Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-10-14

| and looked out.
| l could not help feeling sorry for
hlm-he looked SO i'll at ease. l felt
that l had treate him rather badly.
1t is lovely day, isn't it?''
Yes, delightful. And we are friends
AGAIN." said Sir George, looking
around at me with frank smile
of course We are, I replied, laugh
ing nervously.
That $ right he exclaimed, as he
left the window and walked toward
me.
Now i is really coming" l thought
and l felt myself turning the color OF a
peony.
1T is not unusual, | believe, to seal
a compact of friendship with a kiss" he
said. STOPPING suddenly he brushed
my forehead with his mustache.
Oh, | cannot stand this any longer, y
said to myself, as l thought Of Tom
How very stupid of me-" l ex-
claimed. must have dropped my
pocket handkerchief somewhere. If
you'll excuse me a moment, I'll go and
fetch it,
Sir George sprang forward to open
the door for me.
AS l dashed down the passage lead
ing to my room, ran into the arms
Of the housemaid
Now or never." l exclaimed, diving
into my room for my letter to Tom.
| I'm afraid it is rather a horrid letter;
[ wish 1 had written it differently"
reflected. oh, why did l let Lydia
dictate to me? And | can't remember
now what l wrote"
Jane" l said, post this letter for
me at once, please
| gave it to her, and then sat down
and tried to collect my thoughts. |
wondered what l should feel like ii l
were suddenly to hear that Tom was
engaged to be married.
ooh, Tom! What will you think
Of me?" [ exclaimed. No, l can't do
it! 1 can't! 1 will not. l would rather
live and die a penniless old maid
l sprang up and rang the bell. While
[ waited l rubbed with a damp sponge
! the spot on my forehead where Sir
George had kissed me.
Quick, Ross!" | cried to my maid,
| "Quick! Run after Jane and tell her not
to post my letter. Run! run! rum"
| L could scarcely control my impa-
| thence till she returned Come in!
Give it to mel" l exclaimed, as she re-
entered the room.
If you please, miss" said Ross, hes
itatingly, Il am very sorry, but Jane
had already posted it."
| Thank you, Ross; you can go!"
said.
TOO late! Too late," l moaned, de-
| spairingly as I flung myself and sob
| bed among the sofa cushions.
I did not see Sir George again that
day, for, under the pretext Of violent
headache, l kept my room.
| When | awoke next morning my
room was flooded with sunshine, for
had forgotten to pull down the blinds.
What lovely morning." l eXclaim-
ed, joyously. Then suddenly | re-
membered, and with a sinking sensa-
ton at my heart, l fell back among the
pillows.
I'm gaged-engaged! I repeated,
mechanically, trying in vain to fully
comprehend it. Yes, ann engaged to
Sir George Lessingham. | can't back
out of it now. I've told Lydia, and,
of course, every one will know it by
this time. Oh, Tom, will you ever for
give me-?
T no ~ of +J.n
vious day. Il hope we shall be very
happy together. | should like
the marriage to take place soon,,' Sir
George had said
'Oh, well, [ suppose l must make the
best of it," I said. Il snail have
Lydia stay with me very often, of
course, and, as she says, it will be nice
to travel, and [ have never yet been
abroad
had never bestowed such a thought
on the ques ton Of marriage | had al
ways looked upon it as a detail, but an
ESSENTIAL one of a woman's existence
The parents Of the girls in my set all
expected their daughters to exchange
in due time, the title OF miss" fOl
madam" The girl who did not "go
off was regarded as a failure. Mat
rimOny was a natural incident, | con-
sidered, of one's life, but now, when I
fund myself face to face with it
A whole sea of new thoughts and
feelings surged within me; I found
i my courage ebbing strangely. How
pretty my dear ----4e room looked with
it's soft, white hangings and dainty
| knicknacks! Over the mantle piece
were the paintings 1 had done at school.
sighed as I thought of my happy
school days.
For a long time | lay gazing up a
the ceiling, lost in thought. When
got up, had come to a definite resolve
He hasn't sent me the ring yet, and
he would hardly sue me for breach o.
promise. I will do it," And l sa
down and wrote the following letter
My Dearest Tom: l think | have
been mad for the last two or three
days; at any rate, didn't know my
engaged. | do know it now, though
I prefer to die an old maid, and I an
not going to marry SiT George Che ii
coming tomorrow, and I shall tell hin
that l never wild. 1 really don't know
what l was doing when l accepted him
*Gou quite see, don't you,
though l told you that loved you, why
| wouldn't agree to our becoming en-
gagged? We could never afford to marry