Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-07-04

CHAPTER xX1.-(Continued.)

his attendance upon the proud southern
beauty whose fortune was valued by
hundreds of thousands. At first she re-
fused to believe it, but when Mary ana !
Jenny both assured her it was true, ana
when she herself had ocular demonstra-
ton of the fact, she gave way TO one
long fit of weeping, and then, drying her
eyes, declared that Henry Lincoln should
see that she would not die for him.
Still a minute observer could easily
have seen that her gayety was felgned,
for she had loved Henry Lincoln as sin
cerely as she was capable of loving, and
not even George Moreland, who treated
her with his old boyish familiarity, could
make her for a moment forget one VINO
now passed her coldly by, or listened pas
sively while the sarcastic Evron Hern-
don likened her to a waXen image, ut
only for glass case!
Toward the last of April Mrs. Mason
and Mary returned to their old home IN
the country. On Elias account Mrs.
Campbell had decided to remain in the
city during a part of the summer, and
she labored hard to keep Mary also.
Mary promised, however, to spend the
next winter with her aunt, who wept at
parting with her more than she would
probably have done had it been Ella.
Mary had partially engaged to teach the
school in Rice Corner, but George, as
Stunning kind of authority over her, de-
clared she should not.
81 don't want your eyes to grow dim
and your cheeks pale in that little pent-
up room," said he. you know I've been
there and seen for myself
Mary colored for Georges manner of
tate had puzzled her, and Jenny had more
than once whispered in her ear, Il know
George loves you, for he looks at you
just as William does at me- only a little
more SOP
Ida, too, had once mischievously ad-
dressed her as Cousin" adding that
there was no one among her acquaint-
ances whom she would as willingly call
by that name. when | was Il little
girl" said she, 'they used to tease me
about George, but I'd as soon think Of
marrying my brother. You never saw
Mr.. Elwood, Georges classmate, for he's
ia Europe now. Between you and me, [
like him and"
A loud call from Aunt Martha prevent
cd Ida from finishing, and the conversa-
ton was not again resumed. The next
mornng Mary was to leave, and as she
stood in the parlor talking with Ida,
George came in with a travelling satchel
in his hand, and n shawl thrown care
lcssly over his arm.
"Whcre are you going?' asked Ida.
ITO Springfield. have business there"
said George.
And when will you return ?" continued
Ida. feeling that it would be doubly
lonely at home.
That depends on circumstances said
be Il shall stop at Chicopee on my way
back provided Mary is willing"
Mary answered that she was always
glad to see her friends, and as the car
giage just then drove up, they started to-
gether for the depot Mary never re-
membered of having had a more pleasant
ride than that from Boston to Chicopee.
George was a most agreeable companion,
and with him at her side she seemed
to discover new beautines in every OBJ
ject which they passed, and felt rather
sorry when the winding river and the
blue waters of Pordunk Pond warned
her that Chicopee station was near at
hand.
"Oh! how pleasant to be at home once
more, and alone" said Mrs. Mason, but
Mary did not reply. Her thoughts were
elsewhere, and much as she liked being
alone, the presence OF a certain individ-
ua would not probably have married her
happiness to any great extent. But he
was coming soon, and with that in antici-
patton she appeared cheerful and gay as
usual
Among the first to call upon them was
Mrs. Perkins, who came early in the
morniug bringing her knitting work and
STAYING all day. She had taken to dress
making, she said, and thought maybe she
could get some new ideas from MaryS
dresses, which she very coolly asked to
see. With the utmost good humOr Mary
opened her entire wardrobe to the inspec-
hon of the widow At last the day was
over, and with it the visit of the widow,
who had gathered enough gossipng mate
rails TO last her until the Monday fol-
lowing when the arrival in the neighbor
hood of George Moreand threw her upon
q fresh theme. causing her TO wonder
"if twas Mary's beau, and if he hadn't
seen kinder courtin' her ever since the
time he visited her school,
She felt sure of it when, toward even
ing. she saw them enter the school house.
and nothing but the presence of visitor
prevented her from stealing across the
eoad and listening under the window.
She would undoubtedly have been highly
edited could she have heard their con-
verS0tlon. Inc interest Wnlcn NIeOfgG
had felt in Mary when little child was
greatly increased when he visited her
school in Rice Corner and saw how
much she was improved in her manners
and appearance; and it was then that he
conceived the idea of educating her, de-
termining to marry her if she proved all
be hoped she would.
He had asked her to accompany him to
toe school house. because it was there
his resolution had been formed, and it
was there he would make it known. Mary,
TOO, had something which she wished to
say to him She would thank him for his