Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-16

The professor looked meditative.
L think, he pronounced, that it is
very possible he would. | can well
imagine it
He might never find anybody to
love him like that again." she said.
gazing on the cleaning paddock.
He probably would not agreed the
philosopher
"And-and most people like being
loved, don't they?"
To crave for love is an almost uni.
versal instinct, Miss May"
Yes, almost" she said, with
dreary little smile. You see, he'll get
old and-and have no one to look after
him"
He will
And no home"
We'll, in a sense, none" corrected
the philosopher, smiling. But really
you'll brighten me. I'm bachelor my.
self, you know, Miss May"
Yes" she whispered, just audibly.
And all your terrors are before me-"
We'll, unless
"Oh, we needn't have that unless"
laughed the philosopher, cheerfully.
There's no unless about it, Miss
May"
The girl jumped to her feet; for an
instant she looked at the philosopher.
She opened her lips as if to speak.
and at the thought of what lay at her
tongues tip her face grew red But
the philosopher was gazing past her,
and his eyes rested in calm contempla-
ton on the cleaning paddock.
a beautiful thing, sunshine, to be
sure" said he.
Her blush faded away into paleNess;
her lips closed. Without speaking she
turned and walked slowly away, her
head dropping. The philosopher heard
the rustic of her skirt in the long grass
Of the orchard; he watched her for a
few moments.
a pretty, graceful creature" said
he, with a smile. Then he opened his
book, took his pencil in his hand and
slipped in a careful forefinger to mark
the fly leaf. The sun had passed mid
heaven and begun to descend west
ward before he finished the book.
Then he stretched himself and looked
at his watch. Good gracious, 2
O'Clock! 1 shall be late for lunchr and
he hurried to his feet.
He was very late for lunch.
"Everything's cold" walled his host
ess. Where have you been, Mr.. Jer-
ningham"
Only in the orchard-reading."
And you've missed Mayr'
Missed Miss May? How do you
mean? [ had long talk with her
this mOrning-a most interesting talk"
But you weren't here to say good
by. Now, you don't mean to say that
you forgot that she was leaving by the
= O'Clock train? What a man you
arer'
Dear me! To think of my forget
ting it!' said the philosopher, shame
facedly.
"She told me to say good-by to you
for her"
''She's very kind. I can't forgive
myself"
His hostess looked at him fer a mo-
ment; then she sighed, and smiled and
sighed again.
Have you everything you want?"
she asked.
Everything, thank you," said he,
sitting down opposite the cheese and
dropping his book Che thought he
would just run through the last chap
ter AGAIN. against the loaf; every
thing in the world that [ want,
thanks"
His hostess did not tell him that the
girl had come in from the apple or
chard and ran hastily upstairs lest
her friend should see what her friend
did see in her eyes. SO that he had
no suspicion at all that he had re-
ceiyed an offer of marriag e-and re-
fused it. And he did not refer to any
thing of that sort when he paused
once in his reading and exclaimed:
I'm really sorry [ missed Miss May.
That was an interesting case of hers.
But I gave the right answer. The
girl ought to marry A"
And the girl did.