Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-10-25

you will have to exercise your
! patience too a much greater extent
she said. e shall countenance moth
! ing Of the kind" Then, with stern
! mien, she rang the bell. Did not re-
memberance of the old sweet time
when her heart had beaten. and her
! eyes had grown dim with tears? Tel
Miss Beaton I want her. she said to
/ the wondering maid; and, after brief
interval, Violet appeared.
She looked so shy, so coy, so lovely
! as she entered, bIushing and startled
+ that the young lord lost his head alto
/ gether, and was on the point of com
hitting himself in objectionable fash.
ion, when a look from Miss Atherton
restrained him.
Violet" said her aunt, grimly, this
! young man has come to ask me if he
may marry you. I say No you hear
me, Violet? I object to it,
Beautiful, blushing Violet looked al
her lover as though she would say,
You must take up the challenge,
Randolph"
Stepping forward, he took his stand
by Violet's side; then he cIasped one
Of her little white hands in his, Miss
Atherton looking on with cold displeas,
ure
eve hope" he said, that you will
give your permission. We will he
married in any case; but Violet would
be much happier if you consented, for
she cannot forget all your kindness to
her"
''It needs no stranger to tell me
that" said Miss Anterior. 'Violet, do
you love this young man? Do you wish
to marry him." with an air of lofty
disdain.
81 should not mind, aunt" answered
Violet, family.
Then Miss Atherton's heart thrilled
with a passing Renaissance of the
old passion. If the man she had low
ed SO faithfully had asked her to mar
ry him, she would not have answered
in calm tones like Violet. She hated
the very thought Of love and matri-
mony; but she turned from her niece
with a gesture of contempt to Lord
RIVERS:
Am I to understand that my niece
processes to love your"
Il am more than content" he replI-
ed. eff Miss Beaton will marry NE,
will make her the happiest wife in the
world, and [ will devote my whole life
to her"
men all say the same thing"
groaned Miss Atherton.
She saw with her minds eye the
branches Of a spreading aImond-tree
and handsome face bending over her.
She heard a voice. the music of which
had loaged ceased for her, saying
again and again, Trust and love me,
darling, you will see"
She had loved and trusted, and
what had been the result? Did a sim
liar fate attend the fair child who had
grown up by her side? Would her
love and trust both be betrayed in
similar fashion?
you do not seem to me, Violet, to
know your own mind" continued Miss
Anterior. do you love this young ar
fist or not?"
Il like him very much, aunt fall
tered the girl.
Like him." repeated Miss Anterior,
scornfully. What a word to use!
Do you love him, child? Do you feel
as though you would die if you lost
him?''
For once the passion that had sol
long been depressed shown in Miss
Athertons face, and the two young
people standing before her looked att
her in wonder. 1t was as though a
ghost had suddenly appeared before
them, and vanished as it came.
Speak up brayely!" Whispered the
young fellow. 'Have no fear, Violet. |
Say that you love me-"
Then she looked up, with sweet, shy
eyes.
Il do love him, aunt: and if you are
willing, | should like to marry him"
Miss Anterior looked at her niece's
lover. How handsome he was! III
she had not heard that he was an art
list, she would have felt convinced that
he was an aristocrat. The lofty bear
ing, the carriage Of the head, the per-
feet features, all indicated high birth
and breeding. Well no wonder that
her niece, foolish Violet, had been
struck with him.
Il know" said Miss Anterior, speak
ing in her usual calm, even tones once
more, that l might as we'll try to stop
the rush Of the river as prevent the
marriage of two young people, if they
are bent upon it; but I suppose theI
madness Of lovers will, in some degree,
be swayed by common sense. You
wish to marry my niece, sir. Now, |
tell me whether your means are sufi.
Gent to keep her, to surround her with
the comforts to which she has always
been accustomed"
To be continued.