Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-11-08

! Il hope your life will 5e as clear,
shining, and bright as the VINE in your
! glass" cried the young husband.
Miss Atherton gazed solemnly at
! her.
Il hope it viii be your last, Violet.
ECU have married al extravagant man.
! who will never rest until 4e has ruined
himself. l hope you Will have more
sense THAI to fall in with his absurd
I notions
Il shall try my best to be sensible,
aunt" replied the fair young bride,
She could laugh now that she would
soon be away, but Miss Atherton's
GOODNESS and sharp, biting tongue had
always been a great trouble to her.
The beautiful face OF the young bride
on her wedding morning vas pale as
white rose. The novelty, the bright
life before her, were delightful, but she
! missed what enhances the happiness
OF most girls-a mothers kiss and a
fathers CHEEKY blessing.
When the obnoxious champagne was
finished, and some little inroad had
been made into the bride cake, it was
time to go. Lord RIVERS mad detained
the carriage that they might drive tC
C@-Ti- Gto1 railway station. When
Miss Athertou heard that, she subsidized
into stony silence; no ether words
were needed or used.
The end Of all this extravaganza
must come" she repeated to herself
again and again; those people VINO
would sleep upon roses must feel the
thorns, seeming to derive great sat
isfaction from the thought
The moment came in which aunt and
niece babe each other a1ewell; and
then Violet looked into he stern, cold
face with weeping eyes.
Give me one kind word, one kind
wish, aunt she said. ct seems cruel
that [ should leave what i,as been my
home without one kind word
You have pleased yourself; you
have married a man who seems to
think extravaganza a virtue. I have
{. few words for you,-words of proph-
ecy,-that you Will find thorns, sharp
and long, in your Grange blossoms"
Years afterward the wor5s returned
to Violet's mind, and she knew that
they indeed had been prophetic.
Lord RIVERS overheard them and
FASTENED to her. 1t was useless now
for Miss Anterior to look Mortified or
turn aside. He took Violet in his arms
before her very eyes and kissed her.
She was his wife, and no one could in
terfere.
DO not listen, darling" he erica:
there is not one single horn in your
beautiful orange blossoms, and, if
there were, would take it away. If
Aunt Alice cannot say goodbye to you
kindly, we will leave her without
Miss Atherton did not yield; she was
firm to the last; and they parted from
her without even the semblance of a
good wish.
"She will come back to me YET" was
her comment, as the carriage drove
away, and then-then shall see the
thorns amid the. orange blossoms.
But, when they had gone, when the
last sound of the carriage wheels had
died away, and no echo came of the
horses feet, then the blignted, imbit-
tered heart bled. Oh, why had Heaven
been so good to this girl, fair of race,
and so cruel to her? Why had love
been sent to her as a fever of pain. as
fever of misery? Yet 20 this girl it
was a golden dream of happiness. real
lied for the present, even if it ended
in the blackness and bitterness of
death. She paced up and down the
garden paths, by which the hollyhocks
grew, and her whole soul revolted
against the decree of Heaven. Why
was she Old worn, and haggard? Why
had she no fond husband, no sweet
children? Why had she missed all
that was fair and pleasant in life?
The old pain and passion that had once
slept awoke with bitter clamor, bitter
anguish.
why is it?" she cried, with clasped
hands and appraised eyes. why is it?
Merciful Heaven! Why Tie cross for
me and the crown for her? Why for
me the bitterness Of gall, for her the
sweetness of honey? Why for her the
wine of life, for me the lees ?"-forget-
ting that there are secress that will
be known only when the whole Of life
lies bare before US. that life of which
we now see only a part.
To he