Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-10-06

room; then he carried her trunk up
stairs and disappeared.
Esperance stood quite still, as !;
anxious to face her position. He
eyes wandered from the biue-and
" ite tiled floor to the frosted win
dows, up the dark oak staircase
and round the wainscoted walls, auc
she shivered a little as she remem-
bered that this was coming home
She looked at the pictures Of the
deans predecessors, and fancied they
looked down at her pityingly, while
the brown, CLASSY eyes of two stays
heads looked almost fearful, and
seemed to say, We are sorry fol-
you; we too are prisoners, out Of ouI
natural element"
She felt the tears gathering in her
own eyes, and with an impatient ex-
clemation reused herself, and went
upstairs to her room. Forlorn and
uncomfortable as it had been, she re-
ceived sharp pang when she found
that the attic was no longer hers; it
was all strewn with toys, Bella was in
one Of the corners, beating a refrac-
tory doll and her nurse was working
near the window.
She rose, and received Esperance
with inquiries after her health, and
a warmth of welcome, which il the
present chilliness of her feelings was
really comforting. Bella, too, who
was always much better behaved
when away from her mother, ran up
to kiss her, and, by the time the ex-
PLANTATION of the change of rooms
| had been made, Esperance had quite
recovered her spirits. She ran down
stairs to Bertha's room, and knocked
! at the door.
Bertha was sitting at her table
writing; she put down her pen, but
! Esperance was across the room in one
bound, and had both arms around
her neck before she could rise. She
submitted to one OF those warm,
clirging French embraces, which Es-
perance was wont to give her, then
said in her quiet, impressive voice,
Il did not know you had come
Il have been here five minutes, and
not a soul have l seen except Bella
and nurse-just think of that! You
will have to kiss me for all the rest CT
the family"
you look much better" said
Bertha, still very languidly.
Eyes, l am quite we'll; it is you
who look like the invalid. What is
/ it, Bertha? l am sure you are I'LL"
But she was not prepared for
sudden outburst of tears from her
usually reserved cousin. Bertha had
in truth found Esperance's endear-
ments too much for her. In few
minutes she had, whether wisely Or
not, sobbed out the whole story to
this most sympathetic of auditors. 1t
had been no comfort to her to
speak of it to the others. She had
sat in one of the great library chairs,
and heard her father express his
slow, hesitating regrets that he was
obliged to cross her wishes, and only
grown more heavy-hearted. She
had listened to Mrs. Mortlake as she
sat over her bazaar work, showing
the many worldly advantages she
would have lost had she been able to
marry George Palgrave, and had
hurried away, at once sore-hearted
and angry She had seen Cornelia in
her study and had only listened to
her grave words of pity, with a con-
viction that her sister had never eX-
perienced this kind of sorrow, and
had no right to talk. Now, with
sense of relief, she told all to one
VINO would sympathize without re-
proof, who would not add to her dis
column, and quotes the statutory pro-
tress by saying, tYou ought to have
known"
And, luckily, Esperance was a
safe comforter. She did not say, as
some girls of seventeen would have
done, perhaps your father will
change his mind or relent." She
was so accustomed to think of a ia
TIERS slightest wish as law, that this
did not even enter her head; all her
sympathy was expressed either ov
outward demonstration, or by soft,
loving, pitifu1 CALCULATIONS, yet Ber-
tina was really comforted.
They went downstairs together,
Esperance received a. kind greeting
from her uncle and Corne1ia, and a
cold kiss from Mrs. Mortlake; there
were some inquiries after her health,
an6 a little conversation about Welsh
scenery, and then she settled down
into her old niche at the deanery.
TIC be Continued.