Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-03-26
q Uoman' S F Face
FLORENCE WARDEN

with sympathy and kindness. AS
the flames shot up from the cracking
wood, she slid down on the moor be-
side him, and looked up gratefully
into his face.
You'll o feel warmer now,e he
said gently.
I'm not cold any longer" she an
swered presently; adding impuIsliye-
ly, Frank, you're an old dear"
We'll, I don't know about that, but
| flatter myself I'm a decent domestic
servant at a pinch. Now, I'm going to
make you some tea"
ooh, no, don't, there's a good fellow.
Sarah gets so cross if her kitchen is
upset"
Il see you mistrust me still. Well,
III convert you yet"
He gave her a gentle shake to stop
her protest and disappeared again.
He was longer away this time, SO that
when he r~eappeared the fire was red
and bright, and by its beams, rather
than by the light Of the lamp, Mile
was deciphering once more the al
ready well-known lines of her love
letter for cOmpanionship and comfort.
Frank had a tray in his hand, and
when he had poured Mile out a cup
Of tea, he took the tray up again, and
went towards the door.
you shall have some more when
| come back" he said, nodding to her
as he left the room. I'm going to
take some to Mrs. Peele and Sarah
"Oh, you'd better not. Mamma will
think it unfeeling!." cried she, anxi-
Ously.
But he strobe off ~serenely with his
tea-tray, and Millie, listening in per
turbatiOn at the door, heard mis- mel
low voice comforting Sarah, and per
suading her to take his offered re
freshment, then a p%ortentous "She-sh-
sh" in her mothers voice, followed by
a lOw-voiced discussion. Presently,
Frank came down again, with the
cups gone from his tray, and an ex,
preston of calm satisfaction on his
face.
wasn't she angry?" asked Mile,
We'll, she vas unhappy, of course.
| met Sarah, who looked very tired
and white, SO | gave her some tea.
and Mrs. Peele came out and told me
she had caught me in the very act
and was a disgrace and a profana.
ton, and a pretty doctor, and a LOT
more things. Of cOulse | knew she
was unhappy, so | told her [ would
go right out of the house at once, and
never ONE back, as soon as she had
taken a cup of tea. And after a little
while she took it, and she really got
better-mOrally, physically, every
way. Many people, when a great grief
that the ordinary rules of life are
broken, and that they can live upor
their sorrow, and a great many things
of that kind. But it's childish, you
know, and wrong. Mrs. Peele haC
given herself a bad headache, and
perhaps a pain in the jaw, just be
cause she thought it right to talk tc
poor Sarah abOut"-Armathwaite low
cred his voice, and spoke more softly
than eyer-"about the dear friend we
are all mourning, when it would have
been better to remember those she
has around her still And it was silly
to jibe at me as a pretty doctor, when
my tea proved to be just the medicine
you all wanted"
Mile listened to his gently-de1iv.
cred ermOn with & softened expires
sion and shook her head when he had
finished.
1T wasn't the tea, Frank" she
said, gratefully, with a faint smile in
her fearful eyes. 1T all lies in-in
Re way it's poured QUIT"
There may be something IN that. .
he admitted. And now. dear child
if you think you feel better, I have to
go out for an hour. You won't make
yourself too unhappy, will you?"
He left her with a brotherly caress.
and in a few minutes was we'll on
his way to Mereside.
1t was Crosmont himself who
opened the door of the big house on
the hill in answer to Armathwaite's
ring. The agent looked by this time
absolutely i'll; his shallow face was
flushed, while the lines and burrows
in it had grown so deep that they
seemed to be a dark grey color; his
eyes were sunken and CLASSY, and his
movements restless and nervous; his
whole appearance and manner seemed
to suggest that he had been drinking.
you have been a long time" he
said. Il thought you were not com
ing He was leading the way along
the hall. At the foot of the stair case
he turned, and said, hurriedly, And
so the old doctor is dead. Lady Xii
donan has just called to say So
ooh" said Armathwaite; then, not
that he meant it. but that he had to
say something, he added: 1T must
have been a great shock to her.
Not a bit of it." said Crosmont
roughly. 'She didn't care. What
does she v care for anybody ?
Where is the man, woman, or child
who ever drew a genuine sigh or tear
from that pretty piece of flesh and
blood? You think I'm heartless,
believe; measure me by her, and I'm
all softness and tenderness. TIM
He stopped short, and standing on
the stairs, with his hand moving
nervously up and down the hand-rail
of the banisters. he seemed suddenly
to be overcome by a strong revulsion
of feeling, and he shook from head to
foot as he vent on, in a hoarse,
shame-faced voice: I'm out of sorts
today: l hardly know what I'm say