Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-02-22
THEIR SECOND YOUTH.

Inc Lazy AHlaDel sat In q small room
in her fathers castle, looking out of a
window which overlooked wide land
scape. Her maidens were in u little
group at the other end of the apartment
busily engaged t their embroidery,
laughing and chattering and whispering,
just as they might were they alive now
for this was many years ago and they
are all dead and buried. The Lady
Annabel took no notice of them /;
she was thinking. At last she looked
up and yawned-"Oh, / am so sleepy
ana thirsty! Mabel, bring me somo
water"
Mabel obeyed--and as she received the
cupagain, she said Your Lad ship will
not bc s!oopy tomorrow
Tomorrow What is tomorrow 2"
"DOes not your Ladyship recollect
that tomorrow is your Ladyship's birth
dag 2 ands.---'
"My birthday? Oh, yes, SO it is. /
had forgotten all about it. We are to
have a~meIry time Of it, believe; but
l am sure / feel in no humor for mcrri.
ment low. Lay down your work, girls,
for little while, and take stroll in the
garden"
When she found herself alone, the La
dy Annabel walked up and down the
small apartment, then stopping before
the looking glass she said "My birth
day Am | indeed twenty.nine to-mor-
row? Twenty ! that sounds old
1t is ten years since my father came ill.,
TO possession Of this estate and oVcry
one of those years have passed one just
like another. / feel 10 Older than l was
then. look no older" And she looked
again into the mirror.
~ am no cider in any one respect.
How with they would let my birthday
pass bs in silence, and not distress me
hy publishing to all the assclAhled
crowd that the Lady Annabel is now
twenty.ninc /"
Her reverie was here disturbed by the
hasty entrance of he: father.
"Why, what makes you look so down.
cast, daughter? For shame go down
and assist in the preparations for to-
morrow's feast, instead of moping here.
But ] must not forget to tell you saw
my neighbor L. this morning. We
passed through his grounds, and he
joined our hunting party"
At this the Lady Anuabel's color
heightened visibly.
He says he expects his son back in
q few months and he and were set
Ting, that as our estates touch, and AS
he has but one son, and have but the
daughter-; but / hear my men;
they have brought home the stags-one
Of them has such horns You must
come down after awhile and see them.'
So saying he left her.
"And Jasper is coming home, con-
tinued the Lady Annabel to herself.
"How well do / remember the first
time saw hint was on my birthday
l was II years old, and, although he
was Just my age, was u tall girl and he
q little boy. refused to dance with him
beca@se he was whole head shorter
than but if my father and his have
such plans for us"
At this moment her companions re-
turned, and, quietlng their laughing
countenances, sat down again to their
embroidery.
The next day was one of unusual scs-
tivity. BY midday the hall was crowd
ed with ladies and gentlemen of high de-
gree, from far and near. The music
was loud, and dancing and feasting was
the order of the day. The Lady Anna
bel, contrary to her expectation, was be-
guiled by the JOY she SEN on every fec
aio md her, and entered with greet VI
Vacity into every tport that vas pro-
Posel. No laugh 50 loud as hcrs--no
movement SO fn'l OF Phe. Late Mt
night, when the guests had departed,
she threw herself, flushed and cxcitoa,
INTO large chair in her own room, aud