Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-02-03

kissed Aunt Betsey, who, as soon as she
could, started him for home. When the
halfway house-called, in opposition to
its neighbor. ''Silver Skin''-was reached.
Herbert insisted upon Stepping and tax
ing another glass, which ere long render
ed him so helpless tat Anna was obliged
to take charge of Sorrel herself, while
her companion fell asleep, leaning his
head upon her shoulder and gradually
sinking lower and lower until he rested
in her lap.
All that night he remained in the sit
ting room. When fully restored to con-
seriousness he seemed heartily ashamed
of himself, crying like a girl, and wind
ing his arms around his mothers neck
so affectionately that did not blame her
when she forgave him and wiped away
her tears.
She might not have had much faith in
his sincerity could she have heard his
conversation with Anna, whom he lnan-
aged to withdraw from the family to the
recess of a distant window Alone with
her, his manner changed. and with fash
ing eyes he charged it to his mother, WHO,
he said, first taught him to love it by
allowing him, when little boy, to drink
the bottom Of the wine glasses after
dinner.
| And IL 81 drunkard's grave" said
he, ''she wal. be to blame; but he, added,
as he saw Anna involuntarily shuddef,
lit shall not be. / cen reform. ! will
| reform, and you must help &c DC e."
Anna looked wonderingly at him, while
he continued, taking her land and re-
moving from it a plain gold ring. which
grandma had given her on her fifteenth
| birthday. You must let me wear this
as a talisman to protect me from evil.
Whenever l am tempted shall look at it
| and be saved"
Anna hesitated awhile: but the soft.
handsome eyes of Herbert Langley had
woven around her spell she could not
break, and at last she consented, receiy-
ing from him in return diamond ring,
which he told her was worth two hun
dred dollars. When this became known
to mother, she very wisely insisted on
Annals returning it, and together with
the note explaining the why and the
wherefore, it went back to its owner, who
immediately replied by letter, the con-
tents of which were carefully kept from
us all. The effect, however, was plain
ly visible: for. from the time of its re-
ceipt we lost our merry, light-hearted sis
ter, and in her place there moved among
us sober. listless girl, whom grandma
called foolish, and whom Charlie pro-
nounced love sick"
Herbert's letter was soon answered;
but when Anna requested my father to
put it in the postoffice, he refused. Pos
sibly it was wrong in him, for kind words
and persuasive arguments might have
won her to reason; but now spirit of
opposition was reused. Herbert was
wronged - misunderstood" so Anna
thought, and the letter which father re-
fused to take was conveyed by other
hands, a postscript longer tllan the letter
itself being first added.
After this there was no more trouble.
Anna wrote regularly to Herbert, who
promptly responded-his missives always
being directed to one of Annals school
mates, who was just romantic enough to
think her companion prosecuted. Gradu-
ally | was let into the secret, and was
occasionally employed to carry Annals
notes to and from the house of her friend.
l did not then consider the great wrong
l was doing.
ITO be continued)