The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-28
IN THE WRONG HOUSE.

~ WAS III DoSIoii. Lie uTSI SNOW OF
the season had fallen the night before;
and the wind was dashing it off the tops
of the high buildings, filling the air with
tiny particles that glittered like dia-
mondsln the brilliant sunshine. Itwasn't
quite so pleasant to have it come with a
rush right into ones face, but every one
was merry and brisk this morning, and
why shouldn't the wind be SO too? Two
bright-faced girls were rapidly thread
ing their way through the crowds that
thronged around the great dry goods
store, For an hour they had been fit
ting from place to place, attending to
matters important or otherwise, hover
ing oven the pretty things piled high
upon the counters, but laughinglv
shaking their heads over their mp
purses.
II shall have to appoint myself your
guardian, Alice, and put a veto on your
buying what you don't need" And the
speaker linked her arm with that of her
companion, and drew her toward the
door.
"Iought to be grateful for I am in debt
now, and | really ought not to spend Il
cent. Did you ever see such q good ma
tured crowd?" Now, you have that call
TO make, and while you 90 there | will
run in and see Mollie. Don't stay long,
will YOU. Grace??"
mo, I won't. What a wiad! I should
think il came straight from Labrador.
This was rightly named Winter street!
Here, give me your hand. Let us 90 in
to the sunshine, somehow, as quickly as
we can"
Hand in hand, laughing, breathless,
with heads bent to meet the fierce winds
that came tearing around the corner,
the cousins struggled forward until they
gained the corner, where Alice halted
for breath; but Grace ran on across Ire
mont street, and stood in the flooding
sunlight waiting for her companion.
(Which way shall we go?" asked
Alice, when they were together again.
"Up Park streetor across the common"
Across the common, by all MEANS"
said Grace. Il go out of my way when
in Boston. to walk on the common. 1t
Is slch n relief to me to escape from the
cold shadow of the hign buildings"
So they went with fires SO bright from
the cold air and their merry hearts
that all who met them smiled and went
their WAYS more b.ithely. Suddenly
their path was blockaded by the snow, on
which men were still at work. An I'M
broken white eNpanse lay between
them and their goal.
Three Alternatives" exclaimed
Grace, eayiy; "to wade through this
snow, which looks rather deep; to wait
till the men finish the path for us, or to
take this path over to Park street."
tI,. yinw .nf fbn irfanlca nf tla hour
perhaps we lad better make u Conces-
sion and accept the last. See, there is
Moliie's holse. Yousee the house with
the roo higher than the others?!"
Yes" ssid Grace, not very decidedly.
well, it is the third house from that.
If you finish your call first you can stop
for me. or vice versa, | will 90 to meet
you. Now don't stay long"
And they parted. Alice keeping on
down Beacon street in the sunshine,
Grace turning northoverthe hill. Meth
er bad far to 90 from the corner where
they separated. and Grace was oon
waiting for admittance at her friends
door. The servant who took the card
returned presently with the Intelligence
that her mistress was SO ill that she was
quite unable to receive any one. So it
happened that in a few minutes Grace
wns again upon the street.
This is nice" she said to herself,
as she retraced hersteps." Alice will not
hurry herself; and, meantime, what is
to become of me2 lido not visit to short
en- her call. | will walk down the street
very slowly and try to kill time"
What al exquisite picture it is! And
truly it was beautiful. The leatless trees
on the common lifled!the delicate tracery
of their branches against the cloudless
sky. The newly fallen snow lay, still
spotless. on the streets and housetops.
Along the few paths that had been
opened on the common, people passed
and re passed. The roar and rush of the
great city came softly to the ear across
the white plain. Near at hand the state
house raised its shining dome high in
air, and the tinkle of sleigh bells and
the merry shouts of children added life
and interest to the scene.
II am getting somewhat tired of this
promenade, although l doubt if there
could be found q pleasanter place for it
in all the city. Which house did Alice
say? Pm sure / don't know. If l walk
slowly past this club house a few rj5ffaa
times shall create q sensatiop. That
will not do at all. 10. me Try
street" But as srsue turned the corner
h ~or,n wind met her, and her feet
slipped dangerously on the icy pave
Cant stand this, in mora senses than
one. Why doesn't that girl appear?. II
It was rot for the snow now, might
walk In the common in the most nnno'
ticenble way possible. I will cross ovel
and study those roots. What did Alice
cs,yf What i stupid not e ask her the
number. But than | SHOULDN'T have
hearS it ie she had told me. Server
me right FOR giving such careless stten
tion to what people are saying. ! de-
clare I don't even know her friend
name. Mollie, Mollie-what? / tugh
to know, | lave heard Ter name time
enough when 1 have been here Before
she is one of Alice's classmates, but sh'
did not mention her name this morn
ing. This must be the house. Shall
Ora. who had been carefully survey
ing the house that she Was approaching
suddenly looked very determined
!, mounted the steps and rang the bell
: The door was opened almost instantly
by a dignifed old-strvant in liv cry.
ST beg pardon II l am makingIa mis-
take" she began, IN her most Vlnnin.
voice. "Indeed, | am quite al a los
how to explain myself. Has ayoun
lady called here within u half hour t
see u friend, a Miss Mollie--? My cou
sin did not mention her suriame.
And she paused with an embarrassed
half smile, but the old servant had al
ready shaken his head.
"No, iaiss: no one has called. 1 inoN
because l have been here all the ttne.
"Then l have made a mistake. III
-. - A---- II ont AL