Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-05-06
mory he preferred flirting with Mrs.

ne WdS pulling nlmSeI together TO
reply; or rather, to defend himself,
when the street door bell was heard.
"a caller, Ell? Is this your reception
day, aunt, or do you, t"o, give your
friends tea at oclock?"
You are impt rlinent, nephew. Al
my age a woman does not give O'Clock
flrtaticrs. It is not even caller. am
sure it is my little friend Rosamond,
the charming girl 1 spoke Of
Il shall fee, them
DO you not wish even to see her."
Never! Or, if you insist, I shall 60
into this little anle-room and look at
her through the crack of the door.
That is the only concession I shall
make" and the young man stepped
quickly into the next room as the OPP
posite door opened to admit the visitor
through the slit Andrew Guild make
ont tie graceful silhouette of a young
girl
How do you do, Mrs Harmon" said
the girl, as she entered the room. Il
have brought back the little books on
the orphan asylum that you LEM
mamma. May stay moment with
ycu?"
I she continued to keep her back
toward Andrew, and he, now begin
ming to get tired of the game had
about concluded that she must be
| frIghtfully ugly.
''Sit down here, dear, beside me"
aId Mrs. Hamon easily c0ntriI ed to
room; and the young man, approaching
Place the girl just opposite the small
his eye to the crack was st4.lck by the
pretty face he beheld.
"WeIl, Rosamond, what are you do
much?''
mo, very little [ had a card for
Mrs. Laton's tea this afternoon, but
wrote her I was i'll. You will not be-
tray me, will you? and she laughed a
merry laugh that set Andrews heart
to vibrating.
do you not care for such affairs?"
asked Mrs Harmon.
Surely, Mrs Harmon, you do not
think it would be amusing to spend an
! hour or two watching Mrs. Laton' S
firtations, with no one to talk to but
the insipid women and stupid men Of
her set?"
| "YOu are severe, my child"
Severe? Well with woman like
Mrs. Laton, [ do not think one can be
too much So
Tnstinctively Mrs. Harmon raised
her eyes to the door that concealed
| Andrew and, under preteXt Of arrang-
ing the portiere, she crossed the room
and as she rearranged the drapery,
whispered to her nephew: tits nearly
5-youll be late for your tea"
But her warning was unh9eded; An
drew did not bulge AS for the girl
by the fire, she was still full OF her
idea.
do you know Mrs Laton, Mrs. Har-
mon? she asked.
yes, yes" the old lady fastened to
reply and 10 turn the conversation
she went on: But you are wrong to
declare that all rlen are stupid. There
are some quite sensible"
'SensibIe? Well, I do not know
| them. l do not mean that they are all
| stupid, but they think themselves so
| superior that they are wearisorne.
They ale vain, insufferable bores, with
their blase airs and their idea thai they
are irresistible because they can firt
with Mrs. L2ton, who has bleached
hair, and smears paint on her face as
if it were a palette, and those brains
are good for nothing but 10 devise out
| raeeOus gowns"
Again Mrs. Harmon cast an uneasy
glance toward the little room in which
| Andrew was fast waxing angry. He
| He would have liked to strangle this
! girl, whose superb health and trump
haut beauty irritatcd him.
"And when will you get married.
my dear?" suggested Mrs. Harmon,
again throwing herself into the breach.
Il shall never marry
"IrCeed? Why not?'
"Why metz" repeated RosaHond, a
|
her face that Andrew admired in spite
Of himself. because I am a little
fool who cannot do as the rest do.
would wish to love my husband and
have him love me. I would wish to
marry man whom l should single
oGi from amCng the rest for his good
ess aud i telligence. l would wish
all, to be proud of him.
As the girl spoke she had become
amin ated, with a gentle exaltation,
which was not without effect on the
young man behind the door.
"WeIl, Rosamond," said Mrs. Har-
mon, "'why do you not realize your
dream?"
Because there are no Young men
nowadays who care to look for a girl
who pleases them. Marriage for them
is matter Of business, nothing more,
and the woman herself does not count.
They marry when they have lost their
money, and the little heart they possess
has been frettered away on some Mrs.
Iaton Or another"
Again Mrs. Harmon arose and, pre-
tending she had an order to give, ex-
cused herself and fastened to her nep-
hew.
well, aunt, she has given us nice
dressing down, Ell? For a charming
girl I would back her against the
world"