River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-12-10
hey owe the sterner sex! Men expect
constancy-but with them it is different.
of coursel

OF courseg
Romance with all its dreamy ethe-
riality has a way of suddenly dropping
its victim into the lap of realism, just
at a moment when the pinnacle of de-
lightful idealism has been reached.
The meeting between Russell Hudson
and Mrs. Bernard had been quite con-
ventional, and she might have met him
but yesterday as an old friend, or per-
haps never have seen him before. There
was no visible fiutter of excitement on
her part, for woman keeps her finest
feelings in reserve, and brings them out
for inspection only when sure Of appre-
citation. Her heart had beaten wildly
almost painfully on crossing the hall TO
the wide veranda sitting room, where
mid light Japanese screens, dtvans,
spreading palms and wicker chairs, she
received her summer guests. Grace had
gone sailing with party OF friends, ana
she could at last see him alone. After
20 years of love-secret love, that she as
an honorable wife tried to suppress-to
outlive-and now-she was free again.
She came quickly toward him, holding
out eagerly and cordially her graceful
| hands that in the days of long ago he had
covered with kisses and pronounced
divine"
"Ah, Grace! How natural you look,
he said, dropping back into his seat after
the first greeting, ''if you will pardon
trite old saying, you must have found the
fountain of perpetual youth" And she,
with q bright woman's tact, seated her
self where the light fell over her Shout
ders, softening the lines of her race, ano
making halo of her sunny hair. Ihey
| talked of old days, of old friends, famlilar
scenes, and the death and marriages OF
mutual acquaintance, and anon supped
! an iced beverage which snowy becapped
and aproned maid produced at exactly
! the right moment-but of their old rela-
tionship never word was spoken.
To her, that was sacred-to him, well
haste was dangerous!
| A flush stole over her face, her eyes
frightened and laughed as they had not
done since they last looked into his. She
was transformed, nsported-happy
again. With the old enthusiasm OF
youth, she was recounting an incident
when she suddenly realized that her
words fell on deaf ears. He was gazing
out toward the beach from which strolled
a tall, slender young girl. Her hat in
hand and the breeze tossing wealth OF
| light wavy hair around her face, the like
of which he had not seen since-well, for
20 years.
Russell, this is my daughter Grace
Miss Bernard, Mr.. Hudson"
He had almost seized her hand, then
looked from one woman to another. Was
this his long lost sweetheart? No, it was
her daughter.
| The days that followed were mixture
Of JOY and pain, hope, doubt and happi-
ness. Mrs. Bernard realized as she never
had before that to be with Russell Hud
son was a pleasure akin to pain. Not
word of love had been uttered-scarcely
q look, but day after day he came to take
her, in company with Grace, for drive,
sail, lunch of stroll. Every moment was
to her one of keenest delight, and to her
surprise and satisfaction, Grace had been
civil enough to him-even gracious-and
he for the mothers sake, of course had
shown her the kindest, most fatherly at
tention. True, he didn't look fatherly
but then she knew his age.
The summer was drawing to a close
The white and gray seagulls no longer
sat idly on the tops of the danger piers
| far out in the bay The hotel was prac-
tically deserted, and chilly wind blew
from the east all day-still Mrs. Bernard
| fingered at her summer home She
would sit for hours ensconced in cloak
on the bare veranda looking seward
dreaming and re-living the summer
hours spent with Russell Hudson He
had been so attentive, so kind and con-
slant, it could mean but one thing, she
told herself, he loved her still She
prayed for strength to carry the weight
of ner girlhood, her wifehood and her
widow-hood love. A love that to her was
the grandest passion she had ever known,
save that love which had been sent with
her first and only child.
Of course it was tiresome and awfully
dull for Grace and at last the mother
had decided to return to the city on the
morrow,
Russell Hudson had told them he must
shortly leave for hasty business trip to
England, and would come that day to
make his adieux. Mrs. Bernard felt that
the parting would be sweetened and pal
lated by a certain avowal which he was
certain to make-and then-how would
she ever tell Grace! Her face burned,
and she closed her eyes and fell to dream
ing again. Her reverie, however, was in
terrupted by familiar voices and the sud-
den appearance through one of the low
parlor windows of Grace and Russell
Hudson, as he stepped lightly out on the
veranda holding by the hand the blushine
girl. Mrs. Bernard laughed softly at the
pair
What is the matter now. Russell?
You are always teasing that child!"
Its just this" seating himself
and with his disengaged hand taking
that of Mrs. Bernard, while Grace the
younger modestly averted her face, 81
hope we haven't taken you too much by
surprise, but your little girl is so much
like her mother used to be, have quite
naturally learned to love her, and I am
going to ask you to let me take care of
her in the future-no-" interrupting
Mrs. Bernard as she started to speak
81 am anticipating your protest-you
need not be separated, for you can live
with uS-We-"
Mrs Bernard rose to her fu1I beich+