Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-09-27

! eight; then having read a chapter IN
the family Bible to the yawning little
maid and her niece, she dismissed
them; and she herself also retired to
rest, with the virtuous sensation Of
having fulfilled her duty to the utter
most.
Violet went to her room, and having
eXtinguished her candle, drew up her
blind opened the window, and let in a
food Of silvery moonlight. The
girls poettcal soul was reused almost
to rapture. She could hear the river
as it rippled between the green banks;
and then, in the far distance, the night
ingaIe began to sing.
"I should like to hear it more dis
tinctly," she said.
my aunt could not be very angry
if she did know that I went out to lis
ten to the nightingale's song"
1t was still quite early, and the dying
light Of day was giving place to the
pale light of the moon. She had no
thought in her nature-Ioving heart
save that Of seeing the fall of the
waters and listening to the nightingale.
Little imagining how beautiful she
! looked, quite unconscious that she was
committing a great imprudence, Violet
wrapped a black-lace shawl around
her head and shoulders, and crept
noiselessly down stairs. Then she
passed into the dining-room, and, IN
{ fastening the long window, stepped
on to the lawn.
| A sense Of freedom and exhilaration
made her pulses thrill. All around
was so fair and so lovely to her dazzIed
senses.
"How beautiful" she cried to her
self. 81 will go to the river first"
1t did not take her many minutes TO
reach her favorite spot, the falls The
spray shone like diamonds; all kinds Of
sweet wild, yagrant thoughts fitted
through her mind And then, as she
stood there, a tall, dark figure emerged
from under the great group of trees
near the waterfall She recognized it
at glance and her first impulse was to
turn and fly; yet why, she asked her
self, should she not hear the nightin-
gale sing, if she chose to do so?
He advanced q few steps.
DO forgive me he said, for being
here. I fought with the temptation
fer five long hours, and lost in the
end
what was the temDtation?" she
asked. 4 do not understand"
You said this mOrning-oh, how
long it seems since then--that you
liked to see the waterfall by moon
light, I looked at the almanac, and
found that there was a full moon to-
night; ard I have been debating in
M own mind whether l should come
or not. It seemed unfair to take any
advantage OF what you said uncon-
sciously, but l longed to see you a
gain"
Did you?" she asked did you
really wish to see me? How strange!"
1T is not strange at all" he cried,
impetuously, making one step in ad
vance, and then checking himself
4 thought you would come out to-
night; and, now that I am here, do be
kind to me- Miss Beaton, and let me
talk to you for a few minutes"
ct is not at all the right thing to
do" she answered "To tell you the
truth, Mr.. Randolph" she said, ''I
came out to hear the nightingale sing;
it is in the linden tree over there"
May I go with you so far?" he ask
ed. ct would be an untold pleasure
to me-"
She looked at him intently.
Aunt Alice will-well, she will be
terrible angry with me if ever she
knows but it will not always be June,
and the nightingale will not always
sing. Yes, We will go and hear it,
The dew lay thick and heavy on
the grass; each drop seemed to catch
the moonlight. Lord RIVERS was be-
! side himself with delight; his heart
was full. but he could not speak, the
words would not come. The song Of
the nightingale grew clearer and
sweeter.
There is the linden-tree," said VIC
let; we must move very quietly, or we
shall disturb the bird"
With quiet steps on the long grass,
they advanced until they reached the
spot where the bird was pouring out
its marvellous flow of melody. They
stood entranced.
Il am glad I came" said Violet after
time Il would not have missed it for
the whole world"
81 might have lived forever in the
busy haunts of men" remarked Lord
RIVERS, 'and have heard nothing like
it"
eff we ever meet again" she said,
regarding him thoughtfully, "how
strange it will seem to remember that
we have spent an hour together in
this fashion,"
There was not the least conscious
ness on her fair young face as she
spoke.
If I thought we were never to meet
: again. he declared hurriedly, 81
d. should not care to live an hour"
THAT is the language Of poets
:. she said laughing.
Il wonder if the nightingale's sons
were put into words, what it would al
:, be about?"
Love" he answered, CURLY.
"Love!" said Violet. Il should thinl
a it would be something more interest
). ing than that"
e More Interestingly" he asked, no
Il quite sure if he heard rightly.
"Oh, yes" she said, much more in
Y teresting! l should imagine that bird