Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-09-26

I tucked away IN her ribbon box. Pc
, ihaps the bandage round her eyes wa
crumpled and unlovely affair, to,
: though Mrs. Lance had assured he
r that it was all right.
: No wonder Con had received .
! shock, for even a pretty girl can loo
ordinary" in unbecoming colors an
: hair dressed unsuitably. So that whel
; Con politely offered his arm, with tn
: 1dVice that a stroll would do he
: coed, she as politely declined, and lie
!, Mrs. Vance go instead. She felt he
way to the drawing room. and toll
the servants not TO disturb herr
was so terrible to be blind. even will
the knowledge that it was only a TEN
porary aff1iction. Crash, Crash,
There, she had knocked over the lit
tie gypsy table that held her precious
pieces of Venetian glass and the
water from a bowl of roses was sop
ping through her thin shoes.
How stupid she had been not to be
content to receive Mr.. Sylvester's
sympathetic messages at the hands OF
Mary or Mrs. Lance, instead of giving
way to her feeling of loneliness and
coming out such a guy, She could
hear the voices of her guests in ami
mated conversation in the vine walk
A week ago she had been the moving
spirit Of everything. If Jack would
only come back-dear Jack, who was
always so sensible, and who had ad
vised her over and over again not to
trust Mrs. Lance, and who was pro
longing his visit from home on that
lady's account. And then her thoughts
| drifted to her old friend Donald Rem
| nie-even he had deserted her.
There were hurried footsteps on
the veranda to interrupt her thoughts,
and a sudden opening of doors. Some
one was actually coming into the
drawing room unannounced and she
had been too miserable to take off
that awful fichu.
Oracle, my lassie. can you no see,
my poor wee Gracie?"
20, Donald, is it you? o, am so
glad. You don't care how l look
What made you come back? Who
told you?" cried Grace incoherent in
her sudden joy.
THE mailman it was who told them
down at Parsons Rest that you were
having bad attack of sandy blight. l
was nearly blind with it myself once,
and SO l came back to tell you to be
sure not to take the bandage off too
soon. or else your eyes might be bad
long while, and l brought you all
the new magazines from Mrs. West
with her love-" announced Donald
gravely.
what earthly use are the new
magazines to me? Are you going to
be heartless, too, Donald? Go away
again, I hate you, and that cat, Mrs.
Lance-and- and Mr.. Sylvester :
and every one" There was a hysteri-
cal ring in Grace's voice which prac-
teal Donald did not fail to note.
Peace Grace Durie," he said lit
tie sternly, ''and rest on the sofa,
will get Mary to bring in the reading
lamp with the big shade, and 1 will
read you all the stories l won't be
Scotch"
80 Donald, will you really? And
you only become Scotch when you
feel things deeply. After all I think
really like the accent. | must or else
| should never have been SO pleased
when you spoke to me tonight
and you really mean that, Grace
Durie?"
Il really mean it, Donald Rennie,"
answered the girl, a mischievous little
note in her voice. Ring for Mary
and the lamp; whatever you do, don't
leave me, 1 am so tired of being
alone"
Sweetheart, let me have the right
to be always with you" and Donald
took the girls hands in his own. 'You
know 1 have always loved you, lassie.'
Grace was silent for moment.
know, and | think I believe You, but
let Mary bring in the lamp and turn
the light full upon me and ask me
again if you wish to, and then l will
answer you"
Donald rang the little bronze bell,
which he found by the light that came
dimly through the open door to the
hall, and retired to a discreet distance
while Mary brought in the light, and
when she had departed he stood again
beside the sofa and took Gracies
hand in his own once more.
Can you love me little in return,
my bonny Gracie?" he whispered.
Bonnie, Q Donald, in this awful
fischu, and this frightful hair and nc
eyes to speak off,
"You are always bonnie to me,
Oracle, and l love you all the more
because you are suffering, and be-
cause you don't look so bright and in
dependent, and-I shall say it-as
hard as you usually do when every
one is bowling to you and-and-"
''Now do not spoil all the nice
things by saying something uncom-
fortably true" said Grace. Eyes. l
do believe you, really, honest I d,
and if Won want mo Won shall have