Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-02-26

met Love, and she knew him from the
fact that he alone of all men could al
ways meet her eyes unfinchingly. A
pretty story, but not dramatic, accord
ing to the received notions Of such
matters, as l told him. 1t was hard
ly to be expected that he would listen
though, and, as a matter of fact, he
did not. The story, and the music to
which he set it, haunted him, and
filled every Granny of his brain and
heart"
What became Of him.
His wife's parents, who had sent
him to Mereside, fetched him out
again when they thought she was go
ing to die. 1t was near the birth of her
child, and whatever mischief her hus-
bands mesmeric experiments had
done was done beyond recall, for she
pined and rooped, and had always on
her lips a verse Of the wandering
Psyche's song:
81 hear my masters whisper
In the rush of the autumn wind;
On dead leaves grown browner and
crisper
The print of his feet find.
The sea-surf that breaks on my shout
ders
Sweeps soft as my lords own wing,
And echo rings out from the boulders:
Thou shalt see thy loves face in
the spring"
so, as | say" continued DR.. Peele,
they sent for him, and lost sight OF
him for some years; and when | did
see him again, poor fellow, he was in
a rapid decline, and had by that time
worked and worried himself into a
state good deal nearer to lunacy than
any he had passed through when in
the asylum. His wife was dead; he
was in very bad circumstances. There
was no more talk Of the opera, and |
did not even dare to mention it, not
knowing whether it might not arouse
painful recOllectiOns of failure and dis
appointment But he had tiny girl,
born, SO he told me, while her mother
was in a mesmeric trance; in her
name, Alma, perceived connection
with that of the heroine of the famous
opera, and in her eyes liked to fancy
and so, am sure, did her father
that | saw something of the look we
had imagined in the ideal Psyche. At
any rate I was deeply interested in
the little creature; and when her
father, a few weeks later, was on his
death-bed, I willingly undertook to be-
come her guardian. Both father and
daughter were living in London, in the
house of some relations of his late
wife. These people were fond of the
child and after her fathers death
they desired that she might still re-
main with them. So she grew up,
and the tendency to cleanliness seem
ed to die out of her as he advanced
towards womanhood. I.made her study
at the South Kensington Art Schools
to develOpe her marked taste for draw
ing, and on my occasional visits to
town | found her a bright, healthy,
active, intelligent girl, affectionate,
sweet, beautiful, Welleducated-in
fact, everything that a girl should be-
l wanted to take her home, but my
wife would not hear of it-Eit would in
terfere with Miles prospects, of
suited. | was determined to have my
dear new child near me, however, and
I hit upon the idea of marrying her to
young Ned Crosmont, an honest, good
hearted fellow, as I though, who only
wanted nice wife to make him steady
could wish for"
The old man paused and seemed for
a few moments to be buried in the
gloom Of his disappointed hopes. When
he resumed. his voice sounded weaker,
and it was evidently with a great eff
fort that he uttered the few closing
words of his story.
7 knew that Ned and Aphra Digh-
ton had been boy-and-girl sweethearts,
but | could not conceive that he would
have the audacity to think seriously
of her when they had grown out of
childhood, still less that when she was
once married''-the doctor paused and
went on with bowed head, in a slower
voice-"he would forget his honour
and duty for her. Understand, DR..
Armathwaite, and suddenly he rails
ed his head, and spoke with decision
and auth Ority-'that | am casting no
slur on Aphra Kildonan's character.
Aphra is like voluptuous goddess on
canvas, rousing mems passions by
looks which express emotions she does
not feel; at least, that has always been
my opinion of her, and | have watched
her grow up from child. But the
consequences to Alma have been more
disastrous than if Lady Kildonan had
done her greater wrong. l know all
this, you see, and can, unluckily for
me, watch this drama as we'll from the
four walls Of this room as | could
when l saw its scenes with my own
eyes. But | can do nothing"
He stopped. The story was over.
But there was another which Armath-
waite was still more anxious to hear.
you said sir" he began at last,
diffidently, during the first interview
you gave me. that it might be possible
for a newcomer to move more freely
in this matter than you could do. If
you will only put me on the right tack,
and give me the benefit of your discre-
tion, l will answer for it shall not
want for energy"
I am sure Of that" said DR.. Peele.
j But I begin to fear the time for &C
ton has zone by; to interfere would