Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-30

the Philippines and all the little town
! Swanly was doing its best to lionize
him. He was the only Swanley boy
who had seen active service and they
were proud of him.
| Jack went gaily about everywhere.
| shaking hands with everybody and de
porting himself more like an over
! joyed schoolboy than a tall, bronzed
! soldier.
We say he went everywhere and
shook hands with everybody, but he
did not. for there was a big brick
| house on the hill that he stunned per-
| sistently and there was somebody in
it that he did not go near, though she
filed all his waking thoughts and fig
ured conspicuously III his dreams;
and, while he laughed, his heart was
bitter and his gaiety barely drowned
the undertone of sadness in his voice
And the worst of it was,-if there
could be any worst when all was so
bad,-he did not know what the mat
ter was. True, it all seemed plain
her meaning, but it was so unlike. SO
very unlike her during all the years
Of their acquaintance Thousands of
times he had told himself there was
some mistake, some misunderstanding
but as many times quiet reasoning
had seemed to give the negative to
such hope. No, there was nothing
for it but that she had determined,
when put to the test, that Jack Brum-
lieh was not the man she would
marry.
He had suffered so much and been
so wildly anxious to get home. In
two days he wished himself in a Phil
ippine jungle, in the midst of a Skin
mish-anywher but here in Swanley.
He did not think, after the first intox-
ication of the homecoming was over,
that he should be able to stand it
long, and wondered what he would do.
He had promised his father, who was
growing feeble, to take the care Of the
store and let him and his wife-Jack's
stepmother-travel about and take a
little rest. He supposed he must keep
his word, but how could he? And
then be fell to questioning his little
sister about the doings of the young
people generally, cautiously coming
around to know how Catharine King
was getting on.
co." said the child, delighted to tell
some news. her beaus Dick Barlow.
He takes her lots of Places
And so it was Dick after all. He
had sometimes had short-lived fits of
h in Of low
but Catharine really never seemed
partial to Dick.
Well, well, it was not strange after
all. Dick Barlow had prospects, and
he had none-unless it was the pros
pect of a life of hard work helping to
raise the rather large family of his
fathers second marriage.
And then women were tickle crea-
lures in no wise to be depended on.
He would forget all about her, -
and Immediately proceeded to remem-
Der most distinctly all their delightful
years of courtship. They had not
been formally engaged, but it had all
been understood; they were-or had
been-'young yet" He felt absolute
~ patriarchial now. soldering made
a fellow feel old"
If he was sure there was no mistake
of course there was not; but it was
SO unlike her. If he was sure, how
ever, he thought it would be easier.
He could rouse himself to greater
wrath
The thought that she might marry
while he was gone had kept sleep from
his eyes more than one night under
Philippine skies, but now he almost
wished she had.
When he met her father, Judge
King, he received a hearty greeting
and a cordial invitation to come up
to the house. with the added incan-
tive that mother and Catharine"
would be glad to see him. He had
been home three whole days when he
saw her last-"at last was what
he said to himself-but the sight
gave him little comfort as she was
| wheeling alongside Dick Barlow.
1t was all true then, and he groaned
inwardly as he turned from the store
window, not waiting to see that Dick
| stopped at his fathers office and
Catharine turned into the street that
ran to the country road.
| Catharine King had been on one of
her frequent and Oftimes prolonged
visits to her married sister in a town
some twenty-five miles distant when
Jack Brownleigh, suddenly inflated
with patriotism, had determined to go
to the war and accordingly enlisted
without loss of time. He promptly
wrote her Of his intentions and ex-
pressed the wish that she would come
| home-she came and went at will on
| her Wheel-but if that was not con-
venient, to write. He wanted a for
nal betrothal before he went. In vain
he waited for her appearance or a
letter. Nothing came. Piqued, puz-
zled and distressed he went away and
there the matter had rested for two
long years 1t was not like her; she
had never been coquettish, and she
had always seemed so fond of him; Sc
satisfied in his company, so interested
in his affairs, so loyal to his interests
::
| Swanley gave a reception in his
honor. inside the week. He dressed
with great care and once more he was
light hearted She would surely be
there and something might happen
"Of course there would not, but there
might was his logical reasoning
She did not attend. Neither die
Dick Barlow, who, as a matter of fact
had been sent by his father on bust