Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-03-21

in love-. said Monica. Il have always
told you so. You married Randolph
because he was the first man who
made love to you, or who asked you tc
marry him."
do you think SOP" questioned
Violet, gravely.
IT am sure of it. You had better
try to fall in love with your husband
you certainly did not with your lover
The world was never the same to me
from that moment; it will never be
the same again. That is falling in
love,-the world, your own life, every
thing changes; you could not get back
to your own old self if you tried"
Then I have never been in love-
at least, not in your fashion," Violet
said, thoughtfully.
II cannot tell you,' continued
Monica, "how long we talked. If l
had been a young queen instead of a
schoolgirl, he could not have treated
NE with greater respect. He walked
half the way home with me. 1t was
such sweet, mad folly, Violet-so
sweet while the spring-tide lasted.
Do you know that the odor of the
hawthorn turns me faint? Even now
It brings back those happy days very
I0rc1bly to me. 1t was such a spring
as comes only once in life. 1t lasted
from the second day of May, when |
first saw HIM, until the middle of
June, when my mother and sister
came home. We met sometimes in
the park down by the ruins; we used
to sit by the old arched windows
where the great clusters of blue-bells
grew. l know it was wrong. I know
that, having met him once by accident,
| ought never to have met him again.
| know that deceived my mother, my
goVerness, and everyone else; but I
have suffered. Oh, Violet, l have paid
a terrible price for my folly! I have
to live and pretend to be happy while
my heart is breaking. | do not re-
member that we actually made any
appointments; it seemed to be an I'M
derstood thing that we should see
each other every day. Every day my
handsome young soldier rode over
from Queenstown and at last-at last
he told me he loved me, and asked me
if | would pc his wife.
Il can now see the whole scene.
We were standing in a clover-meadow
under the great spreading boughs of
some lime-trees. | see the slanting
sunlight on the grass; the pink may
on the hedges. | see the little white
lambs at play; hear the sweet sing
ing of the birds above our heads. |
never look at the lime boughs or the
clover now.
He asked me to be his wife and I
said Yes gladly, willingly. Yes; L
do not be shocked, Violet flung my
arms round his neck, and laid my head
on his breast; every beat of my
heart was his.
eve were so happy-oh, Violet, so
happy We quite forgot that I was
the daughter of rich, fashionable
lady, and that he was poor soldier,
with little but his regimental pay
We forgot that there could be poverty
privation, opposition; we remembered
only love.
Before that month of May was
over, our hearts were so knitted to-
gether, our two souls had grown so
completely one, that death could not
part us; yet we shall never be mar
ried, | never thought of opposition;
the golden glamour of love lay all
around us. The only evil we an
ticipated was that we should be COM
PEELED to wait until l was older.
my love, she's but a lassie yet
Paul delighted in singing. Your
mother will be sure to say that we
must watt he said to me often. I
will not write to her while she is in
London; l will wait until she comes
home. ! can speak better than can
write
"And Violet, will you believe that,
although l knew mamma, hers idea
and peculiarities, l never dreamed Of
her refusal?
Then came letter from mamma
to me, in which she told me the great
news that the Earl of Lester had pro-
posed to my beautiful sister Mar
guerite, | remember every word of
my mothers letter.
The match, though a magnificent
one, is no more than l expected with
Marguerite's serene grace and beauty.
And now few words for yourself,
Monica. Hasten on with your lessons
pay especial attention to department
and manners, for next season I shall
take you TO town, and I shall expect
you to do even better than your sister
has DONE"
II read this to Paul l put my arms
round his neck; l drew his face down
to mine and kissed it.
"I have done a thousand times
better than she can ever do?' [ cried.
No girl in the world is so fortunate as
I am
But shadow fell over PauIs
bright face. After that, if possible.
he loved me more, he came more
often. How it was that we escaped
detection I cannot think It seems to
me now miraculous. When the moon
shone | went to the ruined arches
and, we walked there, always talking
oh, how blind we were!-always Of
the beautiful future before us.
Then my mother and sister re
turned. The Earl of Lester came on q
visit. Several guests also arrived
We. had a dinner-party on the day
after my mothers return, and the
rector was invited l heard him tell
ing mother about his handsome youns
| soldler-son, and my mother said ne