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

of wine to drown his thoughts. And
when the squire stood up suddenly
with his champagne glass to toast the
bride-a frozen bride that looked ready
Tor the tomb almost welcomed the
interruption that followed.
To the brider repeated the squire,
glass high in air, and was echoed by a
dreadful laugh.
ITO the devil, you mean; to the
devil, you old villainr said a voice
He gave you money enough to buy a
wife, so toast him deepr'
And there, in the middle of tn
floor, landed by jump through tn
f1ung-up window, was Jack. his clothe
covered with mud anu Satan in hi
eye.
True love poisoned by wounde
vanity, you see, my dears, may slice
drugged for awhile, but the time viii
come when it will fight like tige
for what it feels is its own.
"And this had been the case with
Jack, who was now almost maddene
with thinking over the coming wed
ding.
You young puppy roared tn
squire, didn't 1 tell you not to com
here again?
THAT for your telling! said Jack
diabolically cool; and with the whir
Of a long whip in his hand the squire
uplifted wineglass fell to the floor, Gu
like a flower from the shank!
ell
while we looked on like people in
nightmare.
''The two men seemed suddenly t
turn into raging demons. but from th
very first | could see Jack had the up
per hand.
''He held the squire, squirming an
curSing like q trooper, down in hi
chair as if he had been a child.
Marcy he called out over b:
head, did you write me that letter o
your own account|
"And getting no answer, beyond til
denial of her death white face and
piteous eyes, his rage knew no bound
Your friend, the devil, gave 70
money enough to buy a wife, he KEEP
saying. shaking the squire as a ca
would a mouse; but by heaven it
only over my dead body you'll get her!
Defend yourself, you old rascal,
he yelled, defend yourself, for XII
or not we are one too many on earth
"There were pair of swords crossed
on the wall, slender murlerouS duel
ing swords and tearing them down b
flung one to his uncle and in a mo
ment they were fighting like mad
parrying. thrusting and feinting witt
a dexterity sickening to see.
For the squire, you must under
derstand, was an experienced swords
man; he had pinked his man in hi
time; but fired by love and hate, an
always a good fencer, Jack was
match for him. One moment it wa
he who was doing the parrying; tn
next it was the squire. And present.
as if in a dream, I could see my incl
I and Price, the negro b'ltler, staadin
on chairs and putting out the candle
that were fastened to the antlers o
the deer heads against the walls,
hope that this would stop them.
But it did nothing of the sort l
only made them all the more deter
mined to kill each other. and direct
in the pitch dark, after a moment
cropping cropping that sent an icy chill
to the roots of my hair-their sword
clashed and we knew that the due
was not yet over.
"Margy fell in faint across IN
lap and my uncle began to pray.
''All / could think of was to hop
that Jack would beat, aid with my
heart in my mouth I sat staring at tn
sparks that flew from their swords an
waiting for the end
cat last, after an eternity of time. d
time made up Of appalling silences an
mad. blind loomings together-an
again that hideous cropping there wa
a cry, fall, and when the frightene
negro made a light again, there wa
the squire pinned by Jacks swor
through an ear to the floor and there
outside the window, were Jack an
Marcy clingiDg to each other on tn
same horse, and ready to dash off int
the night
"Well, my dears," said little Mis-
Pepper, in conclusion of her spirite
recital, 'of course they got marie
and lived happy ever after.
"And equally of course the SPUR
melted in time and forgave them. an
tore up the notes he held against m
uncle.
"And to this day, if any of yo-
should 60 to Buck Forest, anybod
there will tell you how Jack Brice wo
his bride on Thanksgiving night