The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-10-27


at o'clock to pick her up on its way
to Rivers meet She wore, with sad
extravagan her very best gown, Il
thin electric cotton that matched the
color of her eyes, and clad in which
she looked her best, and knew it. III
her waist belt she had carefully stow
ed a whole parterre of her aunt's
| choicest carnations; her ut-broWn love
locks were arranged TO perfection be-
Leath the broad brim of her hat.
Too to-to-too-toOt!' the stirring and
| lively call of a horn, the rumble OF
! wheels, the sharp trot of horses hoots,
| the jingling of harness precurSed the
arrival of the Jones' coach, which pres
| entity. loaded with Il boisterous laugh
| ing, happNerew, drew up alongside the
| door of CarnatioL cottage.
/ Neither Lady Jones nor her son was
among the party, but a girl whom
Helen afterward learned to be Patri-
cia Jones, called out, listlessly:
"How do you do:' following the
question by the advice to Get up as
fast as possible for the horses won't
stand.
SO Helen mounted the steps precip-
| itately and squeezed herself into the
small space on the third seat back,
whittier she was directed-a little
abashed at finding herself the one out
! slider among a party OF 1numateS-a
! position seldom enyiabie.
The young man whom Helen had
seen with Mr.. Jones in the boat was
| driving, and by his side on the box seat
| AnastaSia sat. Such attention as he
| could spare from the team, which re-
CURED careful handling over the Devon
roads, she engroSsed.
Once, and once only, Patricia ad-
dressed her silenteguest:
''Fm afraid you have not much room,
Miss Milford. Ny brother said you
would go in the landau with my moth
er, and she forgot all about you and
started all hour ago" Then, turning
to the man next her she went on:
''Bertie drove Lady Lucy in the dog
| cart; she was more than half afraid,
| but he insisted"
'Have they settled it," he asked
with that sort of smile which hlckefs
cnly over one cit.
Miss Jones shrugged her high, broad
shoulders.
BERTHE is like all the rest of you,
| Sir Edwin" she returned, doesn't
know his own mind. The fact is he IS
an unconscious fiirt, though if ore told
him so he would not believe it.
The gentleman addressed murmur2d
some response, at which Patricia's rosy
cheeks grew roster, and to Whl3h size
retorted with gratified smiles.
| Helen was an unSympathetlc ODSerV-
er Of these soft passages; her lips hard-
ened a little. '"They are all making
fools of themselves-every one,o she
| thought, and she plumed herself on
/ 10
Up and down the heaving country
the strong team of hill-trained horses
trotted fast. The air famed a color
into Helen's cheeks and frightened her
ewes. The chaperOn of the party was
a little girl, little older than Helen
herself. whose husband was Helen S
neighbor. and who, before they reach
ed their destination, fell into broken
conversation with her. When they
alighted at Rivers Meet, he elected to
constitute himself her companion, and
though he was heavy, dull, and uni
yersally discontinued, she was COM
peIled to accept his prOffered society,
as it seemed to be a choice between
him as her squire or no one. mus
she spent the greater part Of the time
with him, trying cOnScientiOusly to
amuSe and interest him, but failing
obviously. She received a careless
smile and preoccupied greeting from
her young host. He did not speak to
her: his presence was in great demand.
A girl with q weak, inanimate face,
whom Helen heard addressed as Lady
Lucy. was always by his side, and he
seemed to beStOW some Of that super
fuous energy of his upon the arrange
ment of the picnic, for the servants
were flying to and fro at his behests.
Now this wise young man had read
''the books of Woman's looks" rather
deeply; he knew the feminine weak
ness that desires everything except
that one thing which she possesses,
that values nothing which she owns,
but ever casts a covetOuS eye upon
the unattainable, and so, though with
considerable reluctance, he scrupu-
lousy neglected Helen. The picnic
lousy neglected Helen. The picnic
part of the entertainment was worthy
of it's source-iced drinks with start
ling names; sandwiches cool, curious
and unwholesome; tea, coffee, Sugared
and almonded cakes, bOnbOns, and tea
table accessories beloved of women
were pressed upon the guests by a
troop of servants. No man need stir
a finger on his comrades behalf, and
therefore the men, for once in a way,
enjoyed a picnic.
After tea Helen and her squire were
wandering lazily along the side of the
brawling river, the noise Of which was
an excuse for maintaining silence-so
she automatically suggested, for she
found herself at the utmost tether of
easy discourse-while each was Sc
cretly wondering how soon the call of
the horn would summon them for
their return journey. The gentleman
was grateful to Helen. first for her
fooo (which bn admired cacop6Jxy fo,,