Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-01
DuetWith an Occasional Chorus,

DuetWith an Occasional Chorus
Conan Doyle's new novel, A duet
with an Occasional Chorus, is as swee
; as any love story.
} The scene is laid in London and tn
story is Of the present.
The first chapters are devoted to tn
love letters Of Maude Selby and Franz
Crosse. They have just arranged tn
date of their marriage.
The author thus describes them:
I'm person Frank Crosse was neithe
tall nor short His hair AM
slight mustache were faxen, and hi
eyes, which were his best features
were of a delicate blue In ag,
he was nearly tweny-seven. He was
an orphan, but he had adopted hi:
| grandparents. And through al
this struggle he had managed tt
keep them happy in a little cottage il
WORCESTERSHIRE"
OF Miss Selby he says:
There was not in all wide Londor
upon that midsummer day a sweetel
girl that Maude Selby as she sat in hel
gray merino dress, with the London
sun tagging her brown curls.
ct was face beautiful in itself, but
more beautiful for its expression, SEN
sitive, refined, wOmanly, full of limo
cent archness and girlish mischief, but
with a depth of expression in the eyes
and a tender delicacy about the mouth
which spoke of a great spirit, with all
it's capacities for suffering and de-
votion, within.
Three weeks before his marriage the
sensitive young lover wrote:
Working, June Z.
My Own Dearest Maude:
1t is 1, my dear, who have been fri
volous. I have been so wrapped up in
my love that I have never really dis
cussed with you what our marriage
will really necessitate. What have
to offer you in exchange for the sac
rifice which you will make for me?
Myself, my love, and all that 1 have.
But how little it all amounts to!
Position I have none to offer. What
is the exact position of the wife of the
assistant accountant of the CO-Opera-
tive Insurance Office? 1t is indefinaDle.
And my income four hundred pounds
a year. You have fifty pounds. Our
total then is certainly under five
hundred pounds.
You have still time. Count the cost,
and if it be too great then draw
back even now without fear of one
word or Utmost thought of reproach
from me- Your whole life is at stake
Have you consideed what it
will mean to leave that charming
house at st. Adams, the breakfast
room, the billiard room, the lawn,
and to live in the little fifty-pounda-
year house at Working, with it's two
sitting roms and pokey garden? Have
I a right to ask you TO do such a
thing? Does the change frighten
you? You will have this in the morn
ing and I should have an answer by
the evening post I will meet the
postman.* Frank.
In answer she says: "The idea of
l.
love can be affected by the size of his
house or the amount Of his income!
Do you suppose a woman's happiness
is affected by whether she has break
fast-room, or a billiard-room, or a
collie dog? These things are all
the merest trimmings of life. They are
not the essentials. You and your
io1c
"I always felt that I was capable of
a great love, and now l have it.
Fancy your imagining that you had
come into my life in order to darken
it! Why, you are my life. You talk
about my happiness before I met you,
but oh, how empty it all was!
"You came and everything was
fond of reading and because I wanted
to talk about books with you. !
played because you are fond of music;
l sang in the hope that it might please
you.
81 tried and tried to become a bet
wanted to be worthy of the love you
bore me. My life has become full and
rich, for love fills my life"
They were married on the appointed
day, and after the honeymoon they
set up housekeeping in the little s. 81
a year house at Working.
Here is one of the conversations
which the married lovers had.
"Now, Maude," said Frank, sc.
want to have serious talk
Maude looked up in surprise from
the slipper which she was embroider
ing.
well, Maude, have been thinkin.
of married life in general Don't yo'
think it would be a good thing if W,
were to make some resolutions as t.
how it should be conducted-som
fundamental principles, as it were?"
eyes, dear, I am quite serious"
at seems to me that if we coul
reduce it to certain rules, then what
ever comes upon us in the future W
should always know exactly how
act.''
How charming, Frank! Do pleas
! tell me some of the points,"
The whole chapter is a charmin
one At the conclusion of their tai
the young husband draws up the fol
lowing maxims for the married:
1. Since you are married, you ma
as we'll make the best of it.
4 2. So make some maxims and tr
: to live up to them.
; 8. And don't be discouraged If 70
fail. You will fail, but perhaps 70
won't always fail
: f. Never both be cross at the sam