Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-06-13

and to liking him very much. There
was only one thing to dampen our
pleasure one day the news came to us
that Mr.. Griffin, who held a mortgage
upon Harcourt, had sold it to strang-
ers, and Marion and l told ourselves
that from that time our claim rpon it
would be only that of any other out
walls and pass it by. AS l say, this
darkened our lives a little, but there
were still Mr.. Maxwell's visits to look
forward to, so it was worth while eX-
isting- But one evening, when he call
ed, he said: 'Afiss Eleanor, I am going
away tomorrow and want you to do
something for me. VIII you?"
Il don't know l answered in a low
voice. Somehow I couldn't for the life
of me manage anything else. But he
didn't seem to notice that 1 said moth
ing about regretting his going away.
He simply asked me if l would go
down to Harcourt with him. l was
too miserable to resist, and we went.
Ny heart beat heavily as we walked
up the dear old oak avenue, and when
we had mounted the broad steps and
opened the door I could not see the
familiar dim old hall because my ewes
were blinded with tears. "Oh, we'll"
thought l, as l stealthily dried them
away, you're a dear old place, but
you're nothing to me now, and I've got
no right to cry about you" But later,
when we went up to the long hall above
and found that some impudent person
of old furniture and had hung new
paintings there over crimson hangings
| felt couldn't stand any more. What
does this mean?" 1 cried.
1.-THE purchaser hopes "a, live here"
explained Mr.. Maxwell, land he is get
ting it ready for occupancy"
Here, | suppose, the poor man was
bewildered enough, for l had restrained
myself as long as l could and l rushed
to the one place where the hateful
crimson did not cover the panels, laid
my head against their friendly support
ana burst out crying.
'Oh, why did you bring me here?"
said. L can't stand everything. l
would rather have this old lace burn
ed to the ground with only it's poor old
chimney left to show where it stood
than than to see it fitted with the most
beautiful things in the world by strang-
ers. Everything l care about turns out
wrong" l concluded with a sob. Il
am losing my home, and now you-''
stopped, frozen with horror. What
had I said, But Norman Maxwell sud-
denly put me into the window seat and
sat down beside me. Eleanor, look at
me-" he said. But l absolutely couldn't
lift my head, so he put his hand under
my reluctant chin and turned my face
toward him. Eleanor. he went on,
don't you know I've loved you al. ..e
time and that l was going away with
the heartache. confident that you did
not care for me? Don't you care just
a little more about me than FOR an or
binary friend?"
OH" l exclaimed, very much afraid
that my stupidity had forced him into
it. II shouldn't have said didn't
mean to" But he put his arms
around me and then 1 knew it wasn't
because of what l had said.
Well, l was so happy that I cried
and laughed in my own ridiculous fash
ion, and when we went home Marion
70 tNII al,
ed brightest, my eyes or my nose. But
l think l have wept the last sorry
tears l shall ever sled, for the best
man in tie world has bought Harcourt
for me and it is to be our home when
we are married.-Boston Post.