The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-10-06

said one of the knowing ones-'I rather
think there's conspiracy going on in
California
IL was week after that, when Ethel,
sitting one morning at the break fast
table, her chair facing the long French
windows, gave one shrek of delight,
threw her napkin into the sugar bowl,
and dashed from the window To the inn
minent risk of every thing and every
body in her way. Her father who was
opposite her, his back 10 the windows,
had scarcely time TO recover from his
surprise, and the stately woman at the
head OF the table TO turn pale at the
shock, before Ethel came bounding
back with glad welsomings and laugh
ter.
go papa, she has comet mamma is
here, knew il was her-I knew Tom
and Dickey though saw them at the
very end of the lawn. Come in, mann
ma-welcome TO California; o, now
our home will be perfect"
OF course, mamma came in and fell
with II weak, little hysterical cry on
Mr.. Archer's shoulder. OF course she
saw the handsome stranger who had
been keeping house, and She looked on
with 4 half smile, and an air of WELL
bred composure. But in his arms, witn
many and many sweet and tender
word, many pet name whispered in
her ear, all her uneasy misgivings SEEM
ed 10 have flown away.
"My darling" said Mr.. Archer, as
soon as he could release himself from
the happy, rosy little prattlers who were
half crazed NJ sight Of him, You havnt
been introduced to my-our-house-
keeper"
a. shall be very happy to make her
acquaintance, Mr.. Archer" The air
with which this was said, the proper
degree of condescension, fine arrogance
and half concealed disdain which had
been studied up To the minutest shade
for week past, would have delighted
even Machiaval himself. Mr.. Archer's
dimples grew riotOus on the instant.
Ethel also turned suddenly away, as if
conscious of an inclination 10 distin-
guish herself by some ridiculous out
burst.
my dear" said Mr.. Archer, ''ths
is ray sister Alice, the half-sister YOU
have often heard me speak Of. ="
How Mrs. Archer went through the
motions on this trying occasion she nev-
er knew. Why, of course, he had sis
ter, she remembered now, who married
Annie Walters brother. Curious she
had not suspected-but she was SO re-
lleyed, glad, nervous, shamed, al to-
gether, that the safest thing she could
do was 70 cry. She felt that she had
been trapped, but somehow il did not
make her angry. Angry, with her hus-
bands arm around her, and Ethel beg
ging her to be happy-with tears in her
own eyes!
"Iou see, maGma, we couldn't get
along without you, after all - said
Ethel, trying to hide her trepidation
under cover ofvolubility, for Ethel was
generally quiet little thing. "And papa
was so wretched, and so lonesome,
and so altogether lnlikc papa, that
when Aunt Alice's husband went
TO Europe, on business, Aunt Alice
came here to help him keep house.
And you'll forgive US for not telling you
all, won't you, for thought it ali out,
and wrote as | did about Aunt Alice
DtNdu-t- setLltu 10 me, she tNItu
with a touch Of the shrewdness Of the
dawning woman, "you'd be sure to
come, then"
"You wicked little schem srln was
the reply, with smiles and tears, "didn't
YOU suppose that !, too, was lonely and /
and wanted 10 see papa?
Don't you think my heart ached for |
both Of you?" asked Mrs. Archer with |
ready tact. "The fact is, my dear, /
home isn't home unless have YOU all :" /
and choking with emotion she hurried |
10 her own room TO have final cry. |
And final it was. Now |
that she had taken the plunge |
and stood no longer shivering outside !
Of duty, Mrs. Archer was willing to con- /
cede almost every thing. The house,
is appointments, the streets, their mag !
nificence-the people, all were perfec-
ion, and took on the splenGor of her
new happiness. She often laughs now
over the conspiracy that forced her from
her narrower home-life, and she always !
repeats TO her young married friends,
u Never refuse, without insurmountable !
togo with your husband where /.
ever his honestinterests may lead him.
-DemoreSt's MCAthly.