Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-01-08
CHAPTER XIV.

OuI early III LuS mOTHlHS, HdTQly knew
whether he most wished for or dreaded
it. The anxiety he felt to meet Alma
CrosmoDt again, to note the progress
of what was by far the strangest ant
most interesting case, from a profes
sonial point of view, that he had yet
met with, and to arrest the mind
disease which seemed to be lowering
over her, was counterbalanced by &
fear which this sensible, practica
lyoung man began to feel, lest the in
terest Of the case and the weirdly fas
cinating personality of the patient
completely as to render insipid and
insupportable the prosaic details Of
his life and the rest of the people
among whom that life was passed
There was something uncanny and
alarming in the influence by which
she drew him to her presence without
the least exertion of his own will, and
ething dangerous in the absolute
reverence with which, once in hel
presence, he regarded her. While
looking into her dreamy eyes he saw
not merely a young, beautiful, and
bowed down as to one who bore nc
stamp of common clay creature who
fascinated him, not by physical, OIL
mental, or moral attractions, but by
some subtitle quality more alluring
more enhancing than all the beauty
| anti cd n,
appalled, the world On the other
hand he might reasonably hope thai
the sight of her by daylight on the ice
as one of crowd bent on pleasure
would lessen the mystery of the wor
shipful awe he felt for her. Even
Minerva would look less imposing on
skates.
Millie had been invited, and Mrs
Peele had been included in the invita-
ton as matter Of courtesy; but to
the Unbounded horror of her daughter
and of A mathwaite, the elder lady let
down upon them like a bombshell at
breakfast the announcement that
she should go too. A cat in brood OF
young chickens was not a more unde
sirable visitor than Mrs. Peele in any
assemblage in which her word was not
law and her frown held as sacred
thunder.
I'm afraid you'll find it rather dull
mamma as you don't ska to- sug.
gested Mile, in gently dissuasive
tone.
IF | find it dull. Amelia, | shall
come away" answered her mother
majestically. Lady Kildopan would
not have invited me If arrangements
had not been made for my entertain
ment."
And Mile dared utter no further
protest.
Don't let her wear her Sunday
bonnet, Millie,'' whispered Arma
thwa'te when the elder lady had sailed
out of the room.
Mrs. Peele was an economical and g
charitable woman, averse from spend
ing on dress money hich could either
be put by or given to the very poor
On the ether hard, there were certain
upwritten sumptuary laws which she
observed, and ore of these decreet
that the wives of hish dignitaries-
and If the principal doctor in The
neighborhood was not a high dignita
ry, then pray who was ?-should mari
their sense of their position by some
difference in their apparel from tha
of meaner folk. The result of these
conflictirg sentiments was curious, ant
found its most nota BILE expression il
her head-gear. From October to Apri
for long series of years her bes
bonnet had been a massive structure
OF velvet, on which the change Of
fashion was marked from year to veal
by change of ornament. That bon
net had borne many strange crops, but
for holiness and variety the mos
. recent beat all its predecessors: for as
the velvet grew more and more rusty
so the flowers on it, by the law o.
compensations, had grown more ant
more brilliant, until they found theil
climax in stack of roses. with velvet
petals and long green grasses heavy
with everlasting dew drops, finished of
by trailing spray of convolvulus
which hung down behind and caused
Mrs. Peele many time and oft tc
turn round sharply in church and glare
from erd to end of the row of school
children behind her. under the impress
sion that some irreverert urchin was
presuming to tickle her neck. This
was the head-gear against which Ar
mathwaite was gently protesting: but
Mile shook her head.
ITO appear in her other bonnet in
response to en- invitation from Lady
Kildonan would be equal to kissing the
queen in mamma's eyes" she an
swered solemnly. The most | can
promise you is to try TO suppress the
convolvulus. l will hint that | saw
convolvulus on Mary Lawson's hat
last Sunday
To be continued