Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-05-14
WAITING.s

We had been staying in Wales for
ever so long-weeks and weeks
awful time it had seemed 70 me, drift
ing aimlessly about. Maud and her
husband-Maud is my sister, by the
way, and newly married-professin
to be almost as much gone on the
scenery as they were on each other.
So you can easily guess what that
meant for poor me until George
Joined us.
The chief, nay, the only, difficulty,
was George. He Gid not quite "catch
on" He was very agreeable and very
nice, but apparently quite satisfied to
enjoy himself with us, and then go
back to work, as he playfully phrased
it, "a giant refreshed" and could not
be got to see that there was anything
more serious in life than aimlessly
frlvoling about.
We had done Snowdon and, really,
what with the electric light and the
crowd and all that, it was not half bad
quite cheerful, you know, and civilized.
Indeed, [ never should have gone with
out.
After that, | think-yes, it was
George suggested our going TO Beth
esda. Not that any of us were at all
interested in states or quarries, only it
was somewhere to go, and an excuse
for drive.
George ordered the carriage and
made all the arrangements. He had
been there before, so knew all about
the show as he said, and we left
everything to him.
Altogether it was so stupid and SO
dull that, but for what Maud called the
off chance" of George, l never could
have stood it as long as I did Though
even that began to look desperate.
Even Maud began to lose heart.
''And yet I don't know how it is.
You are looking your best" and she
eyed me critically, 'and he seems quite
fond of you, in his way"
But there was the hitch His way
was not ours. Apparently he was no
fonder Of me than Of any other girl, or
Of Maud herself.
We saw the men lay down their
tools, and, as though they had been so
many rabbits, disappear into their
holes, and after a few moments of sus-
pense there were several loud eXplO-
siOns, and we were told that the dyna-
nit had done it's level best, or it's best
to level, the place and we were warned
most solmnly that once we were inside
the works-we had only been on the
outer edge then-whenever the whistle
sounded we must get into the nearest
shelter and not come out on any &C
count until after we had heard the
bang"
1t was highly exciting at the first,
but by repetition even danger grew
monotonous and began to pail, and we
strolled on, George and [, and left the
foreman to look after the others as
best he could.
Maud and Fred seem very much at
tached, don't you Think" said George,
as we looked back just before passing
round a curve, and caught sight of
them with their arms around each
others waists, ostensibly listening to
the foreman's improving discourse, but
really, as we knew them from exper-
fence, far, far away"
They are, indeed" answered. with
a sigh that might have meant any
thing from envy to despair, l realized
with a blush, according to the inter
prefer and the interpretations.
And we strolled on again to part OF
the workings rather screened by that
pyramid left standing in the middle.
Il suppose it is not possible for us
: to get lost, ourselves?" | began pres
emily.
BLESS me, nO-yOu mean with this
! Jack-in-t he-box arrangement-O, dear
no. One has only to pop out, and you
can see all over the show; but step in
and-but there's that infer-I mean
that blessed thing again. I suppose we
had better"
ooh, yes; we must really go in. All
the men are off already, and if they dc
it, we are so used to it and knew, we
should be very foolish to risk-See
there's a refuge herer' And we went
inside.
After all, it is rather jolly in here
out of the sun. Beastly hot outside
don't you think? Sightseeing and al
that, it gets to be rather-rather- -"
"A bore, do you mean?" 1 inter
! posed. Doesn't that depend"
! ooh, of course; and I don't think
III n
he lit a cigar. It's the having to see
things, that's the bore. Take you anC
me, for instance. We could have beer
/ just as jolly and far more comfortable
over there at the inn, or, in fact, any
where"
Are you so dreadfully uncomfort
able here?" I asked, dismally.
BY no means; quite otherwise,
assure you-you don't mind my smok
ing, l know-but I've often though
that by far the best way to go sight
seeing would be to leave the sight:
alone"
But does not much depend upor
e's-er-companion I asked, no
more doubtfuIly than 1 felt. I'VE
that is, you"
D.. Il see what you mean. Certainly VT
should be thrown back very much OF
each other; but that's all right, yor
know, with people who are properly
chummy."
do you mean-"
mo, not Maud and Fred. They arr
rTzI-