Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-12-26

Apart from or rather in addition to
her general fondness for Irritation,
Fanny PoWnce had something OF o
special liking for Adolphus, and, see
ing that he was in sentimental hui
mo-, encouraged him. 1t was a bad
day for him to meet such temptation.
The affectionate emotion stirred by
Miss Dutton still seethed and dubbed
in his SOUL Repressed for time by
recollection OF his resolution and the
old maids adevntitious aid, his ardent
nature had made strenuous efforts to
reassert itself 1t was not fickleness
or faithlessness to his real love-Milly
that prompted his proposals to Miss
Craesop and the widow Wintergreen,
but the tenderness she had inspired,
betrayed by inebriation and mOmen-
tary temptation. Each OF those wo-
men seemed to him sort of temper,
airy substitute for Milly Dutton, whose
image was all the while somewhere in
the background of his consciousness.
The sacrifices he laid upon their affairs
were really meant as offerings to her.
Women, particularly those of Jealous
temper may reprehend his conduct,
but men will understand the natural
ness of it. And that innocent per-
version of good intent continued to in
spire him when with Fanny Pownce,
so that he not only seemed to make
love to her-though really to the
absent Mil1y, as already explained
but was so earnest that he took her in
lis arms and kissed her. She, Of
course, could not know that his pas
sionate kisses were given in magma
ton to another girl of whom she had
never heard. Perhaps she would not
have cared much if she had known,
Kisses are good in themselves. any
way, without bothering oneself over
possible mental distractions lying far
back Of the oscu1atory pleasure, and
though Fanny was a good girl she was
not wooden one All was innocent,
and would have been harmless enough
but for the misfortune that the young
couple were caught What an infinite
deal of sadness is caused by being
caught!
: Colonel Pownce came home from his
round of calls and let himself in with
his latch key. His footballs made no
sound in the softly carpeted hall as he
approached the back parlor, intending
to pass through it to his s'quarters"
in the rear, and when he opened the
door upon the tab1eaux presented by
Ado1phus and his daughter Fanny he
stood for a moment, unobserved in
spechless surprise and growing wrath.
IF he had not been sampling other fell
lows punches as potent as his own
perhaps he would have taken more
lenfent view of the proceedings, for
there are few parents who do not ex-
pect their daughters, If they have any,
to be sometimes kissed. But the colo
mel was never so strict in his ideas OF
decorum as when he had been drink
ing. And upon regaining his power of
speech he used it in fashion that
quite overwhelmed Adolphus.
To be called down from the Elysium
OF kissing a very pretty and willing
girl in order to hear ones self ad-
dressed as a scoundrel, a lib
ertina and a serpent is an
experience that may well con-
found young mantle first time
it occurs, at least. The culprits had
not word to say for themselves. The
couple in the front parlor listened,
shuddered and thanked heaven he had
not happened to come in there
The colonel,s peroration was com
mand that Adolphus should marry
Fanny promptly as the only repara-
tion possible for the damage he had
done to the Pownce family honor. AS
Adolphus was entirely unconscious Of
having, so far as he could see, inflicted
the slightest hurt upon the family
honor he was inclined to demur upon
that ground, but, as he hesitated, Fam
ny whispered to him:
Say yes Papa will forget all
about it tomorrow.
So the young man said Eyes"
That scene effectually sobered him
as soon as he could get away-which
was not until Colonel Pownce had
ordered him to appear for marriage
the next day sat 3 O'Clock p. m.
sharp'-he went straight home, and
there, in the solitude of his room, set
himself to agonized contemplation CT
his horrible ENHANCEMENT. He was
not one of those enviable persons who,
upon becoming sober, have no recol-
lection of what had transpired while
they were not so. On the contrary, he
had a vivid and even intensified con-
of the stupendous follies
he had perpetrated and a lively appre-