Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-12-06

after all she was really human. She
hurried up, sat down beside her, and
gently brought her back to herself.
Then with one of Mrs. Warnings hands |
caught in hers, as if she had been a |
child, she looked at Gwen, and Won
dered how on earth any girl with a
stone for heart could look as divine
as she did. She looked round the
church, and every man, woman, and
child was worshiping her in audible
silence. There was not a whisper, not
a joke, not a smile.
AS soon as the cake was cut Gwen
went away TO dress AS she passed
Mrs Fellowes she whispered:
''Will you help me? 1 want to speak
to you-Mary, Mrs. Fellowes will help
me to dress. and please don't cry,
she said YEARLY, Il shah see you
often, and-really, l have given you
no very special reason TO cry for me-
She half laughed, then she stopped
and kissed the old woman's cheek.
You have always been so good to
me, come and see me before l CO.
When Mary had disappeared chok-
ing. Gwen turned to the glass and be-
gan to take off her bracelets.
''Sit down and let me take off your
WREATH said Mrs. Fellowes.
81 wish l had done as Mr.. FellOwes
suggested" said Gwen at last. playing
with a diamond dagger that Strange
had given her. land looked through
that marriage service: it is a degrad-
ing thing to lie as | have done today.
| might have been any cOmmonmind-
ed vulgar woman perjuring myself for
settlement. You see, | am marrying
as a sort of experimentation don't,
you gave my hair an awful PULL
Humphrey knows it, but L didn't
realize that 1 should actually have to
swear to lie-no experiment is worth
that. l have put myself in false po-
sition,' she continued, stirring irrita-
bly,, 'from having told those miser-
able blatant lies. l was never at
wedding in my life in the church,
always managed to escape that part,
and l really never thought of the
words, love, honor, and obey in any
solemn. binding. personal connection.
On the whole, it is pity for women
not to have been reared on Bibles and
prayer books, it might keep them from
some pitfalls, and no doubt the ordi-
nary mother is useful too, in such
cases."
Mrs. Fellowes' heart quivered pain
fully, and her hands trembled as she
twisted up a coil of Ovens hair that
had come loose. She had suspected
the truth very early in the day, but
all through her short engagement
Gwen had kept both her and the rector
at arms length.
''When l found out what really was
in for" went on Gwen; sit was too late
to draw back-no, it wasn't!' she
cried, 1.-The habit Of lies is growing on
of coward"
''This is very sad" said Mrs. Eel
loves at last, at is so sad, dear, that
one can hardly speak of it. No wom-
an has the right to try experiments, to
play FRANKS with hearts and souls
You deserve-ah, what brute l am!
l have no right to scold you, my poor
Gwen, you'll have to pay dearly
enough for your play. You will know
some day what you have DONE" said
she, laying her soft warm cheek down
on the girls head in the caressing way
she had when Gwen was a child, ''then
you will suffer, all, child, how you
will suffer! But it is Humphrey one
feels for now. Gwen, you must not let
him feel you are so far from loving
him."
''He knows. You don't suppose 1
lied to him?'
Gle knows in way, but he doesn't
realize the knowledge, nor does he
quite know the material he has to
work on, or how the twist came into
the warp and wool of it. Gwen, don't
let your horrid truthfulness make you
cruel, be patient, dearest. be patient.
this love won't come like shock. it
will steal in on you, and l am per-
fectly convinced your first impulse will
be to kick it out"
Gwen gave little laugh.
Mrs. Fellowes dropped the brooch
with which she was going to fasten
Ovens collar, went a few. steps away,
and looked at her.
Humphrey knows precious little
about you" she cried. with some nat
, Ural irritation, she is dazed. small
blame to him! so am I, so is John,
we are all dazed"
Her eyes filled suddenly with tears.
owe all pour out our love on you,
and-and for what? Just for cold
ghost of thing, for mere hope-hope,
what good is that to any man? Now,
look here, Gwen. don't let Humphrey
know this, naked truth though it be.
There is no lie in the matter, you can
love, darling. you can, it's only the
learning that is the trouble for you.
but 1 have a horrid presentiment in
spite Of all 1 can say, that your most
objectionably direct methods will run
you into deplorable difficulties"
Truth is tangible. even if it is bru-
tal," said Gwen, "but love-love-love
this intangible vague horror. why
should | be prosecuted with it. why
should 1 realize now that, vague as
the thing is, it is sacred, and a sort
of crime of a very low order to be
incapable of it? 1 got as far as that
in church today with all those glaring
faces on me. and Mr.. Fellowes' eyes
he has no right to look through peo
pie like THAR