Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-22
Won by w aiting.
EDNA LYALL.


over Gaspard's prospects in CeylOn
and Frances heard. for the first time
all the details Of his visit to Ril-
chester.
On the Monday afternoon Esperance
was quite we'll enough to enjoy a
drive, and Frances took her in the
pony carriage along the shore; sh
was enchanted with the sea, and Wa
very desircus to go on it al once.
II am not sure what your doctor
would say to that" said Frances.
But in week or two you will be
stronger, and then we might try"
And we will row TO that little
island, of which I can not say the
name," said Esperance, eagerly.
like it 50 much. it looks so lonely, just
broken of, as it were, from Anglesea.
1t will be delightful to be really on
the sea. I shall know what the voy-
age to CeyIon will feel like-it will be
good practice"
Frances smiled. It was thinking
about your letter-shall we call at the
post-off1ce and see if it has Gomez"
ooh! if we might" and Esperance
breathed more quickly as France
turned the ponies heads, and drove
up the village street. She tried hard
to believe that she did not expect any
thing, and waited, trembling with ex-
element, till Frances appeared at the
door of the postoffice with a reassur-
ing face, and-yes, it really was
a letter in her hand.
1T has the Rilchester post-mark,"
she said, and Esperance let fall the
reins, snatched at it, and almost tore
the envelope to pieces in her hurry
to open it. Within there was indeed
the precious Enclosure, a thin, blue en-
yelOpe, direct ed in Gaspard's f1ourishy,
cOpper-plate writing She dfd not
hurry any more-now that she was
secure Of the letter there was no
need, and in truth her eyes were
blinded with tears; it was pleasure
enough to hold it fast, and to reflect
that one of these messages would
come to her now each week.
= ohSCo blOfC lIOllIS 1ulChlS, anu
then in the quiet of her own room
Esperance opened her letter
It was delightfully."- long and closely
written each day so fully described
that she seemed to be living through
everything with him, and her happi-
ness was all the greater because she
had not expected such details, for Gas
pard's letters from London had been
necessarily poor In this respect, and
had generally been written in a strain
of forced merriment in order to veil
from her his sufferings. But this was
a really journal-like description, W.T. t.
ten with delightful ease, while little
colloquial expressions here and
there brought the tears to Esperance's
eyes, All, moncOeur if you could
have seen this or when you come
cherie, you will enjoy that"
She lived with him throughout the
voyage, learned to know the laconic
captain, and the graphically described
passengers, entered into the landing
at Colombo with its hustle and con-
fusion and heat, laughed over Mr..
SeynCur's jokes, and the accounts Of
the shopping and bargaining in tn
Town, then Travelled with him to
Dickoya, and saw his future home in
Mr.. Seymours bungalow, tried to m
derstand the size of the estate given
to her in an almost fabulous number
Of square kilometres, and sympa-
thized with Gaspard's difficulty in
learning Tamil. And if, when at last
it was ended, she came back to the
present with something Of a shock
and was Obliged to have a good cry
yet Frances understood all perfectly
and instead Of adopting COr1elia's
plan Of pointing out the extreme in
gratitude and foolishness of such be-
haviOr. petted and carressed her till
her smiles returned. and she was
eager to read sine extracts from the
letter to any one who could aDpreci
ate its delights.
Whether the pleasure of receiving
her first letter from Ceylon had any
thing to do with her recovery, it
would be hard to say; but certainly
from that day Esperance took a fresh
start, not only in bodily strength. but
IN spirits. Frances was delighted to
hear her laughing and talking with
Kathie and the boys, and entering
with charming enthusiasm into any
game which was not too firing for
her.
"1t seems rather shocking that I
should enjoy this at seventeen" sh
said one day, looking up from game
! Of ball. which she was teaching tn
children to play French fashion.
have not played a single game since
l left the convent. You can't think
what fun We had there. and s11cn skip
ping!-ah, if 1 only had a rope!"
! "a rope! a rope," shouted Fred
running toward the house; he hac
constituted himself Esperance's cav.
alier, and always ran on erra1ds fol
hr.
I In few minutes he came back witt
an unpr0mising- looking piece Of box
cord, and Esperance, with a delighted
exclamation, took it in her def little
hands, knotted some handles, and be
gan to skip with a grace and agility
which fairly astonished them ali.
Two minutes was enough for her
however.
''I am growing DID," she said laugh
ingly, to Frances, and willingly gave
up the rope to Kathie, who tried "a