Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-02-13

IAu6pL at the arL N1OloL was born
coQuette, and the arts which nature
had failed to bestOw upon her two
years in a seminary had furnished.
Ned's boast that all the boys would
be at her heels had not been in vain,
and much to James discontinue, Char
ley was one of the foremost. To him
Violet was a revelation, her red lips,
bewitching dimples and dancing eyes
playing havoc with his heart. He won-
dered what on earth he could ever
have seen in that freckle-faced, red
haired Jane.
In some way Violet learned of the
attachment that had previously existed
Ibetween the two, and as her own heart
was incapable of harboring tender SEN
timents it was also proof against the
pangs of jealousy, SO nothing de-
lighted her more than to amuse her.
self at the cost of another's happi-
ness. So it came about that she ia
vored Charley; not because she cared
at all for him, but for the fact that
it caused another annoyance. The
two were together part of every day,
driving into the country, rowing on
the river or strolling along the coun-
try road in the moonlight.
Charley continued to call on Jane
as ever, but there was a difference
in his attitude toward her. He looked
upon her now as simply friend of
childhood and she accepted the chang
ed condition of affairs with forti-
tude that was pathetic had not Char
ley's eyes been blinded by the flash
ing charms Of the frivolous Violet.
so passed the summer, and when
fall came Violet began talking of re-
turning to the city, and Charley awoke
to the fact that for him life would
become an empty void after she had
gone. Then he asked her to marry
him
She threw him a Saucy look, low
cred her eyes demurely and said she
would consider it. Charley had never
made study of human nature, espec-
tally people of Violet's stamp, and so
foolishly went about in dream of
cstasy
When the day for her departure
arrived he had not received his an
swer, and she promised to write to
him as soon as she had spoken to her
mother on the subject.
During the following week Jane saw
nothing Of him, as his time was all
taken up in dreaming of the future,
and in going to and from his house
to the post Office.
Finally he was rewarded - ~"""iv-
ing a dainty missive postmarked Chi
cago. He did not open it till he was
safe from observation, then he tore
1t open with wildly beating heart.
A moment later he was staring at the
:. sheet in amazement..it was not his
letter at all, but vas written to a
girl in New York.
Violet had written two letters and
had put them in the wrong envelopes
He glanced over the pages until he
came to the last paragraph, then his
face paled and an angry frown set
tied on his brow He read it over
twice.
"And Minne," it read, 0you ought
to have seen what proposed to me
i I. used to amuse myself in picking
hayseed out of his hair, and he had
such lovely hair. too" And just think
it was the only .'sPop' Il got all sum
:. mer; not much. like the experience
we had; at. the seashore a year ago
Well. I've written him nice letter
of regret in which 1 told him that my
ma won't let me- 1t may wake him
up" ~
1t did wake him up. It showed hin
a type with which he was wholly un
familiar and taught him. a lesson that
life And while he was thinking OF
what he had just read there came in
Atruding into his mind pair of big
innocent blue eyes, and he imagined
that he saw look of sadness in thei1
depths. Then he tore the letter into
fragments and ground it into the earth
with his heel.
When he sauntered into the YARD
Jane was sitting on the old bench
under the elm. When he dropped
down beside her he had no idea what
he was going to say, or how he was
going to explain his conduct of the
past few weeks; in fact, he half ex
pected that she might ignore him, as
he deserved.
But she didn't
And just how-it happened he hardly
knew. but he suddenly realized that
she was in. his arms, and he was call
ing her his little wife. and smothering
lher with .kisses.-BostOn Post.
Book Store ShopIifters.
6O,,,,c 80 ~, x ,,ciY7oec II, vy5,ioJ, +boro