Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-11

~ ASn v HAASN ~ Sc
nv one or the other, but l should prefer
Nh. Dunn to Cuthbert."
Chow disagreeable you are, Letty!'
''Mr. Dunn is sincere at least, if he is
ball." she pursued; "and he isn't Sc
dreadfully bald either"
"Well, Clarence isn't bald at ALL"
mo, but he's been going on with Miss
Erskine rs if you didn't eXist-strolling
in the woods, looking into her eyes, and
repeating poetry. She showed me some
lines he had written to her, and l believe
they were the very same he composed to
you, only brown eyes We're changed to
blue"
.Letty, 1 don't believe a word of it.
It's only her vanity and your Jealousy.
See these exquisite ROSES he sent me, and
this delicious note"
81 should think it was q recipe from
Miss Parloa. Miss Eskimo wore a finer
bunch-real Jacqueminots, a dollar
apiece-in to dinner"
81 don't value mine according to the
price; they're Marshal Niels, too. If he
had sent me a bunch Of buttercups they'd
be as precious. Butyou don't deserve to
1Cuu GuC AOIC, dh'l SOu JIG
81 don't want to. 1 dare say it's the
fac-simile of Miss E~rskine's."
Lefty" said /, severely, ''don't
| speak to me again to night"
OF course l thought it was all nom
sense. l didn't want Clarence to be
moped when I was out of sight, and not
able to speak to a soul. wanted him
to make himself as fascinating as posi-
BILE to the other girls. To be sure, 1
made believe 1 was jealous of Miss Frs
kline playfully, when [ went down.
stairs again, and pouted about it; and
he said, Just as [ knew he would, that
Miss Erskine was a nice person, who
threw herself at a mans head, however,
and demanded attentions; and her ogre
of a mother was SO afraid somebody
would marry her for her money that it
was a great lark to scare the old lady a
little; but as for falling in love with Miss
Erskine, especially when anoMerperson
was in the world, that was simply i'm
possible. After that they got up some
private theatricals for a charity, and
/ Clarence had to take the part of Miss
Erskine's lover, and although he acted
it to perfection, it wasn't pleasant.
Mrs. Erskine didn like it either. cit
looks too %real;" said she.
"They would be poor actors if it
didn't" I said.
"Why, he's-kissing her!" she cried.
"It's only a stage kiss" [ assured
her. 1t did seem to me that he rather
! overdid the part.
81 made desperate love- said he,
afterward, 'just because that old harri-
dan was looking on. 1 knew you would
understand. Kiss her? Yes, I kissed
her; she seemed to expect it-such q
dose!"
"But you needn't have kissed her at
rehearsal"
'.True! that didn't occur to me. Live
and learn"
was sitting at the beach one morn
ing a little later with Mrs. Erskine,
watching Clarence and Miss Erskine
swimming among the breakers.
81 do wish Rose would come in," said
her mother, fretfully. "I'm afraid
she'll get fond Of this Mr.. Cuthbert.
they're thrown together so much" ]
gave a little start. CAN the young
ladies seem to be perfectly wild about
the fellow; but / do wish he wouldn't
make love to Rose, and make herbelieve
she's so irresistible. Perhaps if she
hadn't a fortune l should believe in him
more. You ought to thank your stars.
Miss Linda, that you're a portionless
girl. and your lovers are all disinter-
ested.n
'Mrs Erkine," said I, 81 will tell you
something. You needn't give yourself
any uneasiness about Mr.. Cuthbert's in
tentions. 1 am engaged to Mr.. Cuth-
bert. 1t hasn't come out yet
'Let me congratulate you, my dear
Miss Linda, ''said she, and she really
kissed my cheek. 'sMy heart feels
light. You can't tell how I've been put
to my wits end to keep Rose under my
eye and out Of harms way. Mr.. Cuth-
bert is so taking! But now [ may take
my ease with the other chaperons.
Thank you for the confidence, dear. ]
really feel as ifyou had done me a favor:
and Mr.. Cuthbert's a real hero of ro-
nance, after all, with no mercenaryf feel.
ings. Now, if Mr.. Dunn had fancied
Rose, I should have had no misgiv.
ings."
II don't think Clarence is fond Of
money, or he never would have thought
of me-" 1 said.
"Well, 1 dare say; only I can't tell
you how much I'm obliged to you.
shall always regard you as a friend"
This was a little different from the
way she turned upon me one day, s
month later, when, having returned
from a steamboat excursion with a large
party from the house, it was found thai
Clarence and Miss Erskine were missing
Il am going back with Miss Erskine
for her sun-umbrella,' he had said to me
on the boat. s:She left it on q bench ir
the park, and 1 can't let her go alone,
you know. If we lose this boat, there's
another an hour later" But the next
boat did not bring them. Mrs. Erskine
spent most Of the night down at the
wharf with some companions, and when
[ went downstairs next morning she
was still in her excursion dress. witt
dishevelled hair, and holding an oper
letter.
"See what you've done," she said.
giving me the letter. "You engaged te
him! You! You connived at this, yor
hypocrite!!"