Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-07-20

letter, and string of compliments that
are all in her eye, rlIwager my biggest
squashr'
Mr.. Bayberry's sister sat down, look
ing helpless and mournful; but black
eyed Bess. whose ideas and opinions one
could never foresee, favored the cause
of her kinswoman, though they had
made point of ignoring her com
pletely.
'.Do let them come, Uncle Johnr'
said she Il always did want to see my
stylish cousins awfullyr'
"Oh." answered Mr.. Bayberry, shrug-
ging his broad shoulders. IF YOU want
TO cook, and iron. and slave for two fine
city relations that don't take the trouble
to remember your existence. 90 ahead.
Write 10 'em TO come. by all means; but
hold their yarn and turn their music
while they squeal sentimental songs into
my ears
Goodness, Uncle Johnr' inter-
rupted Bess; mo one would suppose
how warmly you praised DIR. Dare's last
sermon on charity, TO hear you take on.'
Hold your tongue. Miss Imperti-
nencer' answered Mr.. Bayberry, as he
stalked away.
But there was flush on his cheek,
and perhaps his conscience echoed Bess'
reproof. For Mr.. Bayberry's words
and manners occasionally expressed
more harshness than was in his heart,
and, owing to his rather irasci5le tenn
per. few dared TO take the liberty to
lecture him.
Bess, who was not his niece at all,
but only the niece of his late brother-in-
law, was one of the few; and though
she sometimes stood half in awe of him
herself. there was conscientious
straightforwardness about her which
led her to speak her mind whenever she
considered it her duty to do SO.
Perhaps she might. advantageouslyt to
herself, have cultivated rather less alb
rupt manner, and so have found favor
in more eyes. But, nevertheless, it so
happened that Mr.. John Bayberry, who
was rather peculiar himself. never took
real oflense at her words and OCCASION
ally profited by them. And this perhaps
was at least partly because she had a
way of popping out her little sermons
in concise. epigrammatic manner, and
never "harped'' on one subject.
A week later found the large parlor
at Meadowlands graced by the presence
of two stylishly-arrayed ladies. just
from the city, and indulging in series
of rapturous EXPLANATIONS over the
charm of rural scenes, to the astonish-
Of A,,o hi 10 30.
gush about in fields and vines, and was
secretly wondering if the grease spot in
the side-breadth OF her over-skirt was
very noticeable.
"And here's Bess, your little country
cousin" said Mr.. Bayberry, drawing her
forward from the shadow of the win
dow-curtains, from which she had been
admiring Miss Leonie.
Dear mer' dlawled the elegant
Mrs. Horton. as she gazed down an
Unreasonable distance at the girl, for
Mrs. Horton was very tall, and of a
lofty carriage withal, ''this is Bess, is
it? We didn't dream of finding you
here"
why should we?n queried Miss
Leonie, languidly settling back against
the rich-colored sofa cushions. ..She
isn't any relation of yours. is she, MIR.
Bayberry?"
mot at all" returned Mr.. Bayberry,
a tribe stifiiy; 'but she is quite as well
come to Meadowlands as if she were;
especially as her blood relations choose
to ignore her existence"
Mrs. Horton flushed little; Miss Le-
onie bit her lip; and Bess shook her cur
ly head at Uncle John on the sly.
That same evening, Bess was sitting
on the back-door step, peeling velvety,
crimson, rare-ripe peaches for supper,
when Ashley Gray came along the clo-
ver-edpe1 pafh leadinr from the stile