Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-10-04
THE PLAGUE OF | HIS LIRE.
BY ETT1E ROGERS.

oA 1AAAh 1tOdhtSs
,Sii - ---- -
"That girl has done nothing but pro-
woke and annoy me ever since she came
from school three''months ago. I.wish.
Carrie, yon would send her away some
where-anywhere out of my sight. She
is the plague ofmy 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. .Is !.
"Why, Fred, what has the child
done now?" she inquired.
His fine. pale, grave face flushed
little, and q half confused expression
came into his serious gray eyes. =
This is the young vandal's latest
achievement in the lmpertinent iiue,"
he said, with short laugh of chagrin.
as he pushed toward her big volume
OF some abstruso work, and turned the
Ay leaf. ~ 50
Thereon had dsbeen sketched an mimi.
table portrait of himself, sitting in his
familiar and scholarly attitude in his
leathern chair before his library table
an inelegant study gown hanging un-
gracefully from his. large shoulders
and the hand that supported Webster
ian head clutcbing an untidy shock of
halr. 1t was too consummate o resemb,
lance to be gratifying, and altogether
too exact for caricature; the dexterous
pencil had not in the least exaggerated
the peculiarities of Frederick Ives. for
he had his own little eccentricities and
mannerisms, just as we oil have, if we.
choose to admit the fact.
It is an amazing likeness of your
self, Fred was his sisters laughing
comment.
Possibly" he returned in that half
mortified, hah angry manner; Sand 1
dare say itmay' be. good for q man to see
himself oecasio ionally as 'others see him.
But this sort Of embellishment is not
precisely desirable in valuable book of
science. Jessie Evelyn is becoming
quite too mischievous, Carrie; and I fear
# you can not provide home elsewhere
for her, I shall feel compelled to leave
you"
so, Fredw 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 un-
married. If you would be less captious
toward her. perhaps she would be more
amiable toward you. You treat her as
ifsahe were little vixen, and she resents
it by being as vixenly as possible; but
that is woman's yay;I suppose, = she
added humorously.
know nothing about women and
their ways" he answered g,imly.
Bat you could try to win Jessie's
liking, Fred, she returned coaxipgly.
81 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
rushedpastthe window outside. 1t was
onlysa handsome, smiling girl rid;nga
sups rb@ black horse rapidly up the
gravel d path toward the stables; butat
the sight Carrie uttered quick cry OF
surprise and amusement, and the man
started to hia feet, his features ashy and
his limbs unsteady. r,.s.
advised Jessie not to ride at all. l
forbade her going near that horse" he
exclaimed after long, incredulous stare
at the composed rider and admirably
behaved animal. L wonder she is not
killed."
She has subjugated your horse,l
Fred, just as she manages to eubjugate
everything else which opposes her" the
lady said admiringly.i i"Observe her
and allow her cleverness. She has met
amorphosed my old black cloth mantle
into really pretty habit; with charac-
teristic ingenuity She has arranged your
man saddle to suit a1ady's seat; and che
has utilized your best silk hat, Fred-it
becomes her too with that bit OF deep
green gauze about the tall crown"
II detest anything .manpish in n
woman, Fred declared Grossly as he
resumed his leathern chair. ~ 'fa
Certainly the gentleman had expe-
rienced very little peace since. that Der.
verse girl of seventeen-that incarnation
of audacity, and witchery, had invaded
the tranquil country home of his indul-
gent spinster sister. IF he wished alt
tie season of particular quietude, the
tinkle of the piano and a distractingly
sweet voice world sound through the
house. Ii he consulted his labored notes
upon some especially favored historical
or poetical work, his eqnapimity would
be disturbed by keen and pertinent inn
terpolations that his own wit had never
suggested. If he attempted any remon.
STRANGE, Eshe would blunt his censure
with sa pun and defy rebuke by an IN.
genious irepartee.s She. would affect
scientific themes that she might discon-
cert him by some problem too difficult
for his elucidation; she dared his opin-
ions and challenged his sentiments; she
wore the, eolors, the flowers, the gems
she knew BIB most dislikAd; and she, was
indeed the plague Of his life.
Why do you always weer the topaz,
Miss Evelyn?" he asked her later that
day.
He had glancednp with o ready frowr
at the exquisite shape and charming
brur cite face, perceiving only the yel.
low gem he whimsically abominated,
glittering in her cold black hair and
amid the white laces on her bosom.
as an amulet" she replied quickly
merr'ly and mean:ngly. "It is pre-
servative against poison, you know
The speech was not quite civil; the
Laughing; glance OF the big black eve,
was saucy and significant; but her man
ner VAS the perfection OF innocent play
pluess.