Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-11-18

woman WAS ,NTlduyS name.
The difficulty as to the bridemaids
| had been overcome by substituting
for them two pretty little boys dressed
in the picturesque costume of court
pages. Angela had stoutIy resisted
all the efforts made to induce her to
act as bridemaid. In vain had her
mother pleaded, in vain did Vance
| Wynyard use his utmost influence;
| she would not consent
81 cannot" she had said Human
nature has it's limits. It's unnatural
that l. my fathers daughter, should
! be my mothers bridemaid. I will do
Anything on earth you ask of me but
that"
And, all persuasion proving useless,
it was decided to have the little boys.
| On the evening before the wedding
Captain Wynyard, who had deferred
until the last moment what he felt to
| be an unpleasant duty, sought Angela.
"Will you come into the conserva-
| tory with me, Miss Rooden? I wish
to speak to you for few minutes"
| AS she seemed unwilling to comply
with his request, the captain conttn-
ued:
81 must urge you to listen to me.
Miss Rooden," he said. What have
to say is very important, and will be
for the happiness of both of u.s.
She could not check slight toss Of
the head. She resented his joining
their names together and speaking of
him and herself as 'us." Still she
rose and walked to the conservatory
with him. He led her to the further
end.
Angela" he said gently, 81 may as
well break the ice at once. | cannot
go on calling you Miss Rooden;' it
| seems absurd"
| But Angela made no response to his
words.
"My dear" he went on in the sweet.
est of voices, ''why do you not like
me?"
Because" she answered slowly.
"my instinct compels me-"
EDO you not think he said, chat it
would be better for you and better
| for me to shake off the feeling, to
try to like me for your mothers sake?
She loves me, and it makes her very
unhappy that you should distrust me
as you do"
II could never like YOU" replied the
girl frankly. 81 might try to live In
peace with you for my mothers sake.
| but that is the most l could do"
1 will try RI ho hY,% II FOL
me, Angela, what your great objection
to me is
"Ts it absolutely necessary that you
| should call me 'Angela?" she asked
haughtily.
"It would be ridiculous if I did not"
he replied. mo man could address
his step-daughter as miss; every one
would laugh at such an absurdity."
"Not, surely, if it were known how
antagonistic we are!" she remarked.
Il should not like that to be known;
nor would your mother, l am sure"
| he replied. "You must see that you
cannot do anything to hurt or annoy
cannot suffer alone. If | could, if 1t
were not for the fact that she suffers,
] should not venture to trouble you
about anything so insignificant as my
self. Will you tell me frankly where
in your great dislike to me lies?''
81 will tell you if you wish it," she
answered.
81 do wish it, because, if it should
| be in my power to remedy it, I shall
most certainly do So
81 do not think it is in your power"
| said Angela; and she looked at him
with a straight, searching glance. II
| can tell you in a few words-yOu do
not love my mother" His face
| flushed, and for few seconds he
seemed quite staggered by her words
II know you will contradict it," she
went on passionately. Il am prepared
for all you have to say; but the in
stinct Of my own heart tells me the
truth. You do not love her; if you
did, | could forgive you everything
else. You do not love her; and the
time will come when she will find it
out, and then her heart will break"
why do you say that I do not love
her?" he asked calmly.
81 know it by instinct, and / am
rarely deceived" replied Angela.
Besides, I have seen you with others
and I know whom you love- It is not
my dear mother, who unfortunately
believes so entirely in you"
''You horrify met" he cried, recoil-
| ing from her.
| ''YOu have Mortified me-" she re-
torted. my heart has ached at every
false word you have spoken and at
every false caress you have given
her"
An expression of rage crossed his
face, his eyes darkened with anger.
May l ask why you say such ex-
| traordinary things?' he inquired
coldly.
you forced my reasons from me-"
she answered. 81 did not volunteer