Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-11-02

was coming to her; she longed for
power and position, it was to be hers;
but she was unconscious of it, and
said to herself at times that her life
would be spent in dreams.
One morning she sat in the garden
making faint pretence at work, but
the needle had fallen, and the white
hands lay listless and still. She sat
under the shade of a large elm-tree,
and the sunbeams falling through
green leaves were like a halo around
her frightening her marvellous
beauty. She was engrossed in her day
dream of that golden future, when
the little maid-servant came to tell
her that a gentleman wished to see
her.
She rose hastily, crimson flush on
her fair face. A gentleman to see her!
Who could it be?
Before she had time to ask the ques-
ton, she saw a gentleman entering
through the garden-gate. He advanced
towards her and bowed
Have the pleasure of addressing
Mrs. Waldron?" he asked
He was so different from the people
she had passed her life amongst
/ that she blushed and hesitated She
could not help noticing that the
stranger was watching her intently,
and that his eyes fingered on her face
with an interest that was not Curl
osity; he was studying every feature,
and when she spoke he listened eager
ly to every word.
II must apologize" he said, "for in
truding, but the garden-gate was
open, and l saw you here. Time is
very precious with me. thought you
would pardon me If I followed the
maid"
She looked at him as though she
would fain ask him who he Was; but
at that moment the strangers gaze
fell on the lovely little boy who vas
playing on the grass. Suddenly
change came over his face; he made a
hurried step, and then stood still.
rs that your child-your son-Mrs
Waldron?" he asked, eagerly.
yes" she replied; that is my
baby boy"
|
the stranger; will you let me nurse
him." He took the child in his arms,
and looked just as intently in his face.
"He is a noble boy" he said, "a
princely child What is his name,
Mrs. Waldron?" she forgot the ir-
regularity of the interview in her de-
light at the gentleman's admiration.
His name is Lionel" she replied;
we call him Leo. His father wished
him to take my name, but | would not
consent"
Your name must be a peculiar one
il you could give it to boy" he
said: and if Mrs Waldron had looked
more intently at him. she would have
seen that the subject was one of great
moment to him.
MY name is Ismay," she said, and
at the word a strange flash of delight
came over the visitors face; and then
that she had not yet heard the reason
Mrs. Waldron seemed to remember
that she had not yet heard the rea-
son of his visit.
do you wish to see my husband?"
she asked.
No" he replied, slowly. "My object
in waiting upon you is to ask your
permission to make a sketch of this
charming little cottage"
Ismay looked up in delight.
A picture of my home" she said
Il think there can be no objection.
Are you an artist?"
The visitor smiled a strange, pc
culiar smile.
Not by profession; but am fond
of drawing"
Then slowly. and with great art. he
drew her into conversation. He told
her that he had heard her history and
sympathiZed with her He asked her
il she remembered anything of her
life before she came to Ashburnham.
IL could not possibly remember"
she replied-"I was but three years
old The only childish memory
nave is, strange to say, of my mothers
hair-beautiful brown waving hair
with which used to play; her face
comes dimly before me at times. l
remember nothing more"
"You were three years old" he
said. how do you know that"
Il have heard Mrs Hope say So"
she answered when Will you begin
the sketch?"
Here ii suddenly struck Ismay that
perhaps Paul would not be pleased If !
he knew how long this stranger had |
been in the garden.
a slow smile spread over his face
A shrewder woman wol have |
OWNED at once that he had g one there |
for an object and that the object was
attained
with your permission, Mrs. VALID |
ron, will call again and then we
can arrange about the sketch"
After a few more complimentary /
words. the stranger withdrew. leaving |
lsmay battered. yet puzzled. What an
interest he had taken in her, How en-
crossed he had been in her story,
and how pleased he had been with
Leo!
She sat dreaming under the elm-tree
thinking of everything that had been