Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-14
Playing Witi2 Fire.
By MARIE LOUISE FOWLER.

be Cme enough. He made the call OF
Miss Dale. How beautiful she LOOKED
and how gracious she was to him
He walked home in the moonlight viii
a throbbing heart, and there lay thu
letter on his table waiting for hin
when he returned. He broke the sea
n~eryously. 1t was written in he.
usual strain. How she missed him
now lonely she was without him; how
she longed for him to come and SEE
her. Suddenly Frank gave a pro
longed whistle
What is this" he exclaimed in sur
PRISE
Harry Eane comes often to see me
You remember him, do you not? Al
old friend of mine. | have known hin
ever so long. l WISH he would MOI
come so often. | write this because
think you ought to know. If you OBJ
ject IN the least [ will manag to see
him less often. OF curse you know
| do no carr for him. l care for nc
one but you, Frank, you and you
alone"
Frank bit his lip and frowned.
Dear, faithful, little girl" he said
My little white rose"
He sat down, and drawing an en-
velope from his pocket tool u a
photograph, and laid it on the table.
Then going to the desk he unlocked
it and took out another picture, and
bringing it to the light he began to
compare the two faces. One was of a
frail, slight, blond maiden. golden
haired, and with Il slightly pensiye ex-
preston in her great, beautiful blue
eyes. The other was Of a round, sinil-
ing, saucy face, framed by curling
dark rings Of hair, and dark, sparkling
; eyes.
The red rose Ind the white rose
murmured Frank half to himself. as
he stood gazing at them. 'Violet says
she would no have him come so much
if | objected. OF course she likes ne
best. Harry Tane! And yet | have
reason to know, from what little [ have
seen of him, that the fellow is in love
with her. Handsome, too, and rich.
My opposite. blOnd-hum! Well, she
is a dear, little faithful girl; and what
did my red rose say to me tonight? ?
! Why, Mr.. Meredith, what is the mat
ter with you this evening? You are
no so entertaining as usual. You
know | always make my gentlemen
friends entertain me. and of course
you are no eXcepti0nT She said that
in Il saucy manner, with her eyes
sparkling with fun, and followed by
a low silvery laugh. Yes, that was
what She said. | was no exception.
| was no better than many of her other
gentlemen friends. Well. | must write
TO my white rose and caution her not
to let Harry Vane come too often. l
do not want him carrying my little
Violet away. He also prefers white
rGSeS?"
The letter was written, and yet the
next week again found Frank Mere
dith calling on Miss Dale. They sit in
the drawing room. The evening lis
CRATE. The air is heavy With the per-
rune of roses. They fill a large vase
With their dropping beauty-the red
IL the white. Frank starts slightly
as his eye falls Oh them, and then to
cover his confusion he walks I'VE to
look at them, exclaiming hastily
&c! Miss Dale, where did 0 get
such exquisite roses i'll Wi1ter?"
she smiles and comes over to where
he stands.
Father brought them home to me
today. DO you Want one to wear OH
Your coat: You may have any you
IKE, the red or the white"
she bends down and so does not no.
tice the change of expression on his
face.
Il could not have both? Then l
nlust choose. 1T is a hard thing to do,
Miss Dale, very hard; they are both
So beautiful
Then choose the one most suited to
YOU" Edith answers, still arranging
tile flowers, and she chances up into
his face. and laughs softly.
is it SO important a matter? You
look quite grave"
He heSitates no longer.
L dINdSS pISlS116u IIS Wu1le lOS6,
but this time l think shall choose the
red. There seems to be more life in
them"
Edith takes it out, and smiling into
/ his face, pins it on his coat.
And that same evening Harry Vane,
a hundred miles away, takes Violet
Page TO the opera; and as he handed
her into the carriage to come home,
Niolet gives a little frightened scream
and cries
20! Harry, l have lost my ring.
Help he TO find it. 1t was always a
little too large, and it has dropped
off,
Search s made for it but it is useless
and they have to go home without it.
Ii IS advertised for a week, but at last
Violet with a very troubled heart
gives it up in despair and writes to
Frank about it; for it is her diamond
engagement ring and his and her
initials are engraved inside.
Don after this Harry Vane calls to
see Violet. and finds her IN tears. She
has been sad Of late and he has Sis.
pected that Frank IS the cause. To.
night she can bear it no longer. Harry
Nane is her old friend. She knows She
can Il him. SO in answer to his
troubled inquiry she replies sadly
Yes. it is Frank. His letters art
50 different. so short and not So kind
It seems as If he forced himself Il