Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-10-03
THE PLAGUE OF HIS LIFE.
BY ETTIE ROGERS.

"That girl has done nothing but pro-
woke and annoy me ever since she came
from school three months ago. I wish,
Carrie, you would send her away some
where-anywhere out of my sight. She
is the plague of my life"
Miss Carrie Ives looked pleasantly up
from her reading, her plump finger
marking the paragraph that had been
interrupted by her brothers impatient
speech. -. 20 s9
Why, Fred, what has the child
done nova" she inquired.
His fine, pale, grave face flushed
little, and half confused expression
came into his serious gray eyes.
This is the young vandals latest
achievement In the 1mpertinent line"
he said. with a short laugh of chagrin,
as be pushed toward her big volume
of some abstruse work, and turned the
fly leaf. ss-
Thereon had been sketched an mimi
table portrait of himself, sitting in his
familiar and scholarly attitude In his
leathern chair before his library table
al .inelegant study gown hanging un-
gracefully from his large shoulders
and the hand that supported a, Webster
ian head clutching an untidy shock of
hair, 1t was too consummate resemb-
lance TO be gratifying, and altogether
too exact for caricature; the dexterous
pencil had not IN the least exaggerated
the pecuharities of Frederick Ives, for
he had his own little eccentricities and
mannerisms, just as we all have, if we
choose to admit the fact ts III
1T is an amazing likeness of your
self, Fred, was his sisters laughing
comment rr=.lr -
Possibly" he returned in that half
mortified, half angry manner; "and I
dare say it may be good for man to see,
himself occasionally as others see him.
But this sort of establishment is not
precisely desirable in valuable book of
science. Jessie Evelyn is becoming
quite too mischievous, Carrie; and fear
ii you can not provide a home elsewhere
for her. | shall feel compelled to leave
you 90 y,
90, Fredr' the gentle little lady cried
IN dismay. Surely you can not mean
that? Jessie must really stay with me
while she IS a minor and remains IN
married. If you would be less captious
toward her, perhaps she would be more
amiable toward you. You treat her as
If she were little vixen, and she resents
1t by being as yixenly as possible; but
that is awoman's way; suppose, she
added humorouslv.
4 know nothing about women and
their ways, he answered glimly.
"But you could try to win Jessie's
liking, Fred" she returned coaxingly.
Il win her liking, he repeated IN a
strange, harsh voice. You suggest
what is impossible, Garrett is only too
obvious that your protege detests me. .
just then a dark, swift something
rushed past the window outside. 1t was
only a handsome, smiling girl riding a
supe RIO black horse rapidly up the
graveied path toward the stables; but at
the sight Carrie uttered quick cry of
surprise and amusement, and the man
started to his feet, his features ashy and
his limbs unsteady. &n .
''I advised Jessie not to ride at all. I
forbade her going near that horse, he
exclaimed after long, incredulous stare
at the composed rider and admirably
behaved animal. :" wonder she is not
killed" ems Ul ~
"She has subiugated your horse,
Fred, JUST as she manages to subiugate
everything else which opposes her" the
lady said admiringly. ''Observe her
and allow her cleverness. She has met
amorphosed my old black cloth mantle
into really pretty habit; with charac-
te1iBtic ingenuity she has arranged your
man saddle to suit lady's seat; and she
has utilized your best silk hat, Fred-it
becomes her too with that bit of deep
green gauze about the tall crown"
ct detest anything mannish in a
,womau," Fred declared Grossly as he
esumed his leathern chair.
Certainly the gentleman had expe-
rienced very little peace since that per-
verse girl of seventeen incarnation
of audacity3 and witchery, had, Invaded
the tranquil country home of his indul-
gent spinster sister. If he wished lit
tie season of particular quietude, the