Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-01-02

flushed warmly when she saw him
and she felt so weak and shaky that
she submitted to be petted and waited
upon with very good grace, Truth
TO tell she was pleased and touched
by the affectionate greeting she had
received. The children were bolster
Gus in their welcome, Maud had
opened her heart and made her pres
ent of becoming dressing gown and
her aunt, with an unusual amount Of
consideration. had sent her up par
ticularly cozy easy-chair. while Ted
had been ruinously eXtravagant, as
she told him with a sweet shy smile
for he had decorated the room with
roses.
"Oh, what lovely flowers" she had
exclaimed, as she entered the room
and had buried her little nose in the
fragrant blooms, heaving great sigh
of satisfaction. "Oh, they are really
too lovely"
Aren't they perfect?" cried Ida
who was frisking about with the live
Hest satisfaction. Cousin Ted
brought them for you and l have
helped him to arrange them"
Ted thought he had never seen any
thing prettier than Bessie's blushing
look of delight.
What a fool he had been, he con-
fessed to himself, moi to have seen be-
fore what a charming little creature
she was. But somehow she looked so
different. The Bessie he had always
known was generally gowned in a
plain, rough but serviceable gown OF
blue serge. She was always extremely
practical, very busy and aggressively
energetic; but this pale, thin, pretty
little apparition in crimson dressing
gown with a fetching collar and cuffs
of ecru lace, relieved with couquetish
adjustments of crimson ribbon, who
was so languid that she could only
nestle her curly head among a mass
of cushions and smile serenely when
,ea was offered to her, was quite,
quite a different Bessie.
Ted looked at her In amazement and
while her thin, little hanos We're
TREMENDOUSLY pinning bunch of roses
in her gown, he fell y mad desire to
take her in his arms and kiss her.
She certainly was not half so lovely
as her cousin Maud, but how much
more womanly cuddleable and APP
proaChahle she seemed.
Bessie, as | have remarked. gently
scolded her cousin for his eXtrava-
But she allowed him 80 wait upon her;
and he felt an unaccountable pleasure
in trying to coax her fastiulous APP
petite.
From then Ted and Bessie's friend
ship seemed to undergo a new lease
of life.
DO you know, Ted" she said to
him one night, while he was admir-
ingly watching her busy fingers knit
ting, don't be offended with me, |
am so pleased you are not rich man.
When | thought you were millionaire
l was awfully frightened of you. was
afraid that you would misunderstood
any little advances | made toward
friendship and that you would erron-
eously think it was your position was
counting and not you. | don't mean
that exactly" she said, turning a vivid
scarlet, under his ardent glance, 81
meant mean
Don't try to explain" he said, hold
ing her hands with grave affection.
You are not half so grateful for me
being a poor man as | am. You do
not know, little girl, what poverty has
taught me, for here in the old country
it is looked upon so differently to what
it is in Africa. Here, it is the one
disgrace that can never be forgiven
there it is misfortune that can be east
ly retrieved. But | want to say some
thing to you, Bessie. | want you to
take your own bedroom back; it was
a shame, you poor little soul, even to
have been turned out for me"
II did resent it at first" she said,
with truthful frankness, which was
one of her principal charms; but now
l would not go back into the room
for worlds. Why, Ted, l should almost
hate it," And this was all that she
ever said on the subject.
There is an old saying that it is
very easy to catch a heart in the re-
bound and Bessie experienced the truth
of this adage. For Ted, after the rev.
citation of his position, effaced himself
not only from the stately dining-room,
but had, moreover, steadfastly declined
to take any part in any of the balls or
parties which were being constantly
held in the lavish household. When he
was not writing (for he seemed to have
an awful amount to do, as he said he
had business to transact for Mr.. Dem
NAM he was always with Bessie, talk
ing to her in the nursery, reading to
her while she was sewing, and her un-
failing companion in her daily walks.
1t was impossible to be long in her
society without approaching her at her
true worth-her loving, generous, i'm
pulsiye nature; her gratitude and self
abnegation. Now that the glamour
~ Ct uuou him hy Afaud'S fair heaIIty