Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-03
Continued.

AS he sat there she almost hated The
beauty of the summer morning, the
song of the birds, the fragrance Of
the sweet flowers. AS in a dream, the
pictured faces Of the saints on the
grand eastern window of ST. Ann;
church came before her; she called tt
mind the holy calm and silence reign
ing within the sacred edifice; the sol
emn vows she had only that morning
taken sounded again in her ears. The
remembrance of it all surged through
her heart and soul like the waves OF
an angry sea; her slender figure
sWayed like leaf in the wind and,
without word or cry, she fell white
and helpless to the ground. The sun
beams played over her; through the
open window came the sweet breath
OF the climbing roses, but Ethel
Gordon was insensible to both.
The bell rang for luncheon, and no
Ethel came. Miss Digby looked anx-
iously for her
II am afraid the child has over-ex-
erted herself" she said to Lady Stat
ton
Her ladyship laughed.
II am afraid, my dear, that Miss
Gordon has a little attack of the
Gordon temper She left us without
word. You had better let her take her
own way"
But Helen was not happy. She
loved her beautiful, hayward, willful
charge; she bore patiently with her
faults, hoping for the time wher
Ethel would love her in return. She
could not bear that the girl should go
without her luncheon because per-
maps she was tired with her long
Tamble
II found fault with her." she said:
II must not forget that and she is not
accustomed to it, my poor Ethel"
So, despite Lady Stations laughter,
she selected a bunch of bIoomy pur-
pie grapes, ripe peach, and a glass
Of Madeira, and took them herself to
EthePs room. together with a book
she thought would amuse her. She
raped, but no answer came; and then
Helen opened the door. No beautiful
face turned proudly to see what she
wanted. Ethel Gordon lay white,
cold, and silent on the floor.
For one minute Helen thought she
was dead.
Ethel, my darling!" she cried,
kneeling by her side; ethel, what is
the matter?"
There came no answer from the
white lips, and Helen, with a kind,
caressing touch, parted the long, rich
brown hair from the white brow. and
then raised the girl in her arms and
laid her on the bed.
1T is but a fainting fit" she
thought, brought on, probably, by
the heat and the long ramble she has
taken in the woods"
She bathed the cold face with water:
and when at last Ethel opened her
eyes, it was to find her head pill
lowed on the kindly breast of the wo-
man she had intended to crush be-
meath her feet; to find tender words
gentle caresses, devoted care from the
woman she had hated with such fatal
hate
My darling ETHEL" said Helen
Digby, Il am so pleased and thankful
to find you better | was sorely
frightened when | found you lying on
tho floor | hope you have not been
III long. Try to drink this wine
She bent down. and with her kind
plying lips she kissed the beautiful
colorlesS face.
MY darling child" she resumed
Il did not know how dearly l loved
you until | saw you lying helpless"
Suddenly Ethel-proud Ethel, who
never sought a caress-fung her arms
yound Helen's neck. buried her face
on Helen's breast and chung to her
with a passionate cry.
Take me home and let me die!"
oh, Helen, Helen, take me home!"
Helen tried to calm her, feeling all
the time alarmed at her state. Still
she thought it was nothing more than
the effects of long walk in the heat
of the sun
You must be more careful my dear
child she said; those long rambles
are too much for you"
But Ethel only chung the more
closely to her, crying again:
Take me home, Helen, and let me
die