Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-03
A NEW YEARS CALL.
by NJ. NJ.

ing.-It was New Years day. Not the
clear, crisp kind of weather we like to
associate With the one day above all
others, when every woman is hospit-
able and gracious, and every man
noble and knighty in the homage he
pays her;-but d cheerless dark day.
The cold wind blew in ftful gusts
round the street corners and the fall
ing sleet stung the faces of those who
yentured out.
But the weather nor outside affairs
in general, need not affect DR.. Barnett
seriously. He was young,-a little past
thirty handsome, and wealthy, be
sides enjoying a large and naturally
tendum of society, which practise,
however, he did not feel bound to
follow too closely for his own comfort.
He had not always been in such af-
fluent circumstances though, and to-
day, as he sat III one of the elegant
rooms connected with his office his
thoughts went back, - not so many
years it seemed to him,-When, a Door
lad, he was living in a New England
village, with a widowed mother, who,
with u mothers spirit of self forget
fulness, gladly gave her boy every adj
vantage her Scanry purse afforded.
And, now looking back upon the trials
and deprivatiOns they then bore to-
gether, he could call them happy days,
after all; and most gladly would he
live some of them at least, over again.
Memory brought before him picture
after picture, on that dark New Years
day,-and in every picture, one face
stood out clearer and brighter than
aught elSe,-a fair girliSh face,-With
dimpled cheeks, and tender blue eyes,
crowned with light golden curls-
Sweet Louie Grahame!
Strange after these years of forget
fulness that one face should so per-
sistently rise up before him; and yet,
never in the intervening years of study
and travel, had he met with face
that 50 tenderly impressed him as that
one,-his early boyhood's love. She
was the daughter of banker Grahame.
who lived i'll the grandest house in the
town, kept the most servants and
drove the finest turnout ever seen in
that country, and he at that time, was
only Dicl<ie Morgan
But at school or play, she always APP
pealed to him for aid in her girliSh I'M
dertakings, and he never failed to
champion her cause through. And
when cruel fate decreed that they
should parted be, she going away to
boarding school, and he, then mother
less, to live with an uncle in a distant
city, it was with the tendereSt of
words that they promised each to the
o,her to be true.-And she taking from
her finger little circlet of gold, with
tiny emerald setting, Solemnly said
"DicEie, you must always wear this
rig, as a token of my love, and as
long as it's luSter is not dimmed, you
may know that | am true to you,-
for you know, it is said that an emer-
aid given by lovers turns pale if the
giyer proves false.-And Diclie, when
we next meet, whatever request you
may proffer, if it is offered with this
ring, I'll grant,-like king James, you
know,-and III keep my plighted word
as we'll as Scotland'S king did to Ellen
DouglaSs!''
But, alas for the best laid plans.
They had never met again.-His finger
had soon outgr0Wn the little ring.
Other scenes engroSsed his thoughts,
as undoubtedly, they had also hers.
His uncle who was wealthy, had edu-
Gated Dcl1ie as he would his own son.
and Oh dying had left him all his
wealth on condition that he take the
name of Barnett; and SO plain Diekie
Morgan was now Richard Barnett
NJ. d.
The little ring had long lain stored
away, forgotten, and going to his desk
he opened a drawer and took it ou
from among some more recent treas
ures. SmiIIng to himself as he though
of his youthful folly; and yet, it wa
with a kind of tenderness that ht
turned it round and round TO see i
the emerald had grown dim. Then h
wondered what had become of tn
giyer,-would they ever meet again
She had probably forgotten her pledS
in less time than he, but he would llk
to meet her again, in a friendly way
just for the sake of the old days.
His reverie was suddenly brought t
a close, by a light but hurried knocl
at the door, quickly repeated, and be
fore he could sufficiently rouse himsel
to reach the door, it was opened, anG
on the threshold, stood two little child
ren.-a boy and girl,-hand in hand
both very plainly clad and shiverin
frightened little faces locked appealing
" up 20 his, as the boy said:
ooh. Sir, please d. come quick!Yc
are the doctor aren't you? She is s
dreadful sick. and You can make he
well.-Please, do come
His heart was filled with pity, as
instantly replied:
''Yes. to be sure I'll come, if you
tell me where" and taking one |
each hand, he led the little shiveril
figures near the fire.
''Why, you poor little creatures! YC
are nearly frozen! Come, now ar
warm yourselves, while 1 get reat
to go with you.''
Ordering his carriage. he was sot
n readiness. Why was It. as he tot