Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-03
q Duel in the Dark.

~ IS' ~ 'LS LJdi r.
1t was Thanksgiving day, and this is
the story as it was told by Mss Pep
per, the fine needle-worker. at ths
wonans boarding house. ''You see,
my dears," said Miss Pepper, who
was like a sweet, faded old rose in
| the group of eager young women about
her, the trouble with Jack Rrice was
this: He was heels over head in love
with my cousin, Margery Lee, but h
was too poor to marry.
''He lived with his uncle. Ten Brice
of the Mansion house-old SOUR
Brice. as all the county called him
though he wasn't more than 50-an
naturally when they both came court
ing Margery her father favored til
! Squire's suit most. But Margery fav
ored Jacks and showed it openly.
| "a man may be as rich as Croesus
/ but when he's choleric and up in year
none too good, in the bargain--h
needn't expect to make much Roadway
with love-sick girl of 20. Long
legged Jacks good looks outweighed
| the squire's gold. but when the father
+ found out which way the wind was
! blowing he forbade Marcy to see him
again. She said nothing, for she was
not girl to talk. But every night she
wrote him long letter, that she would
hide in hollow tree-stump and Jack
would come and take it away.
sometimes, too, in the early morn
/ ing, hardly daylight, she would jump
/ on her bay mare Hornet and dash two
miles down the river to the ford, wher
Jack would be waiting, and would
swim his horse over from the other
! side, just to have five minutes talk
i with her.
"Ah, but they were in love, I can
tell you! And I never say a better
matched pair-both so good looking,
both so full of life!
! whether my uncle ever heard of
their goings on I don't know; but he
stopped talking against Jack and urg
ing the squire's suit. He only told us
Marcy and me both, for I lived with
them, that old Tom had him in his
power and could ruin him, and now
that she wouldn't marry him he was
going to take his revenge
+ "Then he fell sick and seemed likely
! to die, and my poor cousin was in a
terrible quandary.
, ''She loved Jack, but she loved her
father, too; and she felt it was worry
that was killing him.
| One terrible night, when we Wee
almost expecting my uncle to breath
his last, Marcy fell on her knees and
promised she'd marry the squire, an
he at once began to get better with
astonishing quickness.
''She wrote Jack one letter, one curt
cold letter, that she sat two days over
and tLat he tore in half and sent back
to her and then left the county.
This left the field of love open 20
the squire, and he made the most
it, coming every afternoon to OH
place, spruced up like a young man
in light black suit and with his hal
combed over his bald spot.
"He would send Marcy splendid
presents, too. And sometimes a love
letter, a fine proper love letter, calling
her a red rose with the dew on it, q
black-eyed gypsy or some such pretti-
ness, all of which you may be sure
though, only ever read.
meanwhile the wedding arrange
ments were going on with wicke |
hurry. My uncle seemed like one
possessed to have it over with. And
Marcy, numb with misery and worn
to a shadow with longing for Jack
said nothing. Perhaps she was afraid
if too long put off she would lose cour
age for the sacrifice; perhaps she was
all the time hoping and praying-as
women can pray sometimes-for the
very daring thing that did happen.
THAT night, I remember, it stormed.
The wind howled, and all along the
country road the big oaks swung their
arms and creaked as if ready to fal
on our rumbling old carriage.
ct was Thanksgiving night, a festi
val not in favor in the south in those
days, and we were going to the Man
sion house to a family dinner. The
wedding was only three days off now
and the squire had taken a fancy to
Keep II III uOHOI VI LIS COlluS udDDl
ness.
when we rolled up to the open door.
way, there he was. magnificent in a
rosebud satin waistcoat, and with a
flower in his buttonhole for all tn
world like bedecked old turkey cock
Welcome to the Mansion house. he
said, gayly, as 1 bundled up the stairs
first.
"And then to Marcy, though quite
loud enough for me to hear, In three
short daysr-meaning, Of course, tn
marriage that was to leave her in hi
home forever.
"She WINGED as if he had struck her
her face as white as her muslin frock.
and verify believe that if he hadn'
walked her into the dining-room sh
would have fallen.
"What sort of a dinner did the
have? Why, the best in the world
you may be sure!
"The Mansion house was fines
place in the county-for that matter n
all South Carolina-and the SOUR
knew good living, and the big ma.
hogany table fairly groaned under cut
glass and silver.
"Uncle and l were at each side aid
Marcy was at the foot in the place Of
honor, where three times a day SIZE
was soon to face old Tom until death