Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-03

i motionless in the shelter of a steep
| rock; over them a wild vine hung and
swayed its long wreathes in the water
a sweet brier, starred with fragrant
| sleeping buds, climbed and twisted
and tufts of ribbon grass fell forward
/ and streamed in the indolent ripple;
beneath them the lake, lucid as some
| dark crystal, sheeted with olive trans
parence bottom Of yellow sand: here
a beam poised on SLOWLY waving fins
| as If dreaming of motion, or a perch
! flashed its red fire from one hollow TO
another. The shadow lifted to a
| degree, the eye penetrated to farther
regions; 4 bird piped warily, then free
| a second. and then a third. answered
q fourth took up the tale blue jay AMI
thrush, catbird and bobUlink; wings
began to dart about them, the world 10
rustic overhead. Near and far the dark
pines grew indistinct with sound, the
| shores and heavens blew out gales u
melody, tn air broke UP in music. He
| lifted his oars silently; she caught the
sweet brier, and lightly shaking it i
| rain of dewdrops dashed with sweet
est perfume, sprinkled them; they
moved on. A thin mist breathed from
the lake, steamed round the boat and
| lay like white coverlet upon the
| water; a light wind sprang up and
! blew it in long rags and ribbons,
| lifted and torn and streaming out OF
sight. All the air was pearly, the SKY
| opaline, the water now crisply emblaz-
oned with dark and splendid jewelry
the graved work Of a sapphire; Il
| rosy fleece sailed across their heads,
some furnace glowed in the east be-
hind the trees, long beams fell re-
splendently through and lay beside
vast shadows, and giant furs stoJd
black and intense against red and
risen to research out this whole seen :,
and renew acquaintance with its
haunting harmonies."
Not Young nor Old.
Deer island house should shave a
chapter by itself 1t isn't splendid,
but it is beautiful. It's mistress cam
be described in black and white She
must be known. How old is she? Not
very young any longer in years; this
must be so, by the dates on the first
editions of her published writings:
but she looks young. She is slender,
with hair that would be whitening if It
were not that it has always been SO
h., VI tn tol-
the pretty color away. Her COM
pleXion is fair, almost girlishl so. YOl
think of her after you have closed the
gate reluctantly behind you and de-
parted townwards, Of bit of delicate
Dresden china, but with grace and
rhythm and real heart Of youth, and
love of sweetness and light. You re-
member a unique personality, fascinat.
ingly different from the bleak and
clustering new woman, a tender,
sweet, womanly gentlewoman with Il
passionate love of beauty. 1t sounds
ideal; it is precisely so that the pict-
ure paints itself-ideal hostess, ideal
nome.
Mrs. SpOfford' S history, as dates and
data go, has nothing to do with the
charm even the chance visitor finds
herself wrapped about in. 1t is a
pleasure to remember that her welded
life with her late husband Richard S.
Spofford, the brilliant lawyer, was
filled with happiness, and Bostoniaus
and Washingtonians have especially
reason to remember with pride their
dwelling among them. 1t is interesting
to know that Mr.. Spofford is a native
of Calais, Me-, and a regretful expert
ence to find all about the charming
home she has occupied now for several
years with longer or shorter absences
by winter to the city and by summer
to the mountains, always for brief in
tervals-it is regretfully one realizes
the passing away Of the talented sister
| Mary N. Prescott, who sometimes lived
under the Deer island roof tree.
Mrs. Spofford likes people
likeable people, and is fond
of the world-that part Of
it one can be fond of and true to an
artistic temperament. She radiates
! life as she moves and speaks. Her
| ideas upon art and literature, never
| for publication but to draw out the
views of her friends and reason
together about them, are vital with
critical acumen and sensitive appreci-
alton.
| Mrs. Spofford's home is a mecca Of
| people whom it is a privilege to know.
There are always guests, and always
| from the wide piazza to that epitome
of good cheer the large hospitable dil-
ing room from the library to the re-
hottest corner of the last guest cham
| Der nor nook nor Granny but overfows
with interest. There isn't vestige If
pose" Nothing looks new and TO:
effect. Everything looks as if devel-
| oped where it stands, as if it had FL
ways been. Nobody talks to hear him.
| self at Mrs Spofford's; the converse
ton is like the river and the pines ana
! the sunshine and the sweet scented
air, and the jolly camaraderie of the
old-fashioned garden posies.
CAROTTA MYERS: HER NERVE.
| How Aeronaut's Wife Saved Crowd