Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-01-08
81
A Broken Wedding Ring
A4 i|1sI| q 3 ttfkk
By Bertha NJ. Clay.

almost dumb. He took her down to
dinner, wondering that he had not
been more impressed before, and he
talked more to her than he had
previously.
The dnner-party was pleasant
one Leah was q charming hostess,
and a more agreeable, hOspitable, en-
PERTAINING host than General HattOn
! it would have been almost impossible
| to find.
When the ladies returned to the
! drawng-room, the duchess took up d
book, win some little hope Of dis
! guising the fact that she was going
to sleep; Lady Maude had several
secrets to talk over with pretty May
Luson; 80 that Leah was alone She
tried TO stead her thoughts, hut She
| could noL--Jhey were all choas. She
tried to still the throbbing Of her
it was impossible The girls
! every nerve was strained, The long
French windows were wide open,
She stood near one Of them to see ii
| the fresh evening air would drive
away the thick crowding thoughts
and fancies from her brain, ana
presently a voice near her said,--
How plainly you can see the river
from here, Miss Hatton.'
She reased her dark dreamy eyes to
| Sir Basil's
Il often wonder" she returned,
what | should do If had to live
where there was no river, | should
miss it SO much. | look at it always
the first thing in the morning and the
last at night. It Is u friend and com.
! panion to me-"
II am Of your opinion; no land
scapo Is perfect to me without water.
! have II childish love of water, from
the great wild tossing ocean down to
! the tinieSt lakelot, The sound of it's
, falling or dripping or rushing, as the
| river rushCs there, is the most charm
ing music Of nature. While | was in
Italy | had terrible fever, and for
many days ! was quite dolirious-l
may say mad; and during the whole
time what do you think my fancy
| Was? The face raised to his was
fun of interest II thought | was
lying by beautiful waterfall, under
the shadow of great trees with
spreading houghs. could hear the
dripping Of the water and the soft
splash rs it fell into the rocky basin
below; but, when ! stretched out my
hands to touch 1t, 1t was Loiling-
when | bent my head over the rocky
basin and tried to drink it with my
hands, 1t sCalded me. Was not that
II most uncomfortable delrium?"
Yes | should imagine SO; but |
hardly understand what dellrium is
| ike"
Have you ever INDUCED in a
strong fancy he asked so strong
that you hardly knew the fancy
from rcality?'
Before she had time to answer him.
n food Of crimson oyersprcad her
face; and he wondered to himself
why this proud young beauty bIushed
SO deeply for nothing, Even had he
known her raucies, he would not
perhaps have understood them,
Yes she replied slowly; 1t know
"hoI very strong and vivid fancy u.s.,
It grows into a belief"
All delirium Is belief for the
TIME he said
Then he made way for the duchess,
VINO reused by the entrance of a
gentleman, had como toward lie open
window IN search OF fresh air
I'VE shall have Il beautiful moon
tonight she said, looking up at the
rosy sky. over which the gray shades
OF night were beginning to steal. Il
like fun bright moon Leah. you
look like al poem, with all those
posston.howcrs, Does she not, Sir
Basil?'
Miss Hatton is poem" he re.
piled,
The words were earnestly snol,cn
although he meant nothing NV thrn
They made the heart of the pirl nv
his side thrill with hapnincss
"Pcoplo have such different tastes o.
continued the duchess. ~ do not Ike