Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-09-23

lis behavior the other evening and
wants to know if I'll forgive him and
take him back again. The old goose!
He knows I couldn't exist without him.
Thursday, July S.-Tom Shirley is
teaching me to swim. What a clever
fellow he is. If l wasn't in love with
Jack, I'm seriously afraid I should be
falling in love with Tom
Friday. July Got a telegram from
papa He is coming UP tomorrow with
a bachelor friend from New York
hope I shall like him Ten has gone
home, Dick and I have quarreled, and
I'm awfully lonesome. l wish Jack
could come up few days, but he's so
busy he can't get away. Dear old boy!
l can see him now pouring over his law
books and wishing every minute he
could see me-
Saturday, July 10.--Papa and Mr..
Houghton came this incoming. l am
quite charmed with his friend. Papa
says he has cottage at Bar Harbor, a
villa on the Hudson, and is worth at
least million. What subject he must
have been for ''scheming mammas.'
Papa looks worried and have noticed
how gray his hair is growing. Dear old
daddy! He must stay up here and take
a long rest.
Sunday, July 11.-And so it has come
at last! Poor papa! We took a long
walk this afternoon and he told me
how his mines in the west had failed,
how in order to regain the money thus
lost, he had invested it in stocks and
lest that, too, and how, at last, he had
been obliged to mortgage our beautiful
home in town. He said that now he
depended on me as his only hope, and
if Mr.. Houghton-and then he broke
down completely and cried like child
Dear, kind papa, who has been both
mother and father to me ever since
can remember. I will help you But,
oh! my love! my love! how can I give
you up!
Wednesday, July 14.-Mr. Houghton
is certainly very interesting man;
about As, with iron-gray hair and
dark eyes. He has Travelled extensively
and is a brilliant conversationalist. l
don my most fetching gowns and
sweetest smiles and walk with Mr..
Houghton and dance with Mr.. Hough-
ton. while papa looks on and smiles
approvfngly. He dances exceedingly
well and is an expert swimmer and
oarsman but yet-he is old enough to
be my father. Heigh no. It's est vita,
but my heart is like lead.
Wednesday, July 21.-Ah! diary, it
is a very different girl who writes on
your pages tonight from the one who
came here, gay butterfly, not quite
g. month ago. Is is really I? Surely
this must be some one else writing
here tonight. Mr.. Houghton proposed
was accepted.
This morning 1 sent back Jacks
ring and all his letters. All. my
dearest, dearest love, if you could only
know how my heart is aching and very
nigh to breaking as I sit here tonight
thinking of you!
You will never forgive me, [ know
and you will never understand You
will call me heartless and selfsh-per-
haps | am-but it is for papa's sake.
| can not see him ruined All, Jack,
marriage is but a game of cards, in
which too often diamonds and not
hearts are trumps. We leave to-
morrow, as the wedding will take place
in October and my trousseau must be
made.
Mr.. Houghton brought the ring down
from town with him yesterday. What
beauty it is! Six diamonds, each the
size of Jacks little solitaire Poor
Jack!