Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-06-10

oOA1C SCdtS.
81 am rather tired" said, taking his
offered arm. ''It is pity London draw
ing rooms are so small. One can never
manage sufficient seats, find
Il think your spirits. will wear out your
body, he said; "you bear excitement bad
ly. You enjoy it, perhaps; yes gravely,
Il think you do enjoy it. But you are
not like yourself in the least"
II WISH" l said pettishly, "you would
not watch me so. l have told you before
it is no business of yours what l do, how
/ look Or"
COR whether you kill yourself or not
he added. "No, you are right; it is no
business of mine; only | can't help Won
dering why any one who is as happy as
you say you are, should throw herself
heart and soul into a whirl of dissipation
with the energy you display, and not the
strength"
'Of course" I said with a little laugh,
"my mirth is a false and hollow thing,
and II am only giddy butterfly OF
fashion. This is a new sensation Tor me
the trying to be a social success.
'It would suit you BETTER he said, to
be only domestic one"
Perhaps" I said, sit would; but
laughing again, "the one is very brilliant,
and the other very Slow
AS | said these words, Sir Ralph en-
tered the supper room with one of his fav-
orite tlowagers. I think he heard them
| am almost sure he heard them, and
the fact that he had done so sent the blood
in hot tide to my face.
LET us CO." l said abruptly; Il must
look after my guests upstairs
He gave me his arm. We passed Sir
Ralph I saw the stern look i'll his eyes,
and my heart sank within me. What Ill
fate always brought him across my path
at the most compromising moment?
The evening came to an end at last
the rooms were empty. Nettie, and Sir
Ralph fingered few moments and dis
cussed lightly the various occurrences.
/ made a move at last.
II am very tired" l said, land 1t is
Sunday morning You," looking at Sir
Ralph, who was leaning against the man
telpiece, ''you, l suppose, are going to
have a smoker
YES" he answered; Eat least such is
my desire
'That,' l said lightly, as glanced back
at him over my shoulder, sounds alarm
ingly like a bit of the Church Catechlsm
or the Marriage Service. But perhaps
you thought it appropriate to the hour and
day"
The staircase faced the door. AS l
reached it, l could see his face reflected
in the glass by which he stood. l no.
ticed how panied and sad it looked, and
felt somehow as if my jesting words had
Jared upon him. AS / stood there an in
slant caught glimpse of another face
looking back at me. With sudden pang
of wonder I saw it was my own.
The hue of my dress was not whittier
than that colorless reflection; the gleam-
ing satin that trailed behind me made the
against its snowy hues.
l turned quickly away.
''Do really look like that?' thought,
with a little pang of alarm. mo wonder
Yorke warned me"
care you too tired to listen to something
I have to say?" asked Nettie, following
me into my room few moments later.
had sunk down into large easy chair
by the fire. l felt utterly tired out.
''It is so strange she said, and half
shyly nestled her head against my knee.
I'll hardly believe it yet, only that |
am so happy. Joan, can't you guess?'
My heart seemed to stand still for mo-
ment IN sheer surprise / bent down and
raised her head.
as it about Yorker I cried breathless-
ly.
Eyes" she said, the shy, brilliant color
flushing from brow to chin. He has
spoken"
| was too utterly amazed to answer a
word. At last found breath and speech,
and, / fear, Indignation.
DO you mean to say l cried, "that
he has proposed-actually proposed"
'sOh," said Nettie, raising her head and
laughing softly, chow prosaically you put
it. l don't believe a man ever does really
propose. He just drifts on, and says
something-a word, even a look is enough;
and then-why, then, you know it is all
right
"And So" said stupidity, "you know it
is all right?"
Eyes. of course do. l suppose it will
be long engagement, because he has
not even been called yet, and there are all
those dinners to eat. STILL, with that
little happy laugh, 4 don't mind waiting
any time, however long, and so 1 told
him. Oh, have been longing to tell you
about it all the evening! You-you did
not guess, supposeE
NO" l answered in a dull, heavy tone;
Il certainly did not guess. When-when
was it,"
1T was before he took you down into
the supper room," she said, turning her
eyes upon the fire once more, and smiling
in her soft content. "Oh Joan, 1 am so
happy"
"Of course you are l answered, trying
to galvanize my voice into similar jubi-
liant tones; ''and so am l. and so will be
Sir Ralph, and-and everybody. Really
nothing could have turned out better for
for all parties"
Il knew you would be pleased" she
said softly; Il told him so. l said it had
been your great wish-that you were so
happy in your .own married life, you al
ways were wishing me to be the same