Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-11-21
The Doctors wife
BY MISS N. E. BRADDoN
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BY MSS N. E. BRADDoN

as he handed it to her. and saw the title,
and glancing at another book on the seat
near her, he recognized the familiar
green cover and beveled edges of the
ALIEN" A man always knows the
cover of his own book, especially
when the work has hung rather heavily
on the publishers hands.
"You are fond of Shelley" he said"
"Oh, yes, l am very, very fond of him.
Wasn't it pity that he was drowned
She spoke of that calamity as II 1t had
been an event of the last week or two.
These things were nearer to her than
! ali that common business of breakfast
and dinner and supper which made up
her daily life Mr.. Lansdell shot
searching glance at her from under cover
of his long lashes. Was this feminine
affectation, or what?
"Yes, it was a pity" he said; 'but l
fancy we're beginning to get over the
| misfortune. And so you like nil that
dreamy, misty stuff 2" he added, pointing
| to the open book which Isabel held in
her hands.
81 think it is the most beautiful poetry
| that was ever written" she said.
Better than Byron's? asked Mr..
| Lansdell ~ thought most young ladies
made Byron their favorite."
"Oh, yes; love Byron. But then he
makes one so unhappy, because one feels
that he was so unhappy when he wrote.
| Fancy his writing late at night, after
being out at parties, where everybody
adored him; and If he hadn't written it
he would have gone mad" said Mrs. Gil
bert, opening her eyes very wide Read
| ing Shelley's poetry seems like being
among birds and flowers and blue rip
| ping water and summer. 1t always
seems summer in his poetry. Oh! | don't
know which 1 like best"
Was all this affectation, or was it only
simple childish reality? Mr.. Lansdell
was so much given to that dreadful dis
| ease, disbelief, that he was slow to ac-
| cept even the evidence of those eloquent
| bushes, the earnest shining light in
those wonderful eyes, which could
scarcely be assumed at will, however
skilled in the light comedy of everyday
| life Mrs. Gilbert might be.
| Mr.. Lansdell and his dogs fingered
| for some considerable time under the
| shadow of the big oak. Mr.. Lansdell
was amused by Isabels talk; and he led
her on very gently, till her shyness van
| ished, and she dared to look up at his
| face as she spoke to him; and he attuned
his own talk to the key of hers, and
wandered with her in the Valhalla of her
heroes, from Eugene Aram to Napoleon
Bonaparte But in the midst of all this
she looked all in a hurry at the little
silver watch that George had given her,
! and found that it was past three.
| I MI Lo
said 81 have been out ever since II
o'clock, and we dine at half past f."
'Let me carry your books a little
way for you, then" said Mr.. Lansdell.
But are you going that way?"
"Yes, that is the very way l am 60
ing. 1 suppose you often stroll as far
as Thurston's CragY'
"0h, yes, very often. 1t isn't too long
a walk, and it is so pretty"
1T is pretty. Mordred is quite as near
| to you, though, and l think that you
would like the gardens at Mordred;
there are ruins, you know, nd it's alto
gether very romantic. l will give you
and Mr.. Gilbert key if you would like
to come there sometimes. oh, by the
bye, l hope you haven't forgotten your
promise to come to luncheon and see the
pictures, and all that sort of thing"
No, Isabel had not forgotten; her face
flushed suddenly at the thought of this
rapturous vista opening before her.
''Then will you ask Mr.. Gilbert to ac-
cept an unceremonious invitation, and to
| bring you to the Priory to luncheon
| say next Tuesday, as that will give me
time to invite by Cousin Gwendoline
and your old friend Mr.. Raymond, and
the two little girls who are so fond of
your
Isabel murmured something to the eff
feet that she would be very happy, and
she was sure her husband would be very
happy.