Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-05-16
d Happy TliStake.
By Anna Bolton.

SIS it not possible, my dear Lettice. "
asked Miss Vynor, having come to an
end of her stock of patience, Ito find
some occupation that will employ your
time more usefully, and perhaps with
less annoyance to other people?"
What would you do, auntie?" she
said, her hands clasped behind her
back, her curly brown head a little on
one side, as though it were considering
weighty subject, what would you do,
do you think, if you were to receive
two offers by the same post, and you
didn't like one any better than the
other-the people who sent them,
mean?"
Il cannot-if you refer to propos-
ais of MARRIAGE cannot at all i'm
agine such contingency" replied Miss
Vynor, stifiy, STOPPING over her knit
ting to pick up a dropped stitch.
Lettice's hand crept guiltily to her
pocket, and took firm hold of some
thing that was lying there, almost as
If she feared lest it should rise from it's
hiding place and bear witness against
her. She began to wish she had not
started the subject. Was there the
dawn of suspicion in her aunts
glance?
Surely, Lettice," continued Miss
Vynor, "you do not intend to tell me
that you know of any person of our ac-
quaintance who has compromised her.
self so far?"
"Well, no, can't say do" answered
Miss Lettice-which was very true, in
lone way, for she certainly did not
mean to tell her aunt anything Of the
kind.
Then think, my dear Lettuce, that
you might occupy yourself more profit
ably than in making these idle sup
POSITIONS said Miss Vynor.
Eyes, auntie, you're right, as
usual. I'll see if can't find something
better to do" and Lettuce gladly seized
the opportunity of escape from a con-
versation that had seemed in danger
of becoming too personal.
She ran lightly upstairs to her own
room, and, after carefully closing the
door, drew from her pocket two enve-
lopes, and settled herself in chair to
read their contents, not for the first
time.
Every odd they should both have
written and chosen exactly the same
time," she,said to herself, softly.
For quite long time Lettuce sat with
the letters before her, considering, for
she was in serious difficulty.
Il like Humphrey Forde best, I do
believe, but he's so grave and so quiet,
and, somehow-it's too ridiculous
but sometimes he seems almost afraid
of me! His voice quite trembled once
or twice when he spoke to me the
other day. A man can't be up to much
if he's afraid of a girl! No, it must be
Will Haywood; he is dear boy, so
bright and full of fun, and ready to en-
ter into everything; we are sure to get
on we'll together. And yet-I'm half
sorry
She gave a quick little sigh; then
rose, drew together her writing ma
terials, and began quickly to write.
Only brief message on each dainty
sheet; it was all she could muster
courage for. On one she wrote: Come
this evening at T." and addressed the
envelope to w. Haywood, ESQ.,; and on
the other, in hasty, uncertain charac-
tiers, Forgive me- oh, do please forgive
me, but l cannot"
AS footsteps mounted the stairs
49, Oh, !, rrf hot
notes in the envelopes, and hid them
hastily. The next moment her aunt
raped at the door and entered.
81 cannot say that | approve" re-
marked Miss Vynor, in her precise
way, "of the habit that young people
of the present day seem to have formed
of spending so much time in their own
apartments. In my young days bed
room was a bedroom, and was not in
tended to be used as sitting-room
also; and it appears to me that If the
habit is conducive to great waste or
time, for there seldom seems to be any
visible result from it. | came to pro-
pose that we should walk this morning.
It is a pity to waste the best part or
the day indoors. and especially is 1t
wasted if spent in ones sleeping apart
ment"
With the help of the walk and other
small occupations the hours somehow
passed. but never before had a day
seemed so long to Lettuce Vynor. AT
length however, the afternoon drew
to a close. and she found herself alone,
her aunt having an invitation to spend
the evening with an old friend Per-
haps Lettuce had counted on this when
she dispatched her notes in the morn
ing but now the time was drawing