Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-07-12
Continued.

The faireSt face In that D.liI4dhI
throng was that d Ethel Gordon. No
sooner did she appea. thaa she was
surrounded ~ q c. art C. admirers.
She talked for short time with more
than her usual animation, hoping and
expecting every moment that Sir Us
car would appear; but time passed on
and he did not come. Then her high |
spirits failed her. She made her es-
cape from her admirers, and wandered
INTO one of the pretty ferneries. Here
all was cool, green, and pleasant. She
fingered; the waters fell with soft
ripping sound, the ferns stirred light
~ in the wind. She sat down to en-
Joy the pretty solitude.
All at once she saw Sir Oscar; he
was walking through the fernery, and
had suddenly caught glimpse OF her.
lis face frightened, the grave, lumin-
GUS smile she liked so much came over
It. He advanced eagerly to her.
II have been looking everywhere for
you, Miss st. Norman" he said; 81
wag Just thinking of going away, fear
ing you were not here"
"rhe crowd is SO great" she OBJ
served; Il have been ON the lawn, but
/ did not see you"
fIe sat down by her side. Had she been
wiser, she would have understood her
self better; everything seemed to
change when he appeared; the sun
shine was brighter, a fairer green
came on the grass, the flowers took
rarer colors, the birds sang more
sweetly, the whole aspect of heaven
and earth seemed changed to her; and
yet 1t never even family dawned across
her mind that this was love.
She was surprised to find that an
hour had passed since he appeared; it
seemed to her only few minutes.
Il think" she said to him, with a
smile, "that you have the faculty of
making time fly had no idea that
we had passed a whole hour In listen
ing to the music of that cascade"
II may make the same complaint"
he responded; "hours in your society
take unto themselves wings and fly"
She laughed, and rose from her seat,
yet she did not like going away from
the cool. fresh ferns.
This seems to be the pleasantest
part of the grounds" she said; Il ad-
mire ferns very much"
so do l." he remarked; "but have
never admired them so much as to-
day"
And then they walked back to the
lawn together Many admlring glances
followed them; people whispered to
each other that sooner or later that
would be match.
II can understand now" said one
lady to another, why Miss St. Nor
man refused the Duke of Southmead."
ct was not for Sir Oscars sake"
was the rejoinder. "She had not even
seen him when the Duke of Southmead
left London"
The comments made did not reach her
ears; and it was well for Sir Oscar
that they did not. He saw that the
pretty legend of friendship sufficed for
her. She was unconscious Of aught
else He loved her with a strong, deep,
earnest love. He had never been
charmed by the fair face of woman
before; he had that most rare gift to
offer her-the first love OF his heart.
He knew that by her side, no matter
what troubles. came, life would be one
Yong course of happiness-one long,
unbroken dream of delight He knew
also that. If she refused him, all that
this world could offer would not atone
20 him for the loss.
His great love made him cautious II
he had had less at stake. he would
have been rasher and more daring; he
would have told her at once that he
loved her, and have asked her to be
his wife. Love made him prudent. He
knew that some of the most eligible
men in England had tried in vain to
win her favor. He could not bear the
thought of losing her. so he called
caution to his aid. He would not
startle her by speaking too soon of his
love; he would give her plenty of time
TO grow accustomed to him.
He was not vain, but he did think
she was beginning TO like him. She
seemed more at home. more at ease
with him than with any one else. He
thought TO himself that, IL needful,
he would wait long years in silence for
her--she was so dear. so precious, so
well worth winning.
He said nothing to her of love. Like
a cautious general, he advanced by |
degrees. He was content for = time |
with having won her liking he wanted |
20 accustom her TO his society. to teach
her TO rely upon him; and he sue
ceeded. Slowly and gradually new
life opened to her, and she was quite |
unconscious of Il. The old interest that
she felt in poetry and art her passion
nte love OF nature, her animation, all
seemed TO return to her.
~ am so much happier" she would |
say to herself, because have found a
friend"
She was like child who sleeps SER
eneB In the midst of fair and fragrant
- .....n. eoafpv the prpStpd head |