Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-22

in the grounds he gathered a bouquet |
OF fairest roses; the dew was lying on
them, and every leaf seemed full of
perfume With another bride, even
heavier than the first, the waiter con-
scented to have the bouquet conveyed
to Miss Gordon's room.
BE particular, and do not mention
from whom you received it."
The waiter in his turn bribed
chambermaid; and when Ethel rose,
one of the first things she saw upon
her toilet table was a superb bouquet
Of roses, and on the paper Unfolding
them she read, in strange, quaint char
acters, the words, Sweets to the
sweet" She took up the roses and
looked at them wonderingly Who
had cared sufficiently for her to send
her these? She had been at the hotel
so many weeks, and no one had ever
appeared to recognize her. Who had
risen to gather these beautiful roses
for her? Who had written these pref
ty words, Sweets to the sweet"
1t did not enter her min that it was
an admirer-a lover. Such a POSSIBLE
ity never occurred to Ethel. That
some day there would come to her a
felt intuitively; that there would come
a fairy prince who would change all
the world for her, making it doubly
fair and doubly bright, she also felt,
and she thought of it with softened
light in her eyes and a crimson blush
on her face. The happy time would
come, for it came once in every ones
life-when, she did not know She
had felt no want in her life; her
fathers love, and her own pretty, fan
tastic will had more than filled it. No
voice in her heart had cried out to her
that her life was unfinished because
love had formed no part of it. The
joyous time would come sooner or
later, and the beautiful distant golden
future had a greater charm for her
than flirtations and lovers had for
other girls.
The grandest heritage of woman was
not hers yet-the love that suffers,
that endures, that brings with it keen
est bliss and keenest pain-that love
that makes of this world a paradise or
a purgatory-the love that crowns
woman's life or brings with it certain
death. No warning came to her from
the sweet dewy roses, or each fragrant
leaf might have cried: Beware; Be
ware!"
no. vic =
Miss Gordon was too proud to ques-
ton the servants about the sender of
the flowers She held them in her
white hands; she inhaled their lus-
cious perfume; she kissed the sweet
crimson leaves.
'You come from a friend she said;
therefore you are welcome
She hesitated shyly whether she
should place one of them in her belt
or in her hair; and shyness gained the
day. She left them in her room, but
all that day it seemed to her that she
had friend near at hand.
Laurie Nugent laid his plans. He
had determined upon a floral siege. If
Miss Gordon were inclined to romance
as, from her face, he expected-this
silent, fragrant wooing would have a
great charm for her. He watched her
that day in silent admiration, yet
keeping out of her sight.
The next morning found on her
table a bouquet of lilies, fair, white,
and odorous, but on the paper that in
folded them was written no word. Her
wonder increased. Who was there
| that cared enough about her to send
such lovely flowers? 1t could not be
Miss Digby
Il should hate them if l thought
they came from her" she said to her.
self.
Her face flushed, and her eyes
flashed. She would have trampled the
delicate lilies under foot if Helen Dig
by's hand had gathered them. But it
could not be so. Miss Digby was kind,
courteous, and graceful; still she
would never have thought of anything
so sentimental as sending flowers
stepped in the early morning dew.
On the following: morning there
came a bouquet more beautiful still:
1t was composed of large, rich, velvety
heartseases; and then Ethel's suspi-
cions were aroused. 1t must be from
some one who admired her. Yet she
/ had seen no one. There were one or
two ladies, and two or three elderly
married gentlemen staying at the ho-
tel. 1t could be none of these. Who
was it sent the flowers? Ethel re-
solved on that, the third day of re-
ceiving them, to look carefully around.
and take more interest in the living
world
! To be continued.
| NAPOLEON AT DINNER