Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-22
CHAPTER /.

ne GaLeIleef III vain, ana YET II ID dS
DID as Brighton, and almost as old as
Liverpool. 1t lies snugly ensconced
on one Of the midland hills, sheltered
from the east wind in winter, and
basking in the sun ia summer 1t
consists OF, say dozen houses, a
church, pump and a bridge It is
celebrated for nothing, nobody of any
consequence was ever born there, it
is unlikely that anybody of any con.
sequence viii die there; history is
dumb concerning 1t. for nothing Of
any conser ever occurred there
and YET - le Of the most beauti-
full spots in England, and win re
main so until some learned physi
clan discovers that the pump water
possesses mysterious curative quail.
ties, and sends his patients down to
Newton Regis to die of ennui; or
some infatuated or weak-minded arc
list paints It and labels il. andy
making it fashionable-ut utterly de.
stroys it.
Ia time, no doubt, that omnivorous
monster, the speculative builder, will
s,~ant 1t out, and dab hideously new
brick packing cases on its hillsides
and down by its stream. Then i
viii be blessed--or cursed-with a
town hall, a vestrv, and board OF
guardians. At present Newton Regis
lies sweetly and plaeidly asleep, in
nocent OF the fame and the misery
that in common with all the other, at
present quiet villages, awaits it. 1t
is true that within couple Of miles
rolls the sea, but the most sanguine
OF Spectators would reyer dream OF
making he seaboard OF Newton
Regis into a fashionable watering
place. for the coast is rocky and i'm
practicable, and there is bar which
often brings even the experienced
fisherman to grief. Newton Cliff"
they cali the sharp and rugged bay,
and mariners tnow 1t and avoid it.
At the end OF the principal and
only-street, lying a little back from
the road. stands one OF those old.
fashioned houses which seem to re.
main with us by way OF a reminder
hat, although we of tho present gen.
GRAFTON are learned IN luxury, our
forefathers understood comfort,
a is one of those square, red.
Jrielsed, old places which artists are
sneyer trvd of painting, and wticn ARE
a standing rebuke TO Tie hideous
packing cases we are now learned to
dwell in. II is surrounded on all sides
10y high brick wall. leaving a goodly
space of velvety lawn and flower beds
in front Of the house, and the en-
aranee 10 the grassy court is gained
by an iron gate, which is SO elaborate
"a piece OF work in meta. that the
original owner or builder of the place
yvas inspired thereby to call it Gate
House. The name was painted in
gold letters on the gate itself.
1t Is a December afternoon, some
where about three o'clock, and the
village is at It's stillest, so quiet and
silent that the tun-tum on a piano in
the drawing-room OF Gate House
floats into the stree and considerably
disturbs coun,e Of sparrows, who
are sitting shivering on the wall dis.
cussing the scGrcity OF worms.
Every now and then the tum-tum of
ftne piano is emphasized by a girls
voice chanting In monotone the in.
spiriting "one, two, three--one two,
three" which is considered indispen.
sable to the proper keeping of good
time
There is scarcely light enough To
see the girl. for the drawing-room is
low. and the windows of Gate House
were apparently designed for some
other object than that of affording
light, but you can get a glimpse of a
graceful figure and a well-poised
head, which is at one moment dark
brown, and the next. when the fire.
light plays on 1t rich golden.
Pracdcing the piano is not cheer.
.ui p2stime, and / believe even the
good girls whom we read of in books
tbut very seldom see) do not go
through the five-fnger exercise with
any great delight This girl~-to tell
the plain truth-looked very impatient
and very bored, and displayed her
feelings by a series OF go~1 hearty
yawns. But she stuck to her stool
and the monotonous "time counting
for quite ten minutes at stretch, un.
til at last she banged both hands
hey We're very shapely and white
apon the long-sufferng keys, and
iumped of the stool.
Scarcely had the veil of the tor
cured and long-suffering instrument
died away. than the door opened
slowly, and boys head was eau
tiously thrust into the room, and a
hoys voice exclaimed
Broke anything, Jeanne"
Broke anything?" echoed the girl,
looking around from the fire before
whicA she had thrown herself. Broke
anything? What do you mean? And
why can't you say broken? | have
broken,thou hast broken, they have
broken"
"Thatn do, Jeanne" replied the
boy coming into the room and seat
ing himself on the table You don't
know anything about grammar any
more than do-and why aren't you
practicing Has the long-sunering old
hurdy-gurdy struck, or have YOU, as
the minstrel boy did to his harp,
tore it's chords asunderg' and with