Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-02-29
CHAPTER vi.

when July comes To an end the col
leges and schools Of Irkford break up
for their holidays, and there ensues n
regular stampede of teachers and pupils
and parents to the lakes or the seaside.
continent or country anywhere, any,
where ont Of the town'-away from its
dust. its smoke. its close and sitting
heat, from its rolling carts and ornni-
buses, its dingy streets, out into the
fields If possible. or to the fair seashore,
or amidst the cool and mighty lakes
and mountains.
When August has fairly set in Irkford
is wont TO look empty; the squares are
deserted, the shops little troubled by
customers, whilst the young women be-
hind the counters droOp and look limp
and white and bleached like every other
living thing in the unwholesome heat
Of town.
IL was the beginning of August i'm this
particular year of which l am writing.
The day was Monday. and 1t was a
bank holiday. The heat in the town
was sitting; not n cloud was to be seen
in the dull blue sky. save the dun-col-
Orcd shroud of smoke which encircled
lrkford. and through which the sun
glared unwinkingly. like ball of mol
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 ELL.
perhaps, in the rows of thinly built
suburban houses, with their inadequate
blinds and fimsy walls and ill-fitting
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 vet
IL was hOt-stifling hot.
"How agfm il isr' calculated Miss
Fairfax from the sofa upon which she
had flung herself. sud upon which she
lay, lang'udly waving n fan up and
down--her face rendered more rallid
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. as usual, arbitrary and
capricious in her favOrs. For example.
excessive heat did net give ANGELA
FAIRFAX red face. nor Philip Massey
either-it rendered them rather better
looking than before; but its effect upon
the countcnance Of Mr.. FOvdyce WAS in
deed lamentablc.
"H0tO awful repeated Angela. eff
Il Is half IS cold here in winter as IL h
hot In summer. shall der
No answer from Mabelle, who sat M
the center table. her rapid fingers deft-
" manipt lating n straw ha. and some
black gauze 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 il had
been; her eyes somewhat dark and
heavy; while in her whole attitude
there was dropping listleSsness, telling
Of WEAKNESS.
when think Of the rectory. and
Nehside, and the gardens, this is intol-
cradle, and could scream ~ pursued
Miss Fairfax. who had a WAY of empha-
sizing the last words Of her remarks.
"No doubt Il Is pleasant at Nenside
now her sister acquiesced.
Pleasant / should think so. Oh,
this Is miserable life that | lead! How
1 hate and loathe IL Drudgery and
slavery all day and all the week-and
for whatP A pittance! That I-that a
Fairfax should ever come to such a
passln
Dear Angela. people have been very
kind TO ms. am sure we seem to have
lots Of friends. and look how many
pupils you have already"
vulgar wretchesi Shop-keeper's
children. the Dissenters' children. and
AL kinds Of horrid peoples children"
II can't say that sec so much vul-
garity in them"
lyon are hopelessly devoted 70 what
y low and hQrrid''