Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-01-09


velvet, made by the girls own deft
fingers, In spite of the plainness Of her
attire she locked bright ard joyous and
every inch lady, n'u '.a @h&1' -
will do" she said, s&nctly, as Ted
buttoned heI gloves teR,h,r. '.-
of course, you will do" he said.7
But oh, Bessie. l wish l were rich
man, SO that could give you all sorts
of fal-lal and dainty dresses and--well,
everything woman's heart could de-
sire in the way of tinery."
My heart does not desire any more
than il has got" responded Bessie. 1T
las got your love, and that is all it
wants"
But as they cheerily walked along
the roads, Bessie every now and then
the hedges bursting into tender green
buds, Ted went back to the original
subject.
Il have been !ndulging in day
dreams ever since last night" he said,
Just thinking what you and l would
wv IL htiu NV bSSll NNS Nll'NSh W
lose my money"
IF you had not lost your money"
answered Bessie, getting very pale, but
speaking bravely, you would not have
had me- for what chance should have
had against Maud?"
Don't speak about that" he said,
passionately; for the good God be
thanked, recovered my senses in time.
even though | lost my fortune. But
still. Bessie, strange though it may
seem, when l want to be happy, think
| have all my money back again and
plan what lovely things l will buy
for you; till | remember it is all
day-dream.'
Bessie was not very surprised She
had often heard her lover bewail the
mad impetuosity which had prompted
him risking the whole of his fortune
r what had proved so disastrous
speculation.
If it had not been my blind folly"
he was wont to declare, eve could have
been married by now. do not care
for myself; it is for you | lament"
But Bessie would only laugh at these
repinings in her cheerful, practical
manner and would make jokes about
her unftness to be millionaires wife,
till Ted laughed with her out of pure
sympathy.
Il say, Bess" he said, presently
shouldn't we feel important person
ages if we were going up to buy the
grange for ourselves? Wouldn't there
be a fuss made about u.s."
Yes" answered Bessie, with her
goodnatured cynicism, and an irrepres-
sible laugh of enjoyment. Il guess we
should not be walking, Ted. Aunt would
have insisted upon us having the Ian
dau and pair, with James and the
rreproachable John in attendance. And
who knows, she and Maud might have
inflicted themselves upon us and made
all sorts of impossible suggestions"
And what would you have been
wearing?" inquired Ted, with a bright
smile.
"Oh, should have been beautifully
gowned," said Bessie, falling in at once
with her lovers mood. Il should be
wearing a dress that | have sighed for
for years; a sapphire-blue cloth, made
by Redfern, and trimmed with real
silver fox; and would have a black
picture hat with pale pink roses nestled
on my nair and on the top should be
plume of black ostrich feathers, fast
ened with a real diamond buckle"
Anything else?" asked Ted. Per
haps, Miss Extravaganza, when you get
to the grange you will tell me how you
would like it furnished"
"All right" she responded, gayly;
but mind, the grange won't look bit
prettier than our little home will"
"Of course it won't" he rejoined
heartily; for don't suppose there will
be so much love in the mansion as
there will be in the cottage"
After brisk two miles walk they
neared the massive gates which led in
to the thickly wooded park of the
grange. The house itself was the very
beaI ideal of a gentleman,s residence.
1t was long, rambling, gIayStone
mansion, the long French windows
opening out onto a well-kept lawn.
When Bessie stepped into the magnl-
ficent entrance hall she gave cry OF
astonished delight "Oh, it is superb,
she said; and indeed, she spoke truly;
for the grange had been built for
Manchester millionaire, who had sp Mt
a huge fortune over Jus decoration.
During his lifetime it had Dcen quite
a show place and it was owing to his
death that 1t was in the market.
From room TO room the young people
wandered; Bessie exhausting, 50 she de-
clared, all her vocabulary of admiring
adjectiyes. There was the large din
ing-room, opening out into the most
charming of Conservatives. Then there
we're the state drawing rooms leading
into more Conservatives; a wonderful
ballroom and picture gallery, as well
as a billiard-room, library, morning
rooms, boudoir and number Of other
apartments.
We'll" said Bessie, her eyes round