Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-04-02
CooSJTighl b lhs Bo0aa- MeTrin Go.

have admired her, now they adoreo
her = BY degrees. and insensibly to
| herself, she became the confessor OF
her little world After they left school
her girls brought her their perplexities
OF the heart. Wives came to her with
cruel dilemmas which they shrank
from revealing 20 their own mothers
/ perhaps because the mothers could
not be trusted TO plead for the erring
husband so well; for woman who
/ lives complains, not to be justified
herself. but to hear her lovers mis-
conduct excused and his love proved
against her doubts Before they left
/ school, the girls confessed their faults
and failings and striyings OF con
/ science with the same eagerness with
which they asked counsel in their in
nocent romances of friendship or the
/ sorrows OF trigonometry, and they ac-
cepted any penance directed. not only
with patience, but a kind of exalta-
ton natural to youth, which finds a
secret JOY in the exercise OF its own
fortitude.
Today, however. Miss Wing sat be.
fore the picture which so many young
eyes had studied with such vague, yet
ardent, sympathy, and pondered over
confidence that had nj come. The
lack OF its coming hurt her, and the
tap on her door was welcome. for she
thought, 1T is she-coming TO tell me,
Oh. hope he is the right man"
At her response. the door swung
open with a jerk. and the dark-eyed
girl who entered was catching her
breath, although she tried to make the
quick intakes noIseless. There was a
look OF pale resolution on her features.
] Have you come to let me congrat.
ulate you, my dear?" said he prInci-
pal, rising. The girl culored scarlet.
I've come because had 20, because !
couldn't deceive you" she blurtee
Miss Wing. Il isn't So l let Miss
Parker think so; but I'm not engaged
to him"
"sit down, dear" said Miss Wing.
The soft cadence Of her voice did not
roughen. She sat down when her guest
sat, and leaned back In her desk chair,
folding her slim. white hands. There
were flashing rings on her hands; and
the girls used to wonder which ring
MAY had given her. They favored
the sapphire, set between two dia-
monds, because of It's beauty "a real
Cashmere you know, and because.
whether she wore other rings or not,
this always kept its place.
Now tell me-" said Miss Wing.
Il had letter from him this morn
ing; IL was just note in one of Helen
Grler's"--the girls 1.-THE form was
erect In the chair. every muscle tense !,
she looked past Miss Wing to the wall
and spoke In toneless voice: no one
could see that she was driving straight
on to her purpose. over her own with
ing nerves--"all he said was that he
had been called back to Germany"
is he a German? Miss Parker said
his name was Cutler"
1T liz Butler" the girl said. flinging
her head back. while spark crept in.
to her liquid. troubled. dark eyes. "but
he Is German. Don't you know the
Buffers In Wallenstein? You know
he was real man; and he founded a
family. He--my--my friend ia the
Count Won Butler" Miss Wings chair,
like other desk chairs. was set on a
pivot, she turned vew slightly and
slowly. at the same time resting her
| elbow on the desk The girl ventured
/ a timld glance AT her. and thought
that she looked sterner. wherefore her
heart sank: but she only continued
The faster He isn't in America Jus,
| to travel he was sent by his govern,
ment to watch the Cuban war. He's
very brave; and he isn't a bit like a
foreigner and hasn't any nasty super
cilious notions about women. Mr.
Grier says he has future And real
ly, Miss Wing. he is just like a--a--a
kind OF knight"
Where did you meet him ?"
AT Helen's last summer. And NJ
was going out TO Minneapolis TO ses
| papa, IL think. But he got a ceblt
Of his uncle's death. And his two lit
tie cousins died last year; so now h,
is the head of the family, and he mus
20 to Germany at once For his father
is dead. you know So he wrote On
Helen's letter. because he is sos,
awfully property asking to let hin
come here and take me TO drive-ir
the American fashion. | know whs
put him up TO that scheme: 1t wal
Helen had TO ask Miss Parker. be
cause YOU We're out; and she said 1
he wasn't relation or the man wa,
going to marry couldn't go. %
course. II he were the man you expec
10 marry. she said. and-and IL said
But he isl Just like that. can
fancy how came to say such
thing but when It was said didn'
know how to explain: and l was s.
awfully ashamed. and. besides"- sh,
lifted her eyns in the frank and direc
gaze that Miss Wing always liked
| 'bs sides. do want to see him.
And do you expect him to ask 70,
TO marry him." said Miss Wing. witt
deepening OF the color on her cheek
which went out suddenly like TN
fame OF a lamp in the wind
Florence mund blushed AGAR
but this tins le laughed Il DON
know. He is 90 awfully proper" sal
she. and he hasn't had chance I
ask papa; butt think he wants 10. %
I'm that case, isn't he the man whor
you expect to marryG" asked Mis-
Wing dryly. But II was decelvin
her just the same. am glad 30
came. Florence"