Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-04-17
By Charles Garvice

i
and pink of her complexion look like
the inner lining of shell; Vane, in
his wel1-worn put gracefully fitting
shooting coat; then my lady, looking
pale and harassed, but calm and self
possessed, as becomes a Letchford;
and, lastly, Heron himself, all traces of
the cigars and soda washed out by the
cold bath and the sharp, swinging
walk with which he always commences
the day, be it wet or dry.
Calm and self-possessed, as usual,
he goes up to his mother and touches
her forehead with his lips, shakes
hands with Rose and Vane and sits
down to table just as usual, as if moth
ing had happened to break the ordl-
nary current of affairs. Beside him
lies the post bag, to which he holds the
key; he unlocks it, throws a couple of
letters to his mother, hands one to
Rose and pushes his own aside; this is
not exactly as usual, for generally he
takes his correspondence with his
first cup of coffee. Lady LetchfOrd
also pushes hers aside, with that look
which proclaims the fact that there are
matters more important even than the
morning letters.
Silently, solemnly, she breaks the soil
| tary piece of toast which forms her
breakfast; silently and solemnly she
stirs the tea in which she never takes
sugar, and gloomily keeps her eyes
fixed on her plate. Luckily for the
good goddess, Talk, there is one OF her
most devoted votaries present-Vane
rushes to the rescue.
'No letter for me?" he says, with
that tone of force gaiety which is more
CHASTITY than many tears. Never are
except bills. I'm half inclined to
believe that if I disappeared to
the Arctic Regions should be clean
forgotten in a week excepting by the
devoted and faithful tailor After all,
letters are nuisance. know man
who never reads them. There's a
story about him-Regy Parks-did you
know him, Heron?"
"Hadn't that fortune"
Good sort of fellow, but hated
trouble of all kind; used to go to bed
in his clothes sometimes to save the
trouble of dressing in the morning.
Well, he was engaged to be married,
got so far as to fix the day, dressed
and went down to the church, to find
mat the bride and party hadn't, and
didn't mean to, put in an appearance.
! Shed been considerate enough to
write and tell him that she meant jilt-
ing him and running away with an
other man, but as Regy never read his
letters Of course, ne didn't know it..
awkward, wasn't it?" says Heron.
yes says Vane, was rather; but
Regy bore 1t very well and told me af.
terward that ne was rather glad, be-
cause it would have been so much
more trouble to take two tickets In
stead of ore whenevr they travelled.
That's a very good story, Vane. Is
it kind of indirect warning to me?'
ESP" says Vane, rather taken abach
by this taking of the bull by the horns
81 didn't know" says Heron dryly
"As a rule, when a man intends mat
rimony, his friends consider it their
duty to say word in season But
don't mind taking two tickets instead
Of one. Have some ham? From whom
are your letters, mother?" he goes on
cheerfully.
Lady Letchford looks up, world OF
reproach in her gray eyes.
81 have not looked. 1 cannot care
for letters this morning, Heron"
LET me open them for you?" says
Roses weetly, and Lady Letchford
pushes them toward her slowly.
! Heron looks at her steadily, then he
puts down his coffee cup and there
comes into his face the firm. almost
sternly obstinate expression which
has been called ''the Letchford look"
Mother he says, II am afraid you
are making yourself unhappy about my
engagem ant to Miss Dalton!"
do you wish to discuss it now?" she
says.
"Why not?" he replies quietly; "but
| don't think there can be any discus
sion in the way you mean. 1t is of little
use discussing matter that is decided,
as this most absolutely is. Why
should we not talk of it? 1t is just
the subject to interest Rose and Vane," "
smiling.
"Of course it interests me"
Thank you, Rose. Well, mother,
let us have the trouble out and de-
molish It,"
cit can only be removed in one way,
If you refer to my objection to any en-
gagement between my son and the
daughter of the man who was here last
night" says the old lady bravely.
Heron's temper is swift and hot,
but he keeps tight rein on It,
''I don't propose to marry Mays
father, mother" ne says. II can un-
derstand your entertaining objections
to him, but what have you to say