Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-01-19
HER ONLY SIN
BERTHA M. CLAY.
BERTHA NJ. CLAY.

love of right, his love and his pride
his honesty and his sensitive reserve
were all at war There was but on,
CLEAN of comfort The marriage be
tween Lord Wynleigh and Katherin,
would not take place yet Some un
foreseen combination of circumstance:
might take place before then.
Veronica" said Katherine, come tt
my room when you go to dress fol
dinner. I want to tell you some
thing
And when Veronica went in, she
startled at the beautiful vision. Kathe
rine stood before her in a low din
rer-dress of white silk, trimmed with
with glowing crimson hollyberries, hel
white shoulders and arms cleaning
white breast, and diamond stars in hel
| golden hair. She looked like a dream
of beauty. Veronica kissed the pretty
shoulders and the white arms.
How beautiful you are, my dar-
ling!" she said. you look like a spirit
of Christmas. Now | see how beauti
full Englishwomen can be-
81 am always beautiful in your
eyes, Veronica she replied.
They were standing side by side,
Katherine al bright and radiant; Yer
onica in her pale, passionate beauty,
in long trailing black dress. The
contrast between them was startling.
II have something to tell you, Yer
onica," she said. Never mind admir-
ing my dress-never mind my dia-
monds; look at my face
Il am looking at it, darling" re-
turned Veronica.
docs it tell you anything" asked
Katherine, with a low, sweet laughter
of perfect content.
only that it is the dearest face in
the world replied Veronica, kissing
the laughing lips.
Veronica" said Katherine, whom
at this moment should you consider
the very happiest girl in all the
world?''
@The very happiest of all? Oh! how
could l tell?"
WIZ SCl1 SOhs IL 10 lily Sotll,
rine Brandon. And can you guess why
[ am so happy? It is because-O Yer
onica! how can | tell you? it is be-
cause some one whom I love very
much loves meme, you understand,
Veronica-not my fortune, not Queens
Chace, but me-loves me-and has
asked me to be his wife,
His wife," repeated Veronica, soft
ly Katherine. the laughter-loying
beauty, was suddenly invested with an
Importance in her eyes which was
marvellous. How wonderful, how
ST. angel"
Nay, it is not strange, Veronica. I
love him-he loves me. Can you guess
who it is?"
Slowly tne dark eyes wandered over
the bright face; and then sad Yer
onica answered:
1T must be Lord Wynleigh."
Yes" said Katherine, simply; lit
is Lord Wynleigh; and I am not one
of the happiest, but the happiest girl
girl in all the world Nevertheless, |
tell myself that such great joy as mine
cannot last; that time will come
when / suffer and weep and grieve as
other people do. Will it be SOP" She
looked wistfully at Veronica as she
spoke. II have read she said, "of
ships safe enough to sail in when the
sea is calm, but sure to sink when the
storm comes on. I think I should be
like one of those ships-I should go
down in the first storm"
I'VE will hope, then, that a storm
will never come" put in Veronica. eff
it depended on me, there never
should" she added. Still, there is one
thing that l can safely promise you.
one thing that l win do: If ever it
lies in my power to save you from sor-
row, l will do it; if ever it lies in my
power to give you happiness, I will
give it to you"
And the time came when the mem
Dry of those words weighed down the
balance in which she held both lives.