Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-10

'.Ah, no, no! But if wore such lace
and satin and pearls, and had such
jewels, l might perhaps be more like
heri'
l sighed bitterly. The poison had
already entered this childs soul l
spoke brusquely.
Pray that you may never be like
her," 1 said, with somber sternness,
and not needing her look Of astonish-
ment. You are young-you cannot
yet have thrown off religion. Well,
when you go home tonight, and kneel
beside your little bed, made holy by
the cross above it and your mothers
blessing with all your
strength that you may never resemble
in the smallest degree that exquisite
woman yonder! So may you be spared
her fate
1 paused, for the girls eyes were
dilated in extreme wonder and fear.
l looked at her, and laughed abruptly
and harshly.
Il forgot I said; ''the lady is my
wife-I should have thought of that!
l was speaking Of another whom You
do not know. Pardon me! when 1 am
fatigued my memory wanders. Pay
no attention to my foolish remarks.
Enjoy yourself, my child, but do not
believe all the pretty speeches of the
Prince de Majano. A rivederci!''
And smiling a forced smile | left
nd i'm led
guests, greeting one here, another
there, testing lightly, paying unmean-
ing compliments to the women who
expected them, and striving to dis
tract my thoughts with the senseless
laughter and foolish chatter of the
gl1ttering cluster of society butter
flies, all the while desperately count
Ing the tedious minutes, and wonder
ing whether my patience, so long
on the rack, would last out it's des-
tined time. AS I made my way through
the brilliant assemblage, Luciano
Salustri, the poet, greeted me with a
grave smile
Il have had little time to congrat-
ulate you, conte," he said, in those
melllfiuous accents of his which were
like his own improvised music. "but
L assure you l do so with all nv
heart. Even in my most fantastic
dreams [ have never pictured a fairer
heroine Of a life's romance than the
lady who is now the Countess Olivia "
L silently bowed my thanks.
/ an of a strange temperament, |
SUPP ose," he resumed. Tonight this
raV1shing scene of beauty and splendor
makes ne sad at heart, l know not
why. 1t seems too brilliant, too daz-
zllng. [ would as soon go home and
compose a dirge as anything
L laughed satirically.
why not do it?'' 1 said. "You are
not the first person who, being pres
ent at marriage, has, with perverse
1ncongruity meditated on a funerali'
W1stful look came into his bril-
liant poetic eyes.
Il have thought once or twice %
ne remarked in a low tone, "of that
misguided young man Ferrari. A
pity, was it not, that the quarrel
occurred between you
GA pity indeed" [ replied. brusoue-
~. Then taking him by the arm
turned him around so that he faced
my wife, who was standing not far
Off. But look at the-the angel
nave married. Is she not a fair cause
Tor dispute even unto death? Fv
on thee, LuzianO!-why think of
terrari? He is not the first man who
mas been killed for the sake of wo-
man, nor will he be the last!"
Salustri shrugged his shoulders. and
was silent for minute or two. Then
he added with his own bright smile:
Still, MIC, It would have been
much better if it had ended in coffee
and cogn c. Myself l would rather
shoot man with an epigram than
leaden bullet! By the by, do Won
remember our talking of Cain and
Abel that night?''
Perfectly"
L have wondered since,' he con-
Iihoeu Hall merrlly, half seriously.
whether the real cause of their quar-
rel has ever been rightly told. I
should not be at all surprised if one
Vi tnese days some savant does not
discover papyrus containing a miss
ing page Of Holy Writ, which will
ascrlbe the reason of the first blood
shed to love affair. Perhaps there
were wood nymps in those days. as
we are assured there were giants. and
some dainty Dryad might have driven
lne first pair Of human brothers tn
desperation by her charms. What saw
your" soy
To be continued.
Bath ROOMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS