Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-02-15

playmate. She looked up at me with
start.
DO you really mean to give it to
me, dearest?" she inquired with a
quick intake Of her breath.
Dearest" The word ran through
me like wine. My clasp frightened
around the warm hand I held and my
reason ran riot. 81 most certainly
do. I bought it merely to please you
Perhaps you had better keep it at the
Arcadia where it will be handy for
US on pleasant evenings" She leaned
forward and looked at me. her mag
nificent eyes glowing softly.
You are very good to me-better
than I deserve" she murmured in a
momentary lull of the music. 81 shall
not tell you how much I appreciate
your generosity; l shall show you
instead" Nothing but the presence OF
the crowd restrained me from repeat
ing my physical demonstration of the
hour before
And l will always be good to you,
and you will be happy with me, won't
your" breathed, full of anxiety. Her
long Iashes fell until they swept her
cheeks and screened the royal blue
eyes from mine.
81 think so-given certain condi-
tons"
And those?"
She looked at me again, smiling
now. IF we should be married, Tom,
dear, I should demand nearly all your
time as my own. I should want you
nearly always where I could reach
out my hand and touch you. That
privilege you could not grant me if
you were engaged in some occupation
which demanded much of your PHYS
zeal attention. Also, in order to make
me contented, you would have to be
able to take me where l wanted to go
and at such times as I cared to be
there. l don't care for Italy in the
summer and I despise st. Petersburg
in winter. Furthermore, we both love
the beautiful things of this world, its
flowers, its music and it's luxuries, and
could we enjoy them together I be-
lieve that I would be a happy woman.
But I don't believe that we would
ever be content were we tied down to
a fat in a narrow street. Therefore,
want you to understand me, dear. If
you wish our lives to be rich and
filed with the joys of living you must
succeed. And in this age success
means money. Having made your for
tune the world will cheerfuIIy admit
that you have brains, and a man who
at your age has achieved wealth and
the consequent respect of the world
has few other difficulties to over
come. These are the reasons why
so earnestly beseech you to make the
most of your opportunities now that
you are well on the road which leads to
all that both of us crave Whip your
talents and courage TO the uttermost;
ride them mercilessly, but wisely and
with patience"
I followed her quickly and anxious
ly. "But suppose, dearest, that
should be unfortunate; suppose
through some financial cataclysm
which man is as unable to forsee as
he is to prevent I should become
ruined and left dependent upon what
I could earn by work. Would you
then love me any the less?" She
smOcthed the rose upon her bosom,
her eyes falling.
q have not meant to intimate that
life in a cottage would make me love
you the less. Neither would I expect
you to believe me if I said that it
would have a tendency to make me
love you the more. Anyway, I 90 not
feel that such an existence is essen
tial to my happiness, which you say
is Of the utmost solicitude to you.
Therefore, I mention these things not
as a condition to govern our future
relations, but as incentives for you to
strain yourself to your best efforts as
though you were fighting for your
life; to overlook nothing which you
may turn to your advantage; to think;
to act; to succeed succeed I am
foEder Of you than of any other man