Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-11-03

"nere nave you met him beforep"
we were obliged to pass directly by
sne young lawyer, and l bowed to him
coralally, as 1 knew him well. hit
charlotte drew her veil and kept her
rection. "n oppos1'e oi-
exn,a; Knew him several years ago." she
H;APialned, when he was a law-student
IN cambridge and 1 was studying music
f Eon we were very intimate, and,
frankly the acquaintance was vergine
on the sentimental, when I went BACK
70 cleveland. He promised to come
Mest as soon as he could make it posi-
PIE, and he came the very next wear.
ha listen; instead of calling upon me,
ne called upon my lawyer, and made
me most particular inquiries about the
neirs OF Eliphalet Plunkett, my grand
father. He ascertained that Inherited
ms entire fortune, and that it was a
slzeable one. How he got hold of nv
grandfather's name in the first place is
a mystery. He protested to my lawyer
mat ne had some claim upon the estate,
u he never prosecuted it, and strange
TO say, he left Cleveland without COM
ing to see me-. Perhaps he hadn't the
race to do so, knowing that all his ques-
tlons about the state of my finances
would be reported to me-"
1T is very mysterious" I remarked.
1T would seem more natural for him
to have conducted his Investigations in
a quieter way. If he had been a for
tune-hunter, too, the result must have
satisfied him: Why did he give up with
out an eftortP"
~ imagined at the time that he had
found some weather. girl, for he wrote
me just before his Western trip that he
was on the track of a fortune. But then
he said, too, that when he obtained it 1
should hear from him. Fl is all very
queer.
81 should think so; but whatevermay
be the explanation, take my word for it,
John Burleigh is all right"
IL wish l could think so," my friend
replied; ''but 1 do not wish to renew
the acquaintance. I could never respect
him as l did once; there would always
be a doubt"
We had reached the village hotel.
'Come in" urged Charlotte; II want
to read to you Mrs. Pillsbury's journal.
1t will seem so real to us after visiting
that old house. l can just see how the
dear old lady wrote it, and it will take
US away from the stupid questions of
this present life. My grandfather,
'Liph, was a precious scamp; it is a
pity l wasn't there to shake him. There
is a sweet little girl in the story that he
as good as Tilted, and a designing
widow that-but, never mind, lust
throw yourself into that hammock and
listen:
D~EEPGROvE. Nov. 30. 1882.
! NY husband, the Doctor. one Of the wisest
marked upon the garrulity and loquacity of
wont TO say, tart no exception. For though
thou art debarred by reason Of the inirmity
or thy deafness from the pleasure of hearing
thine own tongue wag, yet l have observed
thee to p3rattle to myself when there vas
there may be in lonely soliloquy, there is in
fnitely more contentment in the presence of
q nearer, and since thou art much alone,
not Like to nave boarders in the house, and I,
to be much absent, I have Thought 1t that haiti it
nal, in which thou ca~nstinscribe thy thoughts,
and pirate as with u familiar friend.
And thus it came to pass that on this
Thanksgiving morning he made me a
present of this fair book, a bundle of
quilts nicely cut, and an ink-horn.
Having thus made my first entry 1 close
my book.
Dec. 2.-Eliphalet went over the mountain to
sled wood. Squire Bascom sent for the Doc
tor to come and blood him, SO I am all alone.
Eiinh0lQf ia m nnnhnxus hn 10 af,,Ix-srrr - ~
with the Doctor. but he is 80 busted about the
place that he gets not the time for his books
that we could wish. I shall do the chores my
self tonight, and then when 'Liph comes home
he will have the more time for his studies.
Dec. 81 caught a bad cold shoveling a path
to the barn last Tuesday, for Eliphalet, and
could not walk to the Widow Minis funeral.
tered. Eliphalet has gone over the mountain
to see a yoke of steers; he went in his new
cutter. The Doctor thought he might have
he had no inclination, and the Doctor had
been sent for by Onion River folks.
Dec: 81 feel as if I were going to have a spell
OF sickness; a fit, or a dizziness, or the cramp,
alarm for the Doctor. He says Eliphalet must
do the chulning. 1t is too bad he should be
set to putteering over woman,s work, when ne
over the mountain this evening to see about
~fencing-stuf for the COW pasture.
Dec. 9.-It snowe and blew a hurricane, and
'Liph was kept all night. / had a candle lit for
him in the Office window, and a tankard of
ginger-tea buried amongst the embers, butw
were ut breakfast when he got in. The Doctor
says it's no use looking after fencing-stuff
unit spring, but 'Liph says he may US well be
~forehanded. The youth hath u long head and
favors his father, who had ever the knack of
making his wits save his legs. I wish could
find some kitchen help, for 1 am hardly strong
enough to do my own Homework. Surely, I
thought not that l was made of such t1imsy
stuff; but ! am q twelve.month older than last
winter, when I nursed 'Liph through the
smallpox. ...
Dec. lO.-The stage stopped here and left a
young girl who would fain attend our acade-
my and work with us for her board. Hername
is Tirzah Pierson. 1t is the Lords doings, and
none too soon. | can now take to my bed
with q clear conscience.
Dec. 1.-THE Doctor went alone to meeting.
Parson G~oodenough had gone to South Had
ley to bury his mother-in-law, and the deacons
carried on. Tirzah baked a very good pie.
Now that I have help l have given up utterly.
1 have no proper sickness, but a mighty weak
ness. I lie on the couch, and dream and
write in my book for pastime.
Dec. 12.-Eliphalet went over the mountain
to see about some pork. He came home ut
midnight and got none.
Dec. 13.-Tirzah is a good, tidy girl, and a
great comfort to me. I lie and watch her in
her lowered petticoat and rufned short gown,
with her conely elbows showing between her
rolled sleeves and the kneading-trough, and
I had well nigh as many foolish fancies re-
garding the lass as If l were a hot-headed
youth of 'Liph's age, and not a foolish. old
1900 Rod n,,n~k,, N{l1irpu tho chnn.