Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-11-02

i
fulness."
well, perhaps shall be more lucky
tonight. But / have been present at
Mrs. Piercc's balls before. and did not
have many partners"
IL will take care that YOU dance to-
night" said Margaret, rather too Gag
erly, perhaps.
Il should like to dance tonight"
said Miss Percival, ingenuously, for /
have got n new dress which Mrs. Pierce
gave me-such a pretty one. But she
would not like me to dance too much,
especially if any of her guests were sit
ting out"
"Nonsense! Some girls will always
be wall-ilOwers. Men won't ask them
to dance 10 oblige anybody. But you
are not that Kind of girl. and why
should you be left with them?"
oh. it doesn't matter" said Miss
Percival, looking a little alarmed at the
effect produced by her admissions.
- But it does. You shall dance to-
night. and-do you like waltzing?"
Yes, very much.''
"You shall waltz with the best
WALTER in the room. / will give him
that praise, if there is not much else to
be said of him. Do you know whom
mean"
"I-how should -" asked Miss
Percival. blushing violently. no doubt
in her JOY at the prospect of Waiting
Mt all.
Well. I mean Mr.. Biddulph. He
will do anything bid him, and he shall
waltz with you"
" But-but-I do know him little
quite enough for him to ask me to
dance if he wished it. 1t would be hor-
rible To have to dance with him against
his will"
"Mr. Biddulph will do nothing
against his viii. Make your mind
easy. So YOU know him."
Only rery slightly. Sometimes,
you know, meet him when | am out
with the children, aud he stops to ask
after firs. Piercc-and you. Some
times he asks if he will find you in,
should he call. That is ALL
Il see. l. it true, what | heard the
other day, that you are leaving Mrs.
Pierce sOOn?n
Eyes. i am leaving at Whitsuntide,
which is at the end of this month
Indeed. And have YOU got another
situation?"
Il have heard of one. 1 hope to get
il. 1t is at BlackfOrd Grange, near
Foulhaven.
"FOulhaven on the east coast, do you
mean? That is an Out-of-thc-way kind
"Yes; it is. But have n particular
reason for wishing to go there. Two
reasons. indeed"
Have You? Is it allowable TO ask
what they are?'
''Oh, certainly. First. the salary is
such good one. 1t is one hundred and
ten pounds year. That is splendid,
YOU know"
els il? i am sure / am very glad of
it. And the next reason?'
"FOulhayen is seaside place. 1t is
cheap and quiet. My sister, who is the
only relation have, has become n great
invalid. Soon her money will be done,
and this place does not suit her. The
air is bad. and she has poky lodgings in
a back street. Mrs. Pierce only gives
her governess sixty pounds year,
which is soon spent ut Irkford. If get
this place. my sister can 90 and live at
| FOulhaven, and get strong, | hope; and
then shall be perfectly happy"
This disclosure nightly excited Mar
garct. Here was case of struggle and
poverty under her very eyes, and she
had never seen it; she had only thought
sometimes how reTy shabby Miss PEREZ.
val was, and wished she dared to Offer
her new dress. Now the cause was
revealed of this shabbincSs; she denied
herself for her sick sisters sake. That
went straight to Margaret's heart. And
Miss Percival was looking forward with
! Joy to this prospect, which seemed &c
Margaret very dismal enc.
"What is the matter with your sisterP''
she asked, abruptly.
e" hardly know We have not con.
suited the best doctors. 1t is so fright
fully expensive. Two guineas for five
| minutes talk. YOU know. Her back ID
| weak, and she has nearly always to lie
down. OH / do hope | shall get to
/ FOulhaven! The air would do her good,
and i should be able to look after her.
All! you do not know. Miss harrington,
what it is, not only to- know that those
you love are weak and lonely, but also
that they are not provided with the
/ i
see her she seems TO droop little more,
and little more, until some time fear
L shall go and find she has dropped away
altOgether-and then shall be aloner'
Here Marion covered her face with
her hands, and sobbed aloud-genuine
sobs, accompanied by genuine tears.
Margarct's whole mind and soul were
on fire with sympathy and longing to
assist. Here was her duty plainly be.
fore her, pointed out by Heaven, if ever
a duty was. The one thought that held
her back from speaking that instant
was the desire to learn whether she
could not extract from il something
more than dry duty--some romance,
some interest. IL WAS on this rock OF
longing for poctical dcnOUemcn that
many of Margaret's little schemes had
already gone 10 ground. What should
she do in this case? Offer Miss
Pcrcival five hundred pounds on the
spot, as free gift, say: &c
to Foulhaven, or any other haven,
and stay there with your sister at nv
expense, until she Is better" Such
were the two chief ideas which rushed
through her mind. Then again came
Il EA'hhA VI
repeated words occurred to her, like 8
breeze rustling through wood: ''SleeI
upon it." After all. that would be the
best. She must curb her impaticnce;
so she cOntented herself with saving:
" Miss Percival, don't cry. | am SO
| glad you told me. will help you with
your sister" Miss Percival gasped.
and gave an astonished glance upward.
Yes, will. No, you must not look
proud and horrid like that. l know
what / am doing. We will talk it all
over tomorrow. You will take me tc
see your sister. Now feel that have
a prospect of being little happier"
"You-happierm calculated Marion,
with such genuine, incredulous earnest.
ness that Margaret said:
yes, happier. Surely, you won't de
prive me of that"
But she was musing still. her luind oE
distant tracks. In such souls thought
/ flies like lightning. and strikes with