Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-10-14
Why pOt2 What 40 Won me an

How can you ask" l said. "Bu1
L Will be frank as well. If it had not
| been for You and Sir George l should
have married Tom. I loved him. l
have always loved him. l should not
have minded so much the busting and
COOKING and, III time, l might have
| learned to make my own dresses, but
when / thought OF last years hats, and
| those dreadful bills. thought l should
never be able tC bear it, I'D l told him
| it was to be all over between US. And
now | know that what Lydia told me
about his having only 5000 a year was
nonsense after all. 1t is too late now!
and We might have been SO happy!"
We have never discussed money
matters, Nora, SO l don't see why
said mamma in constrained tones.
But l may as well tell you now that
your father, before he died, settled a
sum OF money on you, 50 that in the
event OF your marrying you Will always
have some few hundl eds = year OF
your own. Besides, l should most
certainly not have given my consent
| if Tom had not proved to me that he
was very well able to support wife.
You need not have feared anything
on the score of poverty.
oh, think | shall go mad!" | cried.
Why, mamma, you know that it is be-
cause of Sir George"
Mora, mamma interrupted, looking
grieved and annoyed, Il really don't
see that my marriage with Sir George
can make any difference to you!"
Your marriage!" gasped. Your
MARRIAGE"
You need not speak of it in that
manner, Nora" said mamma. why
did you tell me that you approved of it,
| if you did not? And L really thought
that you were pleased to hear was
engaged to Sir George
You engaged to Sir Georgel" l
echoed il amazement. Then suddenly
the truth flashed upon me-
oh, mamma cried, falling on my
knees beside her and clasping her
hands, forgive ne, forgive me! Oh,
how vain and silly | have been! 1t
never entered my head that you would
marry again. LYDIA declared that Sir
George was in love with me, and was
Ounce enough tC believe it! When he
came here to see you l thought it was
for me! When you told me the other
night that he had called, l thought it
was to ask if he might marry me!
When | saw him in the drawing-rOOm
| thought that he believed himself to
be engaged to me! Oh, how abOmin-
ably rude he must have thought me!
l never congratulated hlm!'
Nora" said mamma, in faint
voice, 'you-you would have married
him, then, if"
mo, MOI" l cried, interrupting her.
Never! never! never! 1 intended to
tell him when he came today, that there
could never be anything but friend
ship between us. Oh, mamma, how
horrid and mean and selfish l must
have seemed to you!"
1T was very natural that you might
at first dislike the idea of having
step-father,' said mamma
"Oh, noi' l exclaimed, joyfully, sit
will be very, very nice. | have always
respected and liked Sir George" and
| flung my arms around mamma and
kissed her on either cheek.
You don't think Sir George guessed
anything, do you?'' l asked anxiously.
I'm perfectly certain he didn't, my
| dear" said mamma reassuringly.
do you think Tom will ever forgive
me?" | asked
"Of course he WILL" replied mamma,
consolingly. 81 should not be surprised
| if he were to come in this evening
and tell you SOL
And he did-NeW York Herald.