Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-11-17


81 II is a lovely afternoon; the cloudless
NJ .pr the sweet smell of the newly made
lov and the drowsy hum of the bees
are all conducive to feelings of peace and
contentment-
The fact is, Stanley and I have been
q oparreling. as we always do seem to
drarrel now whenever we meet. 1t is
lad enough while we are engaged-what
Il will il be when we are married ] am
afraid to think! Stanley has turned his
hack on me, and is reading "Sartor Re
sartus" as though his life depended or
II. Not a word have we spoken for quite
twenty minutes, and the silence is becom-
inc oppressive least to me.
Fl | play at cherry bobs' to beguile the
time; and presently, getting tired of this.
becin to throw the cherry stones as near
10 Stanley's book as | can without hit
ting it. Unfortunately. however. one
stone misses its mark and comes into
somewhat sharp contact with my frances
nose.
Fl | have hurt him. I can see, for his eyes
fiji with water and / jump up, penitent
n in a moment. and go over to him.
II "G am awfully sorry, Stanley" begin;
a really didn't"
But Stanley is furious and will listen
Z to RIO explanation.
II - should think you might find some
thing better to do he says, than to an
81 nov people who wish to have a little ra-
B tonal enjoyment with an emphasis on
"a the word rational" Il didn't interfere
u with the extremely intellectual amuse-
N ment in which you have been indulging,
a ard think you might extend the same
E amount Of consideration to me" And.
taking up his book he walks off in the
Il direction of the farmhouse. his long
Il black coat tails tapping in the breeze,
ana | return to my haycocl< to mediate
VI on the peculiarities of men in general
srd Of curatcs in particular.
ID Westoyer farm. with the adjoining 400
& acres belongs to Stanley's father 1t
WAS his fathers. and his grandfather
owned it before his grandfather indeed,
" there have been Leighs at Westover for
a the last 200 yearsand it is bitter dis
appointment to Mr.. Leigh that his only
son has refused to follow in the foot
steps of his forefathers and has entered
i the church. He cannot bear the idea of
& the old place going out of the family,
and. as Stanley is an only child there
4 will he no one to keep it ON after the old
Il man dies.
ID The house itself is large one. built
\ Of red brick, in the Elizabethan style. and
is said to have been occupied at one time
by Sir Walter Raleigh. Two long rows
C windows run across the front; some
of them were blocked in the time of the
window tax and have never been re-
gazed. To the left of the house is a high
ped brick wall, through which door
leads to the fruit garden, and through
that to the orchard, the fields beyond
soping gently down to one of the pref
# test parts of the Norfolk breads.
have always been a favorite with old
Mr.. Leigh. | fancy he must have been
in love with my mother-he told me she
S. was the most beautiful woman he ever
saw and, although l know / have in
81 herted but little of her beauty. every one
"a says that | am like her to a certain ex-
tent
Ever since her death 7 have lived at
81 Nestover. with the exception of an an
nual visit to some aunts in London and
81 think it was partly to please old Mr..
9 Leigh who had set his heart on the
match, that | said 'Yes" to a certain
question which Stanley asked me a year
ago.
As friends Stanley and i got on SPLEEN
8 ddly, but as lovers i am bound to own
81 we were not success.
he always seems to be trying TO mold
q my character '-snipping off little bit
n here and adding little bit there. in order
n 10 reduce me to the proper level of medi
d ocrity-and, as / distinctly object to this
81 process, the moment / see what he is
ahont ! become as contrary and full of
mischief as possible; and | am afraid
q there Is a good deal of the latter quality
IN my composition. If Stanley likes to
marry me as I am. well and good. but
Will not be pruned and trimmed to fit
INTO the niche he has prepared for me
and the sooner he understands this the
better,
1t is 6 o'clock Tea. az which Stanley
has been conspicuous by his absence, is
over, RS Is also the cross examination to
which Mrs. Leigh has been subjecting me
as to his whereabouts. | long to go off
somewhere by myself somewhere where
am not likely to meet either my fiance
g. h's mother. Suddenly | bethinll me
~ the river, and, taking my hat from
TIE old settle, where / threw it when
g9Tae in, | stroll down to the boathouse
ann half afraid that Stanley may have
been there before me; but a brief glance
>haces to show me the Mona moored in
o.E little creek just where we left her
,A'@ morning There will be quite three
E"'rs Of daylight still. for the summer
cav are at their longest, so, quickly I'M
#"@rnS her, l Jump in and am soon
>st'hAg up stream.
A2iore five minutes have elapsed l have
le'Sotten all about my quarrel with
stanley and his mothers irritating re-
marks. and am thoroughly enjoying the
mesh aic and exercise
owe the river, with its sedgy odors
ling reaches and pretty background
- golden fields. All that is happiest and
mn - "a