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

turned, betake himself to other scenes
the further remote the better.
However, when he tried to put his
plan in execution he found that his
stepmother could not be ready tc
start short of a month
''Tribulation," he muttered as he
swung sulkily off toward the store.
That afternoon he got out his wheel
or what his small brothers had left OF
it, and took the country road, going on
and on oblivious alike of time or dis
lance. The next morning he settled
down to business, grimly determined
to face it out" A pretty role, in
deed, if a soldier who had withstood
the willy Spaniard and the deadly ma
laTia of two years warfare on a hos
tile shore, should come home and
weakly GO down before the indiffer-
ence Of a false hearted girl No. if
she admired such men as Dick Barlow
more than she did one who had taken
up arms for Lis country, let her love
him,-he was a pretty boy and the
heir to his fathers wealth The King
and Barlow properties joined but
there was an ideal building spot right
on the line
He was very determined, so much
SO in fact that he really made himself
believe at intervals that he had exc
cuted the very soldiary maneuver of
killing his unrequited love. 1t seemed
the bent and purpose of both Jack and
the girl not to meet and so a month
passed.
Mr.. and Mrs. BrownIeigh and three
little Brownleighs were off at last and
Jack and three other young Brown
leighs were left ito their own destruc-
tiOn,'' as Jack said, augmented by the
tender mercies of the hired girl"
Young Barlow was home, too, and
trying hard to establish the old friend
ship with Jack, who finally confided to
him that he wished he had stayed in
the Philippines: it was so beastly dull
in Swanley.
mo fightin' ner nothin'," chaffed
Dick. You might begin campaign
on some Of cur pretty girls hearts.
You know there is no woman can re
sist the halo about a soldiers head.
We are none Of us in it with Jack
Brownleigh now"
For a moment the young private
famed up and the look on his face
made little Dick recoil pace or two,
but the next moment it was gone, yet
something moved him, even against
his will, to say:
you've got the only girl 1 ever
cared for. Barlow
Dick looked at him moment in 81
lence, a queer look coming into his
face; then he said soberly:
eff you mean Catharine King, you
are mistaken. We are nothing more
than good friends. She seemed terri
bly, lonely and cut up after you went
away"
Jack famed up again:
20, did not expect you to give me
your confidence. l was not even hint
ing for it."
Barlow gave low whistle and went
out muttering:
About as peppery as she is. lingo,
what ails the pair of 'em anyhow?
I'd give my next quarters allowance,
badly as l am in arrears, if l could
find out the row between the two.
Something mysterious"
And there certainly was something
mysterious while Jack Brownleigh
had been worrying his life out over
Catharine Kings strange behavior for
two years past, she had been crying
her eyes out and fading her roses try
ing to forget that there was no man in
all the world for her but Jack Brown
leigh and that he had not only proved
false but cruelty insulted her.
But the Kings were proud and she
played her part fairly well, even her
own mother failing to discover the
cause of her daughters unstrungness,
headaches and poor appetite.
It was rather hard on the girl to be
forever taking tonics, but it was
easier than explaining.
Pater Brownleigh and family had
UtSu SOuC d WSCh VI lIOlS WuSu OuS
morninr, on receiving the mail, Jack
Brownleigh got something in his
hand that made him start and then
stare dumbly. Then he shook as il
in chill and his fingers, when they
tried to tear open the envelope, were
entirely lacking in skill.
By a great effort, however, he got
at the contents of that packet only to
find the identical letter he had written
to Catharine to apprise her of his en-
listment and ask her to plight he1
troth.
And now Jack showed what soldier
ly discipline and experience can dc
for a man in the way of developing
bravery and prompt action in a crisis
Sweeping the other mail into q
drawer, he thrust the recreant packet
into his pocket, caught up his hat anG
bolted for the door, Luckily his whee
was standing there and in five minute:
| he was waiting in the well remem
| bered room in the brick house on the
| mill
But for his great mental excitement
! the food of memories would have
| quite overwhelmed him. AS it wa:
he paced the floor and thought of the
line in the old song:
"A moment seems an hour you know
/ When a lover has to wait
Somebody waitin' in the parlor tt
see ye,'' was the maids indifferen
message and Catharine, who was ex
pecting a friend to discuss the az
rangements for club supper and wht
had no interest in anything and wa
tired of feigning muttered to herself
ssShe can keen ON waiting. I'm gnin.