intention of taxing your
hospitality in the least, madam re-
piled Elsie, calmly, but you seem to
have forgotten that there are certain
forms Of law which must be complied
with before you can take possession
L advise you to see Lawyer Bentley at
once, and for the present allow me to
wish you good morning"
'Impudent hussy!' said the irate
woman as the door closed upon Elsie's
slight form. Thinks she can drive Us
off that way, does she! Well come
along Ephraim. l guess it won't do no
hurt to so and see the lawyer any
way"
SO the worthy couple sought the law
yer's office, where they learned to their
dismay that it would be several
months at least before they could OBJ
tain possession Of the much desired
property.
Elsie took up her abode win good
Mrs. Brainerd. who had kindly offered
her a home, and wondered why Frank
did not come to see her. Could he be
i'll? No, she would have heard of it. !
Pride kept her from going to the office
to inquire for him. On the fourth day
letter came.
How strange of Frank to write in
stead of coming himselfr' she thought, !
with a strange sinking at her heart.
She opened the letter with trembling
fingers.
Dear Elsie 1 hardly know what to
say. [ sympathize deeply with you in !
your double affiiction, but it will be !
years before my circumstances will
allow me to marry you, and it would !
be the height of selfishness to ask you
to wait for me an uncertain length of |!
time. l do not consult my own feel /!
ing in this matter. [ only try to see |
what is for your best good, and there /!
fore will hold you no longer bound !
Remember me always as your most |
affectionate friend,
Frank Gilbert.
Il will answer this letter while [ feel
strong" she said, and taking pen and !
paper she wrote:
Mr.. Gilbert-I fully agree with your
opinion concerning our engagement, !
and thank you for kindly releasing rae. i
Yours sincerely. Elsie Rednor
She sent the note and Joined the
family at the tea table soon after, as
her absence might have occasioned
surprise. She forced herself to ap-
pear as usual, and succeeded so we'll
that no one observed anything strange
in her manner. But that evening she
said to her friend:
Il want to tell you something, dear
Mrs. Brainerd. My engagement with
Mr. Gilbert is broken off,
Mrs. Brainerd suspected the truth,
but only said quietly:
"Well, my dear, presume you have
some good reason for it." And Elsie
loved her the better because she said
no more.
When Frank Gilbert read Elsie's