Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-05-05
CHAPTER MI.
He fixed thee mid this dance
OF plastic circumstance.

He fixed thee mid this dance
Of plastic circumstance.
This present, thou forsooth
wOuldst fain arrest:
Machinery just meant
To give thy soul its bent,
Try thee and turn thee forth
sufficiently impressed!
r. Browning
There can be few people who have
not at some time in their life felt the
utter misery of loneliness. That
day Esperance experienced it in all
its fullness for the first time. True
she had often been lonely and I'M
happy during the siege but that had
been but a passing trouble relieved
by Gaspard's return in a few hours
this, in its uncertainty, seemed never
ending. Then, too, she was so accus-
toned to be petted and cared for,
that the very feeling of self-depe nd
ence which would have pleased some
natures was misery to her; she was
like an ivy plant torn down from its
strong support. and left trailing on
the cold earth
1t was long before she could rouse
herself from her grief: a dim sense
of the duty of self-management
helped her, however, after a time, and
she sat UP with an effort and looked
out of the window The landscape
was fiat and not very attractive; a
succession of dull-looking fields, all
wonderfully alike, bounded the line
while the hedge-rows, relieved here
and there by a solitary tree looked
formal and uninteresting Instinc-
lively she raised her eyes fleecy
white clouds were floating in a Sky
Of the deepest blue, and as she gazed
Up into the bright depths comfort
came to her heavy heart. She re
membered that the same sky was
above both London and Rilchester
and felt less lonely.
One great trouble was spared Els.
perance-she was not IN the least
shy; the mauvaise honte. which
would have tormented an English
girl in her position, never occurred te
her, and if her heart beat rather
quicker than usual when the train ar
rived at Rilchester, and she looked IL
see if her cousin were on the platform
it was simply from excitement.
A tall and rather ungainly lady
with classical features and small
short-sighted eyes, was scanning TIL
of hn 10
ance felt instinctively that this mus
be Cornelia, and with a French girl
ready observation took in every de
tail of her person and attire at
glance: dress, alpaca, and very nue.
creased; jacket. meant to be fifth
but too loose in the back, and badl
cut about the neck; hat, very unbe
coming; face, clever-looking, thong
sarcastic
BY this time the train had stopped
and Esperance, who had been carrie
some way past the tall lady, sprun
from the carriage, and pushing be
way back through the crowd, revols
ing in her mind the most polite gree
ing which her English would allow.
My cousin? I believe I am n,
mistaken" she began.
Cornelia turned instantly.
on, here you are, I was afrai
you had not come! I hope you ha,
had pleasant journey"
Esperance took the proffered han
nd responded to the formal "Ho
Go you do?" contrasting them vii
he warmth of the most ordinaI
meeting in France.
Cornelia was evidently determin,
lose no time: she made prompt i
oulrles after the luggage, made E
erance identify it, and then led Il
way to the carriage. They drove {
4 silence. Esperance waiting for h
ousin to begin the conversatio
jornelia contemplating the lit
ri. and wondering what h
father would say TO her very forei
appearance