Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-29

/ 'sOh, no, / didn't mean that at all. /
only intended-that is-the idea I
| wanted to convey was-er-''
You were simply poking fun at my
girlish ambitions. ALI that was not
kind in you
Indeed, l didn't think of such a
thing at all. Upon my honor, didn't.
| couldn't be such a brute. Really, |
felt that your departure would leave a
void in my-in the art school"
NO; not at all. Another student
would take my easel and my absence
merely remarked and then forgot
ten she spoke with an intonation
| of sadness, but in her eyes-which
| were turned away from his gaze
there was a merry twinkle, for she
had an intuitive perception of the real
reason for his verbal flounderiags
and enjoyed his growing confusion
''Well-yes-in the school maybe,
| but here in our home-I-we would
miss you very much from our-ah-
er-family circle
"oh, Mr.. Bletherwyte! How Gao
you call boarding house a home
and family circle?' :"
You are right. 1t isn't exploded
| the young man, who had become des-
perate, "and should not be, for you.
l recognize that fully. Your goodness,
womanly grace and beauty are jewels
! that merit the setting of a real home
sheltered by love from all cares:
where the chill demon Loneliness
| should ever find the door barred
| against him by the radiant fairy Do
mestic Happiness. Such a home L
Happy new year," shrilled at the
| door the sharp voice of an old maid,
who was just entering,
Happy new year, Miss Narl," re-
sponded the young folks together, but
| Adolphus mentally added "Execra-
BILE old woman! I'd like to see your
| skinny neck wrung. I-good heavens!
I have her to thank that my new
flinders already"
| And Milly thought: Mean old
thing! Why couldn't she have stayed
away just little longer? I'm sure he
was going to propose"
And so he was. The idea of Milly's
going away startled hims into con-
seriousness that he loved her far more
than he had before realized, and in
| two seconds he would have asked her
| to be his wife-and she would have
said 'tYes"-had not his guardian
| angel, mindful of his resolution, sent
| the old maid in the nick of time TO
| stop him. He tried to think he was
thankful for the escape, but really he
was not. His resolution irked him al
ready. Nevertheless, now that he re-
membered it, he vowed to be firm, and
as soon as possible after breakfast
fed temptation by starting out on his
round of calls.
| Ado1phus was little in the habit of
using intoXicants. Even light wines
went to his head" and could he nave
done so without seeming singular
would gladly have refrained from &C
| cepting the beverages pressed upon
| him by fair entertainers at every
| house wher he made call. But every
| body else took something" and he
followed the fashion, so it is not to be
wondered at that by the time he
bowed before the brilliant and hand
some heiress, Miss Cornelia Craesop,
wishing her the compliments of the
| season, he saw her, if not exactly
| double, at least with twice her ordi-
nary charm Her brother Ned had,
/ before going out that morning, con-
cocted for his sisters table fiendish-
| Iy rnellif1uous, seductive and potent
punch, one to be feared even by those
mighty in contention with strong
| drink, and she took a mischevious de-
| light in commencing it to the expert
mental Interest of such callers as were
already visibly con the ragged edge"
of sobriety. Unhappily for Adolphus,
he was one Of those. Not having yet
outgrown that common delusion Of the
young that the sherry of commerce is
a mild and innocuous drink he had IN
consciously accumulated quite an i'm
posing yet still controllab1e Gag"
when he encountered Ned Craesop's
wicked punch. One glass Of it-and
Cornelia insisted upon his taking it,
because he "must be cold"-played the
mischief with him. He had to close
one eye to see her singly, and reason
rested while speech played out the
game She was amused and srnilingly
encouraged him to be funny. And he
was When what seemed to him an
| opposite quotation Of a poetical line
suggested itself in the course Of his
| fluent remarks, he chanted it in the
tone he was speaking and to any air it
selected for itself.
Miss Craesop" he said. thickly
you're 'nangel. Always wanted tell
you so. Angel ever bright and fair;
| take, oh, take me'-that goes, honest
| Injun. Only woman I ever loved.
Think I say so cause I'm full? No
( Not full tall. Empty. Otis love, not
wine, this thrill divine; be mine, be
mine!' You hear me, Petey? No,
don't mean that, Miss Craesop; should
have sailor rather Cornelia. Yes,
that's it-Cornelia! dear Cornelia
Say! IF you love me like I love you no
knife can cut our love in two Sweet
sentiment! Lovely poetry! But, say,
where was I at?"
81 think you were making propo-
sal to me, Mr.. Bletherwyte! replied
the girl demurely, but biting her lips
to keep her face straight.
$50 I was! So l wasi Meant it, too.
Marry me, Coroelia, IN the wild ga