The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-03-10


 customed to exercise some control over them.
 Do hear my name assos lated with thoughts of dress and vanity. Ada {" she inquired severely. ''I trust such things have bu, little weight with me-"
 '.Yes, Houensia but can't sec you dressed like fright, you know grum- bled Ada so have 10 think and plan for us both. What Is that tremendous volume, prayF
 "D'Aubigne's History of the Reforma- ton, which have just been reading to poor Cousin John Tn the brief interview ! he afforded me"
 -Heavy for mind and body. should imagine" remarked Lucy, fippantly.
 .'0f course selected suitable passa- gcs." continued HorensIa, taking no no- uce Of the efitieism-.Lu Lu,her's a arm in the thunderstorm, for instance, and his conflict with Satan
 Poor Cousin John,' murmured Lucy.
 Il wonder you don't try the effect of II i on those boys downstairs, said Louisa ironically. The noise Frank and Char he have been making in the billiard room Ill the morning has been dreadful and | mus, say |, adds 10 the absurdi,y of our position here. which Is already bad l enough.
 ''l hear Digby has brought over some oi his brother oiiioers. Ilortensis, sad Ada Don't you think they should be n- v.tcd upstairs
 They are coming. Ada. Digby asked my permission, and gave II. though un- willingly. l, you like that sort of society 1 must endure Il. As to your brothers, Louisa. think Il lies with you and Lucy to try to improve them, rather than with me. have done all in my power for my osn poor foolish brother Digby. and now, ! if Cousin Johns death Is to have no ben i eticial effect on his character. fear must despair of him. But i, is no fault of mine'
 ..It is beneficial effect of another zss:: ::..: Gs:.-:.. .t..s., .s ...,e.," sa,,. Lucy hali aloud; but, Ii the profanc re- i mark reaehed Het;ensias eafs. she took 1 no notice oi IL lii. further conversation n these subjects MS stopped by the ar wal of Gap, uh Di. .by DAere and his two brother officers, M.ges Briggs and Lieu tenant liarker.
 Digby and the major were of the same hehy build. while the lieutenant was a raIld specimen of the drawing room hero still. wlth all thclr imperiecilons. these gentlemen made q welcome break in the monotony of hfc II bacres Grange. and helped tn speed that morning more lightly away.
 Squire baere. of baeie's Grange. who lay dying in his lonely room upstairs, was d peculiar character in many re- spects. He had lived most of his forty ye.iIs of life in tha, secluded mansion. respected IS an upright. honorable man. i true tucnd and generous landlord. but otherwise little known. and perhaps is much feared as iesed.- Science was the pursui, Of his life, the mistress of his soul; and while Madam Dacre, as thc ! 'squire's mother was called. lived. he had lcit the management, of affairs almost en- !llely to her-a task which the bright active old lady dearly loved. even though her age was fpursoore ye.,rs and four.
 Il was only year since she had died and Duhn Dacte. her son, would then have been forced ro play an active par; but sudden and severe illness hctel him. and the sccluslon ef his study was changed only for that of sick room. or rather. is Il soon appeared. ! chamber of death.
 Many years before, young orphan girl had been partially adopted by Mad am Dacre. and hved at the Grange as at tendan, and companion to the old lady She was a distant kinswoman, but of Il simple farmer race down in Suffolk. with none of the blue blood of the Dacres flowing Tn her veins; and yet Janet Thorpe. as she grew up among her lowly duties alarming draperN or distilling cowslIp wine -blossomed into as far and sweet specimen of womanhoed as could well be desired in any rank
 There had been many surmises from time 10 time as to the probability of the squire turning his thoughts m the direc- tion of this winsome maiden, and the specially wise and prudcn; shook their sagaclous heads and wondered that madam had been so rash. Buttime went on, and there were no signs of any atten- tion on the 'squire's part or any match making propensities on that of the young lady. Then she was SO much his junior, So much bis inferior in point of birth and station, that Tn the course of years the idea died ou, altogether.
 At the death of her kinswoman and mistress, old Madam Dacre, Janet Thorpe prepared to seek new home. as was but natural. Ample provision had been made for her in the old lady:s will but she could no longer share the 'squire's home withou, people talking about it.
 And then John Dacre's eyes were sud denly opened. His world seemed at once to move from its axis-the solid earth yawned at his feet. Science, in the form of books, globes, compasses, and what not. still re,gned in the study. bu, her charms failed to satisfy him. A home from which his good old mother and the sweet presence of Janet Thorpe were absent was an idea he could not grasp; II was strange, comfortless, in,ol- erable. Perhaps he had never known beiore how much he had loved either of them but, alas, he knew it now.
 One II was impossible to recall, but the other! Jane, Thorpe had not actu- ally gone, but situation in London had