Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-09-23

was evidently true Britisher, decisive
in his opinions, and frank enough to
| declare them openly. Yes" he said,
: CURLY, madame, as you call her,
should have been here"
/ THE little angel did not once ask
| for her." murmured Assunta
/ "Truei" he answered. And again
there was silence. We stood round the
small bed, looking at the empty casket
that had held the lost jewel-the flaw
| less pearl Of innocent childhood that
had gone, according to a graceful SUI
perstition, to ornament the festal
robes Of the Madonna as she walked
in all her majesty through heaven. A
profound grief was at my heart
mingled with a sense of mysterious
and awful satisfaction / felt. not as
though / had lost my child, but had
| rather gained her to be more entirely
mine than ever. She seemed nearer to
me dead than she had been when Hv-
ing. Who could say what her future
might have been? She would have
grown to woTanhood-what then?
What is The usual fate that falls To
even the best women? Sorrow. pain.
anu petty worry, unsatisfed longings.
lncornpleted aims, the disa prominent
OF an imperfect aid fettered life-for
say what you will to the contrary
woman's inferiority to man. her phvs-
lcal weakness, her inability to accom-
plish any great thing for the welfare
Of the world in which she lives. will
always make heI more or less an object
Of pity. If good, she needs all the
tenderness, support, and chivalrous
guidance Of her master. man-if bad
she merits what she receives. his piti-
less dlsGain and measureless CONTEMPT.
From all dangers and griefs of the
kind my Stella had escaped-for her
sorrow no longer existed. [ was glad
of it, [ thought, as l watched Assunta
shutting the blinds close as a signal
to outsiders that death was in the
house. At sign from the doctor ! |
followed him out of the room-on the |
stairs, he turned round abruptly. and |
asked:
will you tell the countess?"
I would rather be excused" I re-
piled, decisi1 ely. Il am not at all in |
the humor for q scene"
you think she will make a scene?" |
he said with an astonished uplifting
Of his eyebrows. 81 dare say you are
right though! She is an excellent act
ross.
BY this time we had reached the |
foot Of the stairs.
"She is very beautiful I answered |
evasively
'Oh, very! No doubt of that" And |
here strange frCWn contracted the |
doctors brow. For my own taste. I |
prefer an ugly woman to such beautv.'
II with these words he left me- |
disappearing down the passage which |
led to "madama's" boudoir. Left |
alone, I paced UP and down the draw
ing-room, gazing abstractedly on it's |
costly fittings, its many luxurious |
knicknacks and elogancies-most of |
which | had given to my wife during |
the first few months of our marriage.
By and by L heard the sound of vio- |
lent hysterical sobbing, accompanied |
by the noise of hurrying footsteps and |
the rapid whisking about of female
garments In few moments the doc
tor entered with an expression of sar-
donic amusement on his face Yes"
he said in reply to my look of inquiry,
mysteries, lace handkerchiefs, eau-de- |
Cologne. and attempts at fainting. All
very we'll done! / have assured the |
lady there is no fear of contagion, as
under my orders everything will be
thoroughly disinfected. I shall go
now Oh, by the way, the countess re-
quests that you will wait here a few
mInutes-she has a message for you =
she will not detain you long-I should |
recommend you to get back to your
hotel as soon as you can, and take
some good wine. A rivederci, Any
thing [ can do for you pray command |
mel"
ITO Be Continued