Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-12-15
CHAPTER III.

Young Breton had hardly been a week
st lockwood before he had learnt to blush
for his first unworthy judgment of Sibyl,
and of kind, sad Lady Anna. He was
compelled to admit to himself that in all
his experience-which he had hitherto
considered varied and mprehensive-he
had never before met two women quite
like them in their single-minded and un-
worldly kindness and simplicity.
The Rectol's wife. in spite of the settled
melancholy that seemed to underlie her
peasantest smiles. was so sweet and SYM
pathetic with young people, ready to
scold him little if he shirked his work,
but understanding too. the temptation
which the open air and the spring sun
shine held ont to him and his twenty
years.
II can fancy a fellows mother looking
at him as that sweet woman looks at me-"
Mark sometimes thought with boyish en-
thusiasm-he had never known his moth
er, poor lad, she had died when he was
borr-"aml feel as if wanted to go down
on my knees to her every morning to beg
pardon for my asinine suspicious of her
when first came'
Certainly nothing was farther from La
dy Annals thoughts than to throw her
handsome Sibyl at any ones head and, as
for Sibyl herself. Mark used to feel him
self turning hot all over when he remem-
bered that he had once looked upon Miss
Kennedy as a daring 1irt, husband
hunter, u fast girl, like some dreadful
misguided young creatures whom he had
met in the world
Why, on that very first evening. after
vainly searching the gardens for her, he
had returned crest fallen, his boots wet
from the dewy thickets he had been ex-
ploring, to find the girl quietly seated at
her work in the pretty old parlor!
The lamp was alight. and the curtains
were drawn; II little bit of fire had been
lit. and was cheerfnlly cracking and
glowing, and Sibyl was busy at a small
table with her mothers work bag. Mark
could see the little wooden socks and white
gowns lying about near her WORK basket,
as she added Il string here and a button
there. while Lady Anna sat writing page
after page at her weary old davenport on
the other side of the room.
The girl looked up smiling as he drew
near; and, speaking in IL low voice so as
not to disturb Lady Anna at her letters,
he asked her somewhat reproachfully
why she had so soon deserted the pig
cons, intimatng also that he had hoped to
bear her company for little while in the
moonlight.
"That was why came in," Sibyl said
simply.
She did not think evidently of putting
her work out of his sight. Hers was the
modesty that looks man straight in the
eyes, not the modesty that droops it's lids
under his gaze.
"Were you so anxious to avoid me2'
Mark rejoned, growing stiff again-he
was young and easily huffed.
"Yes. Aunt Anna and l had q talk
about you before supper; and we agreed
that I had better begin as meant to 60
Onw
"But why should you mean to on with
such unkindness, Miss Kennedy2" He
had dropped into chair close to her ell
bow, and was leaning forward on his arms
and looking at her as she sewed.
"You must not think it is unkindness,"
the girl answered smiling, and holding
out her hand for the scissors with which
he was playing. "Aunt Anna says it is
only prudence; and think she is right
---as she always is, of course. You know
that am sixteen now, and, though am
very fond Of running and jumping, and
whistling sometimes, know that other
girls Of my age sit still, SO I must learn
to do it too"
"But that need not prevent you from
showing me the pigeons surelyH"