Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-04
would cry, good.naturedly enoush. No

~ sou1u ohend Percival. But Miss
Lacy was not of so easy a temper. It
annoyed her excessively to detect fur
i've smiles on several faces, when she
passed the young master in the schools
court on her way to chapel of a Sunday
morning. Old Mr.. Scattherd was intoi-
cradle, with his roguish eyes always on
the watch for something to feed his
sense of the humorous. How wicked he
looked, aad how absurdly shy Percival
was for a nan of his standing Some
men were, and could no, help it. the
best Of men often. He would shake T.
OH under the influence of a sensible
woman. The next vacant boarding.
mouse was promised to Percival. He
would have to marry. Miss Lacy liked
boys, and was easily at home with them.
A nome OF her w would be very con-
venlent to her, for Septimus was going
to be married, and then she should he
very lonely, and not too well off. She
was a sociable woman, and liked the
prospect of a lone maiden life in lodp-
ing but little. Nothing would be more
suitable than a proposal from Derwent
Percival. He was, prrhaps. a wear or
two younger than herself, but would
doubtless see the ~inexpediency of asking
a young, giddy girl to be mistress Of =
houseful of schoolboys. When the mind
OF ma or woman is possessedo of fixed
idea, it is astonishing how soon all acct
dental surroundings accommodate them
selves to the situation devised by fancy.
Mr.. Percival became Miss Lacy's fixed
idea. She arranged herself, so to speak,
mentally and bodily-postured beft-
tingly. But all this in secret I; no whis-
per, no blush, no girlish airs, no MUIR
INJURED confidence even in.the ear of her
chief woman friend-perhaps her only
woman friend-Mrs. Urquhart-loyai,
unconditional, warm-hearted, hot-tem-
pered, outspoken little Mrs. Urquhart,
who never watched or suspected any
body, and, for all her sharp tongue, had
a sweet, disarming tr~ustfulness andhon-
%orableness rare in women.
Now as Miss Lacy sat at home one
afternoon, reviewing her position, in
her easy way, with small, luxurious
surroundings denoting the temper and
style of the woman-the new SATURDAY
Revaew in her hand and a great saucer
of roses at her elbow, while her shapely
foot, ina black silk stocking and dainty
slipper, rested in the warm fur of a
huge Persian cat, curled up like a foot
stool-there came a knock at the door,
and Mr.. Percival put in his handsome
head.
"Oh, Miss Lacy, excuse me; I thought
your brother was here, and I want
But | won't disturb you-any time will
do"
"Pray, pray, come in MI. Percival,"
said she in the quiet, pleasant, e
surfing way that always put him at his
ease, and drove all memory of his
friends jokes out of his head. She
rose to greet him: "What doNyou want?
l want Somebody to talk to, sosdon't be
afraid of disturbing me I'm perfectly
idle this morning.
There was a delightful air of the dolce
far mieaate about Miss Lacy and her sit
tingg-room. Mr.. Percival found a COM
Portable chair so close at hand that he
had simply to sit down in it. He sat
down and felt very much at home. cit
was only the second volume of 'Froude,'
Miss Lacy, which Twas going to borrow
for half an hour"
She picked a large rosebud out of the
saucer and tossed It to him lightly.
"The sweetest of all roses" cried
she, "'La France!' Will that do in
stead?"
What made her say this? How could
she tell? How could she guess? OF
course it wa accidental, yet it was the
name of the woman he loved: Frances
Lorrimer was always France" to
those who loved her. He smelt the
rose and owned that it was sweet. And
he felt very kindly to Septimus Lacy's
sister at that moment. What clever
creatures women were, to be sure, he
mused-how fresh and sweet and or
derby the rooms they inhabited! He
leaned forward and began to chat pleas
antly.
81 have often thought lately I should
like to ask you a question, Miss Lacy"
said he s'you are ALWAYS so kind and
indulgent to me! I wish I had the
courage to do it now," he continued,
beginning to blush and to SHUTTER, and
vigorously smelling his rose.
.sTake courage" she said, very softly,
looking at him with half-closed eyes.
"You are so sympathetic, you see,
and so clever, and So"
He paused, looking up to see if she
were laughing at him but, no! her
face only wore a look of half maternal
interest.
81 know SO little of the ways of Ia
dies" he said, "that 1 am always afraid
of putting my foot into it; but l do be-
lieve you would help a poor, laundering
fellow out. You see, Miss Lacy, I've
something on my mind"
"Yes ?" she said, quietly i~nterroga-
tive.
II suppose I shall have to set up my
house presently" he went on-''a ter
rible undertaking for a bachelor
"Well," said she, encouragingly,
''there's a ready remedy"
His face frightened, but he shook his
head.
"Now, do you think, do you really
think" said he, .'that 1 might venture
to think of asking a lady, clever and
awfully pretty" Gle was looking
down now, and lost a fitting expression
in his companions face which beauti-
fed it wonderfully ':.It's so much
trouble for a lady, you see:"