Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-09

bows, and a satin bodice all rucks who
seemed as partnerless as herself, and
who, being much younger, felt it far
more keenly. Susan always talked to
sny girls who happened to be dull and
lonely. She remembered a time when
she had been much too shy to venture
to bring out her drawing block and
make covert sketches, as she did now.
with a cleverness that made a look at
q sort Of pictorial diary she kept a
much-prized privilege among her
friends
Rather slow work, looking on, .
hazarded Susan, whose keen eyes were
on the perpetual watch for anyone al
all like Peroline's rapturing description
Of Captain BridgenoTth. He isn't so
very good looking, perhaps, but he las
something quite, quite different from
other men, about him"
She Of the red elbows looked sur
priseG, but grateful, as she replied:
4 think it is horrible. Every time
go out it is just the same. and vet |
always want to come; seem to fancy
C4AGbI II " III 1CClIlS NC 14CC DIT last.
Il used to think that. too" said
Susan, cheerfuIly, but it is a mistake.
Home is the best place for some Of us
Then why are you here? You must
be Older than I am, and yet you still go
to balls
Thirty, last March, put in Susan,
coolly, but I had TO come; my youngest
sister is in disgrace, and I was sent III
her place. However, I contriye to
amuse myself. Look She took out
her sketch book aud showed a little
caricature, mo 49, perfectly dressed
youth bowling before an ugly little
woman.
That's my only prospect for part
her for the night. He did his duty like
a Britcn, but I think he will contrfve
to be at the oyster bar about the time
l am due" Susan smiled as she spoke.
Il know it's wrong" said the other
girl hesitatingly, 'but, oh, do feel so
dreadful jealous of pretty people. Look
at that girl by the door with the blue
velvet bow in her hair her mother is
very ill., dying, they say, and yet she is
mere"
She was young, only about Is, and
was taking the harsh inevitable very
hardly. Susan had learned her own
lesson quickly and with serenity.
Take my advice, she said, cheer
fully, don't come to balls unless you
are obliged to. The little pin pricks
one has hurt, know. But if you are
compelled to do it, make the best of it
try to enjoy the flowers and the music. -
well, I call you downright wonder
/ full, and if there were more girls like
you [ shouldn't mind things half as
much
She did not specialize the things she
meant. But Susan was not attending
she was staring with all Ter might at
short man with a fair mustache and
an eyeglass. In his buttonhole here
: was an orchid, which might have been
a blossom plucked from the spray she
wore upon her badly hanging lace Der
tina She rushed to a prompt, and as
| it happened a correct conclusion. The
orchid was so peculiar. No one else
/ ndu dDS lIllIS 1lhS H. olIII, IIlS SOll
] clusion was something of blow to her.
He wa: looking about and inspecting
tie various couples curiOusly, but evil
IDENTIFY failed to find the object of his
search. Susan and her friend We're
! partly hidden by a screen, and with a
! few rapid touches she sketched him as
he stood. A healthy, ordinary young
Englishman, quite commonplace, and
with no special characteristic beyond
an attractive soldierly alertness. 1t
was a very good likeness, for he kindly
gave her ten minutes in which to do it
Her companion watched her pencil
admiringly.
you have made him rather better
| looking that he is" she commented.
Susan laughed softly. THAT is be
! cause his portrait is t0 be a present tC
somebody who thinks Captain Anthony
Bridgenorth is different from everyone
else in the world, but can't see it my
self, so I have had to imagine little
But how white you look. Do you fee
faint or ilI?"
. 81 hardly know. I am a little giddy
I suppose it is the neat, or the flowers
OF something"
Susan looked positively pleased. SHE
had formed a bold scheme, and found
an unconscious coadjutor ready al
hand
II will go AMI get some water fol
you. Just lie back on the cushions
robod1r pop coo Won bChiDd tho Soraor, ,
The fact was, Susan had decided CT
a little experiment. For two months
she bad heard of Anthony Bridgenortf
as a quite peerless person At last she
too, had made hero Of him, so thai
this ordinary young man came as I
revelation Yet she was certain that
it was he. The question to be decided
was whether he was worthy of Pero-
lines tears. Straws show the drift OF
the wind The fashion in which he
treated this little emergency would b.
a good gauge Of deeper matters. TC
play preux chevalier to Peroline in The
graceful languor of an indispositior
that would be certain to become her az
everything else did, was quite another
matter to squirting two such damsels
as herself and her protege. She walked
up to him quite simply and said, with
out preamble, and in the quiet one oil
an old acquaintance:
/ "Oh, Captain Bridgerorth, my friend
! is unwell I wonder if you would mind
fetching her a glass of iced water?"
IT was q hold c+ i-0lya b11+ If cI1ccpnded