Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-01

is sure to be her own natural, charm
| ing SELF
/ / laughed at the squire's policy; We
when the day Of the picnic came l n
! most wished it had not succeeded $
we'll. Never had Bea tIice Stuar
looked more lovely. She was ole o
those women who, without appearin:
to give much time or attention to TIT
business of the toilet. are nevertheless.
always perfectly and exquisitel7
dressed. Her little gloves and shoe.
alone We're a study as she stood tina
morning waiting for the carriage.
1t was late when We arrived at Burn
ham Woods; a large party was already
assembled. No sooner had Lady Den
ton welcomed Beatrice Stuart than she
turned and begged to be allowed II
introduce her to 4 man standing by
Lord Hardley.
He could not have bowed more
deferentially had she been a princess
Her beautiful face flushed as she noted
the keen glance of admiration that lie
could not Disguise
i went to a distance and watched
them; and [ could not but own to my
self that the summer sun rarelE shone
upon a fairer picture. l felt no envy:
perfect love knows nothing mean or
ungenerous-a my love for Beatrice
was perfect. If my life could have
made her any happier, l would have
devoted it to her. l thought of her.
not of myself.
AS the dong, bright summer day wore
on, there were many smiling comments
upon Lord Hardley's attention to the
beautiful queen of the fete. 1, who
understood SO well what love meant.
hardly knew whether l liked his
face. 1t was handsome, in a cold,
patrician way; but it seemed to me
that the lips which smiled so sweetly
could be stern and cruel, even as the
courteous, polished man of the world
could be selfish and mean. Love
sharpened my instincts, but it did not
blind my Judgment.
1t was a day of triumph to Beatrice
Stuart. Many smiled at the young
lords devotion. She did not seem
much elated over it, but the squire
was almost beside himself with de-
light.
After the picnic, Lord Hardley Wis
tied continually at Arne, rarely a day
passing without his making a pretense
for calling. / was not much surprised
to hear at length that he had asked
Hugh Stuart's permission to woo his
niece
That summer the enga cement be-
tween Lord Hardley and the heiresS
of Arne was made public. / could not
tell whether Beatrice was happy. The
fair, proud face never lost it's calm
she accepted Lord Hardley's attentions
with dignified compOsure and easy
grace that satisfied her uncle Often
and often l looked at her as the young
man, bending over her chair. whis-
pered compliments and pretty fiat
teries. Sometimes a half-amused smile
parted her lips; sometimes again an
expression of WEAKNESS stole into her
dark, dreamy eyes; but of love or ten
derness / saw naught.
I wonder now that one thing did not
strike me at the time as strange. She
would never discuss her future pros
poets with me or before me- If by any
chance 1 asked question, she
evaded it by saying:
Let me have perfect rest with YOU,
Paul. L hear enough of the future
from others
The more | watched Beatrice Stu
art, the surer / felt of two things
either she loved well and not wisely,
or she had never loved at ALL
Lord Hardley seemed quite satisfied
with the proud composure Of his be
trothed wife; and, if he We're content,
who need complain.
One morning-the scene will new er
pass from my miud-Beatrice ex-
pressed a wish to go upon the lake.
at is morning to make one long
for the WATER she said. Paul, if you
are not busy, come with us, and, Alan,
bring a book to read"
He murmured in . low tone that he
preferred the living picture before him
to any book; but she made no reply.
1t was a bright morning toward the
end of August; the blue sky was
cloudless, the breeze laden with per-
flne. the bees winged their busy way
amongst the flowers, the birds sung
from the trees. There was a slight
ripple On the broad bosom of the lake,
which was bordered by trees, il some
places the branches Cverhanging the
water. We entered the boat-Bea-
trice, Lord Hardley and myself. His
lordship either could not or would not
row; he did not offer to take an oar.
Read the Lotus-EaterS, - said Bea-
trice. This is a morning to sit and
dream; no one could work
And lis he read, she listened, a
dreamy far away look upon her beau
tiful face
[ noticed at the time that She kept
one hand in the water, as though its
GOODNESS We're pleasant to her. On hel
wrist was, as usual, a gold bracelet
containing a portrait of her fair young
mother, dead so many years before
Beatrice Stuart treasured this bracelet
l never saw her without it. No mat
ter how superbly she was dressed, o.
what other ornaments she Wore. The
plain gold bracelet was never forgot
ten. We were in the middle of the
lake, where the water was deepest