Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-03-11

1
| life and hustle around her to spare z
thought for anything else.
| Mabel had been on the river Otter
! enough, but Henley was new to hel
and when the full brilliancy OF the
| scene became clear to her dazzled eyes
she could only gasp out her 7, easure.
ooh, it is lovely! did not think any
thing could be so bright IN this grey
England of ours" she exclaimed.
"All England is not Brixton,' re
piled Bulwer lightly. II hope we
shall see many scenes as bright as this
together and as he spoke a light
! flashed into his eyes as he bent them
upon her, and Mabel's heart tremblo
with pleasure. She thought that at
last he was going to ask her to share
his lot in future, and remained dis
creetly silent. But Bulwer made no
further remark, and, settling to work
with the sculls, padded the boat down
the stream.
Presently he broke the silence ag- in.
You will find the people we ;age
staying with very different from the
Brixtonians, Mabel" he said. cit, wi l
be quite a new experience of life for
you He seemed somewhat at a loss
to explain his meaning in reply to the
girls questions as to where the differ
ence lay.
els Mrs Wallis very clever wo-
MANI" asked Mabel, referring to the
hostess she was about to meet.
."NO-oh, no." replied Bulwer.
Clever, of course, but nothing eXcep-
tional, you know She is just like the
rest Of them, and you must prepare
to be shocked little. You see in BriX-
ton people take such narrow views Of
life Men and women of the world are
accustomed to take a much broader
outlook upon thing"
what things?" demanded the girl.
Things generally, you know re-
piled Bulwer, vaguely.
Mabel began to wonder a little.
She wondered still more during the
next two Or three days she spent on
boat the hOuse-boat Irene" and
something very much like dtstrust be-
gan to take possession Of her. In two
days her experience of the manners
and customs Of the socie,y to which
Bulwer had introduced her led her to
some very curious conclusions. She
decided that the ladies consumed more
champagne than was good for their
health, and she found that brandy and
soda wae invariably the thing to drink
IN r,lu TonrYrincr Che 1aaT1o n1
that it was correct to address the most
casual male acquaintance as "de2r
boy" and to refer to a lord otherwise
than by his Christian name was to
confess oneself outside the pale Of
civilization. She learned, too, that
the only subjects upon which a society
lady could converse with any degree
Of fuency were upon mites theatre
cal or sporting, and that when deeply
interested in either Of these questions,
her language had an adjectival facility
which was somewhat alarming to
mere BriXtOnian.
Still, Regineld was very ate tive
and laughed away Mabels scrupels.
She had very little time to think, eithe..
Each day was full Of incident, and in
one continual whirl Of light and life,
seemed to end before it had well be-
gun. Before breakfast had finishd it
was time 10 take the punt and make
their way to a point Of vantage on the
course. Scarcely an hour seemed to
pass, and it was time to return to
lunch. Then the punt again, tea at
another house-boat, and finally a diff
down the river and a reposeful half
hour in the backwater before Hamb,e-
don Lock before dinner. After din
ner, gossip and music, without and
within, filled the evening, until eyes
refused to remain open any longer.
That was the order Of things urtil the
last day of regatta.
Meanwhile Tim Todd had been go
ing disconsolately about his business
in town. At first he had determined
TO remain away from Henley altogeth-
er; but, as each day passed, he repented
of his intention, anC at last, on the
morning of the last day, he donned
his tlannels, and followed the rest OF
the pleasure-seekers. At least he
Tould be able to get a glimpse of the
s,irl who had thrown him over. He
did not bear her any ill-will; there was
not a practice of malice in the whole
Of his body. If she seemed happy,
we'll, he would bear it as best he
might, and take up loyalty the position
of friend, if he were allowed to do so.
In spite, however, Of the fine day and
the life and movement, Tim Todd felt
the reverse Of happy. The general
gayety only increased his gloom. He
was outside it all, and, to crown ev-
erything, he did not catch g impse
Of Mabel. So at length, wearying OF
the babble of laughter and muse, he
got out his SOULS anG left the course
behind, determined to find some
secluded spot where he might rest and
brood over his lost happiness.
The quiet spot was more difficult to
find than he had anticipated. Every
sheltered corner had its boat and its
pair of lovers. 1t IVES very tantalizing
to Tim, in his particular mood. He
went, on, however, pulling doggedly
he reached at last little backwateT
which promised retirement. and there
he pulled his boat in under the sh de
Of a tree, and made it fast to one of its
! branches. He was not undisturbed
for long, however, for within half en-
hour a second boat pushed in within
a few yards of him; and though the
| leafy screen prevented him from seeing