Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-11-17
Won by w aiting.
EDNA LYALL.


t Gaspard was going to Cey4on; bu
how different was everything now!
The dean sat in his great leather
7 armchair. He looked grave anC
rather severe, but it was his usual ex-
: preston now, and in agreeing tc
Claude's proposal he naturally thought
, of George Palgrave, and remembered
easily Bertha's defiance of his author
, ity.
Claude has just informed me, my
dear, that he has asked you to be HE
wife, and | desired to see you for a
few minutes that l might give you
some words of advice and congratula-
ton"
"This beginning sounded rather
formidable. Esperance shrunk nearer
to Claude, while he held her hand
closely. The dean continued:
You are about to enter on a most
serious and solemn undertaking. |
trust that you have gravely consider
ed the matter at your leisure, and
that you are well certified of the
Do not be deluded into thinking that
married life is nothing but bliss; If
you prepare yourself to find it such,
you will be speedily disappointed, but
act and think wisely and soberly,
and | most sincerely trust that such
happiness as is to be foupnd in this
world may be yours. You are greatly
honored by receiving the affection
and esteem of a clever and worthy
man, and | have no doubt that you
will endeavor to prove your graft
tude."
Claude was struck dumb by the
pompOsity of this harangue, and Els
perance could not help being amused
by it. 1t had never entered her
head to think of Claude as a worthy
man" and there was something in
congruous in the term; nor would
she have dreamed of applying the
words esteem and affection" to the
beautiful, soul-satisfying love which
had just been revealed to her. But
that happy French magic of saying
the right thing at the right time came
to her aid. Before Claude had re-
covered from his amazement she was
kneeling beside the dean, and the icy
sOlemnity of the interview was at
once broken.
Dear uncle" she said, eagerly, Il
feel that we owe everything to you.
II it had not been for your kindness
to me | should never have seen
| Claude; there is only one more thing
| | want, and that is your blessing"
The dean was touched. He put his
hands on the two young heads, and
| his words were unusually fervent,
then for few minutes they all talked
naturally, and before long Claude had
| begged for the keys of the cathedral,
and had wandered away with Espe-
rance for an hours uninterrupted
peace before dinner. 1t was while
| they were standing in the south aisle,
beside the crusaders tomb, that he
drew out a ring and placed it on
Esperance's finger.
do you remember" he said, smil-
ing, that walk which we had once to-
gether, when you told me your motto
was 'Esperez toujours'? | thought we
would keep it still. If you had said
| No this afternoon l should have kept
the ring and the motto for my COM
| fort.
Esperance looked at the beautiful
little ring and saw what he meant.
1t was from his own design: a wide
! band of gold with the motto in
quantity carved letters around it.
! Nothing could have delighted her
more.
! Just as they were coming out of the
cathedral they met the precentor; he
! had already heard of their engage
nent, and was fairly overwhelming
with his kind wishes, making Es-
! perance color deeply by asking which
was to be the 'auspicious day"
The reference set Claude thinking;
! he did not speak of it again that
afternoon, but before long he intro
duced the subject. There was no rea-
son for prolonged engagement, and
before he left Rilchester it was ar
ranged that the marriage should take
place at the beginning of the next
| year.
On the whole that autumn passed
| happily; Mrs. Mortlake was quite in
her element at such a time, and was
much more kind than Esperance had
expected; indeed, after she had heard
tnat Bella was to be a bride-maid,
! she was never tired of discussing the
weddingday. Cornelia was however,
the real sympathizer, and it was she
who first asked Esperance if there
was no one she would like invited to
the wedding.
/ The Worthingtons and Frances Ne
Vile were, of course to be present,
and Esperance remembered Nine.
Lemercier, and wondered if Mr.. Hen
, dersOn would allow Maggie to come
too. These, with an uncle of Claude's.
, cousin, who acted as best man. and
Mr.. White, the minor canon, made up
the small Wedding-party. for both
: Claude and Esperance were singuiarly
destitute of relations Mrs. Mort
lake was quite sorry that the process
sion of guests would not be more i'm
, posing; she ,ried hard to find a few
friends for the occasion-sent a press
/ Ing invitation to Mr.. Henderson to
, accompany his little girl, and per
suaded old Mrs. Passmore to risk com
ing out in the winter. Then Esperance
I had to choose who would marry
S them, and, having considered the
e various cathedral dignitaries fol
/ some time, she finally selected the
f good-natured presenter as the mos
v kinu-hearted among them, and {