Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-05-14

consultation now, and I've something
very serious to say to you. Mrs. Cros-
mont, which will have all the more
weight from the presence of a wit.
ness. Listen, and perpend, DR..
Armathwaite, If a man can do the
first, and knows what the second
means"
Il am all attention, Miss Peele.
have even notebook ready. When
have duly perpended, or weighed in
my mind, your valuable utterances,
down they shall go here in mastery
shorthand"
THAT will do. You are to listen.
not to talk, since Heaven has spared
me the trial of being one of your pa
tients. Well, then, Mrs. Crosmont,
you are aware that | am about to
marry Mr.. Hugh Crosmont."
you mustn't expect to see him the
| blithsome creature he went away.
after long course of this young per-
sons letters" said Frank to Alma in
loud aside, which Mile affected to
ignore.
Now | have very strong sus-
picion," pursued Mile, that if he had
been allowed to remain quietly at Ned
Crosmont's, he would have remained
so wrapt up in his little one that he
would have had never a thought to
spare for poor me. So should like it
to be understood" continued the girl
merrily, but with cetain under-cur.
rent of good-humored determination
in he tone, that he must not think
that he will be allowed to philander,
however paternaily, around a lady
who, | am not in position to deny,
rejoices in a much straighter nose
than my good but plain visage can
boast"
'Oh, Mile, how can you be so I'M
kind! Are you going to make dear old
Uncle Hugh dislike me?" cried poor
Alma, in really plaintive accents.
Il don't know, madam. 1t depends
a good deal upon your own conduct
For | must tell you that he is no
longer to be dear old Uncle Hugh
am going to make a dashing young
fellow of him, to put a little more rO-
nance into the thing So if you wiz
remember this, and treat Elm, not as
a kind old fogey friend to be kissed
and petted, but as gay young
Lutheran like my neighbour on the
left, and she gave a laughing glance
at rmathwaite-"why, then, | will
spare you. and write you out an order
to view my property. and say nothing
wose of you than that you are good
creature enough, but frivolous. That's
the trump card of us plain women you
know" said Mile. Everyone who is
better-looking is eaten up by frivol-
ity. So now | have put you on your
guard
They all laughed, and Frank affect
ed much sympathy for the bridegroom
of such jealous termagant, and they
kept up lively chatter, which cheered
Alma, until within a few minutes of
the time Of Mrs. Peeles return. Frank
insisted on putting Alma into a fly for
her return journey. AS he led her down
the garden-path towards it, he heard
her breathe little sigh, and when he
had helped her into the vehicle, he
stayed a moment by the door to beg
her not to be unhappy, and to ask
what troubled her. After little hes
itation she said:
"That-that Millie said just now,
about Uncle Hugh-she can't have
meant it, could she??"
IL almost think she did-a little"
he answered reluctantly. you see,
poor, dear, good old Millie knows she
isn't handsome, and-and you are a
Mrs. Crosmont."
But Uncle Hugh! Uncle Hugh is
the only person in all the world who
loves me- murmured the poor lady in
a broken, scarcely audible voice.
This was too much for Armath-
waite; he felt his very heart wrung.
He thrust strong warm hand into
the carriage, and arrested hers on its
way to dry her eyes.
"Oh. l shouldn't think that-I
shouldn't trouble about that" he
whispered, grufiiy. IF you haven't
got an uncle, why-why there are
brothers about, you know, lots of
brothers. good brothers, who would
who would punch a mans head, or do
anything kind; they would indeed.
Don't cry. Promise to-hold up, and
-and-and-things will all come right
they will indeed"
Alma squeezed his hand violently,
and gave him a grateful look out of
her fearful eyes. He smiled back at her.
biting his lip, and shut up the window
for her very softly, as if he had been
packing some fragile toy. He stood
for moment watching the fly as It
drove off.
Il wish they wouldn't look like
that" he said to himself, in a vexed
tone-"I do wish they wouldn't. 1t
makes a fool of a man. If she does
il again. IL shall have to go away.
It's quite as much as l can do not to
be confounded ass now-quite."
And he re-entered the house briskly,
trying valiantly TO shake off that odd.
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