Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-08-05

love betray you and forsake You. May
your heart be broken even as mine has
been, may your bridal bed be left
deserted!-may your children wither
and pine from their hour of birth!
Sorrow track you to the grave!-may
your death be lingering and horrible!
God be my witness and fulfill my
words!"
And, raising her arms with wild GEES
ture, she turned and left the house.
The spell of stupefed silence was
broken with her disappearance. Old
Guldmar prepared to rush after her
and force her to retract her evil
speech, -Errington was furious and
Britta cried bitterly. The lazy Lori
mer was excited and annoyed.
Fetch her back" he said, and
I'll dance upon her!'
But Thelma stood where the old wo-
man had left her--she smiled family,
hut she was very pale. Errington ap-
preached her,-she turned to him and
stretched out her hands with little
appealing gesture.
MY friend" she said softly, do
you think | deserve so many curses?
Is there something about me that is
evil?"
What Errington would have answer
ed is doubtful,-his heart beat wildly
he longed to draw those little hands
in his own, and cover them with pas
Sionate kisses.-but he was intercept
ed by old Guldmar, who caught his
! daughter in his arms and Rugged her
closely, his silvery beard mingling
with the gold of her ripping hair.
Never fear wicked tongue, my
Bird" said the old man fondly.
There is naught OF harm that would
touch thee either on earth or in hea-
Nen.-and a foulmouthed curse must
roll off thy soul IKE water from a
doves wing! Cheer thee, my darling
cheer thee! What! Thine own creed
teaches thee that the gentle Mother of
Christ, with her little white angels
round her. watches over all innocent
maids, and thinkest thou she will
let an old woman's malice and envy
blight thy young days? No, no! Thou
aCcursed?" And the bonde laughed
loudly to hide the tears that moistened
his keen eyes. Thou art the sweet
est blessing of my heart. even as thy
mother was before thee! Come, come!
Raise thy pretty head-here are these
merry lads growing long-faced, and
Britta is weeping enough salt water to
fill a bucket! One of thy smiles will
ser us all right again, -ay, there now!"
AS she looked up and, meeting
Philips eloquent eyes, blushed, and
withdrew herself gently from her
fathers arms,-"Let us finish our sup
FER and think no more of yonder vii
famous old hag-she is crczy, ]. be-
lieve, and knows not what she says
half her time. Now, Britta. cease thy
grunting and sighing-'twill spoil thy
face and will not mend the hole in
thy grandmother's brain"
Wicked, spiteful, ugly old thing!"
sobbed Britta; I'll never, never, never
forgive her!" Then, running to
Thelma, she caught her hand and
kissed it affection&tely "Oh, my
dear my head, To think she should
have cursed you, what dreadful, dread
full wickedness! OH" and Britta
looked volumes Of wrath Il could
have beaten her black and blue!"
Her vicious eagerness was almost
comic-every one laughed, including
Thelma, though she pressed the hand
of her little servant very warmly.
"Oh fie!" said Lorimer seriously.
Little girls mustn't whip their
grandmothers; it's specially forbidden
in the Prayerbook isn't it, Phil?"
I'm sure don't know" replied Err
rington merrily. II believe there is
something to the effect that man
may not marry his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
faps that is what you mean?"
"Ah. no doubt" murmured Lorimer
languidly, as, with the others, her re-
sumed his seat at the supper table II
knew there was a special mandate
respecting ones particularly venerable
relations with a view to self-guidance
in case they should prove troublesome,
like Britta's good grandmamma
What frightfully picturesque mouth
ing old lady she isl"
She is la petroleuse of Norway"
exclaimed Duprez "She would make
an admirable dancer in the Carmag-
role!"
Macfarlane, who had preserved a
discreet silence throughout the whole
scene, here looked up.
"She'e just screech-owl o'mistaken
piety," he said. She minds me o. a
glowerin' auld ~arlock of an aunt
O. mine in Glasgie, wha sits in her
chair a. day wi ae finger On the
Bible. She says she's gaun straight to
heaven by special invitation O. the
Lord. leavin' a her blood relations
howlIn' vainly after her from their
roastin' fires down below Ma certes.
she'll give we good rtrsin' curse IL
ye like, She's cursed me ever since |
can remember her.--cursed me in and
out from sunrise to sunset,-but I'm
no the worse fort as yet,-an' it's
dootful whether she's any the better. :