The Red Cloud chief., 1884-01-18

ten brass. Hot, hot everywhere! HOT
in the monstrous warehouses;; hot in
the dim and dusty offices; hot on the
hard stone pavements of the squares and
in the narrow streets. Hottest of I'll.
perhaps. in the rows of thinly built
suburban houses, with their inadequate
blinds and flimsy walls and ill-iitting
windows.
In the parlor occupied by Angela and
Mabelle Fairfax they both sat this broil-
ing morning. The blinds were drawn
down to keep the sun out; the windows
were shut to keep the dust out; and yet
it was hot-stif1ing hot.
"How awtul it is" calculated Miss
Fairfax from the sofa upon which she
had flung herself, and upon which she
lay. languidly waving a fan up and
dOwn-her face rendered more pallid
and marble-white than ever by the great
heat. Nature is much kinder in this
respect to some of her children than to
others. and, az Usual, arbitrary and
capricious in her favOrs. For example.
excessive heat did net give Angela
Fairfax a red face. nor Philip Massey
either-it rendered them rather better
looking than before: but its effect upon
the countenance of Mr.. FOrdyce was in
deed lamentablc.
"How awfuln' repeated Angela. IF
it is half as cold here in winter as it is
hot in summer, l shall die"
No answer from Mabelle, who sat at
the comfortable, her rapid fingers deft-
ly manipulating 4 straw hat and some
black gauze-an employment tending
TO produce sickness of the fingers in
that temperature, and who did not COM
plain of the heat. nor of anything else.
Her sweet face was paler than 1t had
been: her eyes somewhat dark and
heavy; while in her whole attitude
there was a dropping li~stlessness, telling
Uf WEAKNESS.
..When | think of the rectory, and
Nenside. and the gardens, this is intOl-
cradle, and l could screGm!" pursued
Miss Fairfax. who had a way of empha-
sizing the last words of her remarks.
mo doubt it is pleasant at Nenside
now" her sister acquieSced.
Pheasant. l should think SO. Oh,
this is a miserable life that | lead! How
l hate and lOathe it! Drudgery and
: slavery all day and all the week-and
for what? A pittance! That THAT a
Fairfax should ever come to such a
pass"
Dear Angela. people have been very
kind to us. am sure we seem to have
lots of friends, and look how many
pupils you have already"
..Vulgar wretches! ShOp-keeper's
children, the Dissenters' children. and
all kinds of hOrrid peoples children"
Il can't say that l see SO much vul-
garity in them"
You are hopelessly devoted to what
is low and horrid."
..Indeed.'' said Mabelle. raising her
head with flashing eyes. and a height
ened color, and lips parted t, utter some
comment upon this gracious remark.
Suddenly she closed her lips. pressing
them together. and bending again to
her work, maintained long silence, after
that one irrepreSsible "lndeed!"
s.At what time does this wonderful
entertainment begin?:' was Angela's
next inquiry.
'Halt-past ten they were to call for
us, and it is half-pa>t nine now"
'.Half-past ten. Imagine setting of
on a day like this TO a picnic. A bank
holiday, too! All the town will turn
out, and we shall look exactly like a
party of cheap tripperS. For my part,
l can't see the pleasure of such expedi-
tons"
Why 90. if you think it will tire you.
and that YOU won't enjoy it?'
..How ridiculous you are! OF course
Unjust 90. What could l do here all day:
r>ln ALL ha xu,., or fhrao nnnnln in 0d-
) dition to our two selves. How sick peo-
pie do get of zach others society, t be
Sure?:"
Thanks for the compliment"
.Well, You must own, Mabelle. you
are hardly society for me-yOu--"
'.No, / suppose not. One may be
useful as Il milliner without being eX'
actly company tor ones customers"
..Oh, as if [ meant that! What hor-
rid things YOU do say. You know what
l mean. You are a child"
Il thought children got OF best to
gether. said Mabclle, me ,kly, but with
an odd curl ut the corner of her lips.
what? At any rate there is one
human beng to-day who will be more
entertaining than my atOred pupils and
their del ghtful parents"
, Mabelle made no answer, but her del
+ icate eyebrows contracted. while An.
gela went on. in more amiable tone. a:
of one invitin. question or comment:
poor Mr.. Massey"
To this also she received no reply, bu
Mabelle's face was flushed, and she gave
an impatient jerk to the hat she wa:
trimming.
. "He really must be \ very good Great
ure, despite his dis~agreeable sister,
, continued Angela, discussively.
Il; you mean Grace, l don't think
she is at all disagreeable."
!, Not to you. perhaps; if You had thu
!. misfortune to be TWENTY-FIVE years old
and an object of admiration to hel
brother, she might favor you. too. will
= a share of her i'll manners. Really. thu
way in which these sisters are jealou:
|, of their great clumsy brothers is too
ridiculous. They seem to think thai
every woman who meets them will Sc,
her cap at them. Thekla Berghaus j
lust as ridiculous about Hermann. as i
: l would look at a child like him."
THE question is, whether a chile
! like him would look ut you. He seem,
to me to have no eyes for any one bu
, Grace Massey"
: "Grace Massey" exclaimed Angela,