Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-02-16


antediluYian notions of your progen
itors and make all the Craufurd girl
follow the drum, Willy-niIly, in this en-
lightened age!"
That is my determination with you
Allie, and l know it would have beer
your mothers; for, as I have often toIC
you, she also came Of a fighting race
And nope that her gallant Irish blood
flowing in your veins will stimulate
you to obey me-"
The frivolous side of Aileen's nature
| suddenly vanished at this mention OF
! the mother whom she could not re-
member, and who was buried in far
off India. She seemed to be on the
point Of confQing something to her
father, but refrained, and in a very
meaning manner said
We'll, dad, if l ever marry, it will be
a soldier"
Then you must give up this engin-
eer. must say, Allie, that l am pref
| udice against this young man, although
have never seen him, and although
your aunt has written very highly Ct
him. Indeed, he seems to be a great
faVOrite of hers"
"Oh, daddy" exclaimed Aileen, "he
is favorite with everybody. I'm sure
you would like him.
Il might, as a man and a civil engin-
eer, but not as husband for you. By
the by, haven't you carried on a cor
| respondence with this-this-'
"ACheson is his name, dad. Yes, |
have written some letters to him, and
he to me. You see, Aunt Norah quite
approved of it."
"And you have never told me-
mo, dear dad, but it was owing to
WELL say, thoughtlessness. l thought
he would have been in Scotland before
now, when l would have presented him
to YOU"
Colonel Craufurd took no notice of
this remark, but, producing letter
from his pocket, said
Eve had letter from Edinburgh
this morning, from my old comrade,
Major Coombe, and he and his family
are coming to Perth tomorrow. 1t
seems that a relative Of Mrs. Coombe
has taken a short lease of Kinfauns
Castle, and has invited the Coombes
to spend some weeks with them. The
Major wrote saying that he was en-
gagged to visit us, so Mr.. Middlemas has
asked the Coombes to bring us to Kin
fauns with them. Now, would you
like to go?"
Certainly, dad, if you care about it,"
The Colonel paused little, then he
said-"Im not going to beat about the
bush, Allie. Listen 70 this extract
from Coombe's letter. We
are bringing with us young man
whom | think you will like-young
Acheson, the clever and prosperous
civil engineer, and who will be our
sOn-in-law in the near future Now,
Allie, there can be no doubt who is
meant. Do you still desire to go
after that?'
Eyes, daddy, to be sure. shall be
civil to the civil engineer, but will
only marry a soldier"
That's my own good, wee lassie, -
said the Colonel, jubilantly; "and now
see about getting your things packed
Coombes at the Station Hotel at 10.
And now I'll have another
Peep"
mo, you little tease-a cigar"
AS soon as Major and Mrs. Coombe
! ana family had welcomed Colonel
| Craufurd and his daughter next morn
| ing, the Major Sald-"Now allow we TO
! introduce our trIenu, Mr.. AchesOn-
! Colonel and Miss Craufurd."
he Colonel almost neglected to re-
| turn the young man S polite bow, SO III
tently was he watching to see how his
| daughter would pass the ordeal; and
very glad he felt when he saw Aileen
after a formal inclination Of the head
turn at once and begin to talk to Mrs
Coombe. Good girl he said to him
self, she's going TO cut that fellow
dead"
Two open carriages conveyed the
party to kinfaus. In the first, Major
and Mrs. Coombe, their soma subal-
tern in the Rifle Brigade-and Miss
Craufurd were seated. The seconl
was occupied by Colonel Craufurd, the
two Misses Coombe, and Mr.. Acheson
The Colonel and Mr.. Acheson hat
been exchanging commonplace re
marks with each other until, aftel
crossing Perth Bridge, the carriage
swung into the turnpike ROAD. Their
the Colonel in low tone said
Il think you-you have-met N.
daughter before"
The young man smiled curiously a
he replied
We'll, to tel the truth, Colone
Craufurd, 1 -
He got no further, for at that mo
lie elder Miss Coombe interrupt
ed \.
, oh, Colonel Craufurd, what has be
come of your gallantry? Just fancy
: you have never spoken a word to u
yet. It's really too bad"
Il beg a thousand pardons, my dea
young ladies, and cry peccavi," sal
> the Colonel Il have behaved mos
shamefully. Let me now make up 70
it by pointing out the beauties of m
> native district as we go along"
And the Colonel kept his compar
ions quite interested until Kinfaun
was reached.
After luncheon, and when the men
: bers of the house-party were prepal
\ Il,