Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-12-14

ing to arrange for the purchase of those
three cottages across the road in order
to turn them into another home-in
that case we should be able to take in
twelve or fourteen children instead of
six, and should put you in charge of
the new house, and retain the supervis-
ion of this one myself, but l should not
think OF losing your services altogether,
and for the present, l have only come
to talk over this new idea, and to stay
with you a little whiIe-as a guest"
Miss Gibbs breathed anew and
thanked her effusively for her kindness,
and Irene went on to talk to her little
pensioners
Presently, when the children had all
gone into the house for their dinner,
Irene wandered down by herself to the
river side. A stout iron fence had been
set up at the end of the garden, lest
any of the children should stumble into
the water, but she opened the locked
gate with the key she had brought
with her. A narrow pathway ran out
side along the side of the river. She
sat down close to the edge amongst the
rushes that bordered the path. 1t was
all very still and peaceful. The quiet
willows opposite mirrored their droop-
ing boughs in the tranquil water; there
were no lilies yet, neither the golden
buds of the yellow ones, nor the regal
crowns of the white ones; it was too
early in the year for them but on the
island opposite, the king-cups were
spangling the ground, and a bright
breasted kingfisher sat motionless on a
willow bough watching for his prey.
There was neither skiff, nor canoe,
nor punt, belonging to the Cottage now
longing came over Irene to go upon
the water-to those who love boating.
the river becomes a positive worship,
and the sensation of floating upon the
ever moving and varying stream, with
it's shadows and its green reflections, is
one of purest and keenest delight.
TT is all changed" thought Irene
with sigh. TT is like myself-the
same-yet something quite, quite diff
ferent! The past never renews itself
neverl" But all the time she expert
enced the same almost childish longing
to be out upon the ripping water.
At that moment her ears caught the
distant sound of a sharp and regular
click. 1t was out of sight, and yet ii
came nearer and nearer Irene knew
that sound well. 1t was the ring of
the punt pole as the iron strikes down
amongst the stones on the bed of the
river. She experienced a vague excite
ment as it drew nearer, and she bent
eagerly forward to watch the opening
of the back water. Presently she saw
a punt glide out of the shadows round
the far end of the island. A man stood
in it, The punt swung round and came
towards her. The man was facing her
she sprang to her feet, then stood
stock still, trembling violently, yet mo-
tionless, waiting for him with wildly
beating heart.
He was quite close to her now, she
could see his face plainly; the dark
eyes that flashed with joy, the lips that
smiled a welcome the grey hair that
curled crisply beneath the straw hat
Was she dreaming? Was she mad
and was this an hallucination of her
brain-or was she dying, and was. 1t
her last vision of the lovely world she
was leaving forever? Then he came
quite close, and the punt grated upon
the shore; he held out his hand TO her
Irene. my lovsl Irene!" he said, and
she knew his voice, and that it was
himself, at last. and no vision or dream.
TT is you! it is you!" she repeated.
bewilderedly. How are you here?-
what miracle has brought you back to
me?"
Then he laughed happily and grasp
ed her hand and drew her down INTO
the punt by his side.
you did not see me in your train
this morning? l followed you from
town. came home from America only
yesterday. and l went at once to your
aunts house. When I heard from the
servants that you were coming to
Chatswell to-day, I determined to fol-
low you here, Irene; / thought that it
would be as sweet to you as to me that
we should meet again here-here on
the very spot where we parted on that
happy moonlit night, so long agol
Come, let us go up to the lasher to-
gether, my love, whom I lost so mis-
erably, but have found again at last;
never to lose again. We have so much,
so very much to say to each other!
Come out on the dear old river with
me- and let me tell you ALL"
| SO she went with him to the old
place under. the weir. and there, in
sight of the tumbling waters. where
long ago he had told her of his love,
the strange and tragic story of all that
had parted them. was made clear to
her at last.
There is not happier couple now
in all England than Mr.. and Mrs. Car
roll; they live entirely in the country.
in charming house they have bought
about three miles from Chatsweu
whose gardens slope down to the riv-
er's edge.
The Cottage Convalescent Homes
have increased and multiplied, and
Miss Gibbs reigns supreme over eigh-
teen pale-faced London children who
are now their constant inmates. whilst
Billy Watson has been promoted to the
proud position of head gardener. with
boy TO order about under him.
Lady Garland is dead. she succumb-
ed to influenza last winter abroad. but
Louise Carroll is very well. and is a
frequent visitor to her brothers house;
she has become very fond of her new
sister-in-law as she used to be OF poor
Agatha, and by-and- bye when small
louise and a Yet smaller Harold have
been added to the family group. she
developed into the most abjectly devot-
ed maiden aunt in the world.
The Nethervilles. too. often come
down TO stay with their cousins; as
they have no children of their own. lit
tie Harold. as heir to the title. comes
In for a good deal o. attention from
Lord Netherville.
But Irene often says TO her husband:
After all, cannot think why l ever
mistook Netherville for you. Rupert:
he is not half so good loOking,"
But then his hair is not grey." he
replies. laughing.
NO. but that only makes you I'll the
handsomer." she retorts. fondly.
(The endl
TemperamentalIy Affected.
| ssClofhes make a great difference in