Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-06-06
alnner or . cold plate, ana I'm n.rt;a,
- clean linen. That's about ali T

OAAahs N+
MRS. Maudle readily acquisced in
tnese modest requirements. OBSERVING
.aat "a hangel couldn't want less. and
tnefeupon we parted.
~ aue time myself and my few be.
longing were conveyed in a cab to 139
feckover street. l had dined. and, he-
yond q cup of coffee, wanted NOTHING.
MIS- Maudle brought me the coffee her.
~ sure. sir, l hope it's as YOU like"
sad she, meekly; :but, it not, you'u
hhln;uly name it. and Sophonisba will
LING Da,.gS You your water at any hour
YOU. u mention in the mornin', sir. So
Pnenisba Ann mostly waits on dodgers,
ST. lthat,s my daughter), and I'm sure
always willin', though that timid and
soIt-hearted-but there! don't mind me.
ayln as q mother, perhaps more
man ! a ought respectful my own"
l sald l was much obliged to her and
ner daughter for their kind Intentions.
ana wished her good night. She sighed
audlbly, and held the door handle for
another minute, then, with IN air of
resignation, retired.
Morning brought breakfast and So.
phonisba Ann, This young person
was, if possible, meeker and more de-
pressed than her parent. She carried
her head a little on one side and shifted
with every breath as if from chronic
influenza. Her complexion was pale.
not to say pasty, and her hair and eve.
brows whity-brown. Sophonisba AIMS
figure was remarkable for depression
where fullness might be expected and q
curious bulglng tendency wherever the
opposite effect was usual. Her attire
was chiefly notable for hooks and eyes
with o difference Of opinion that ma
terially hindered friendship, and refrac-
tory hair-pins, which 1 found had a way
OF dropping out into all sorts of
odd places. l found one, one day.
at the bottom of my Jug of porter, ct
dinner!
This interesting young person con-
trived to make a Surprising clatter with
the breakfast ware, upset a chair and
threw down a pile of my books before
making her exit. I attributed this to
the timidity which her mother had as
sured me was counterbalanced by SO
many virtues, and could not in reason.
! complain but when, in removing the
breakfast things, the same pile of books
! underwent precisely the same fate, and
gave me such q start that l nearly cut
off a finger in mending a pen, I could
l.not help saying, rather brusquely:
"Forheayen's sake, my good girl, be
careful what you do next" which pro-
duced quite an attack of shifting and a
hasty retreat On the part of the unlucky
maiden.
A little later in the day, my landlady
knocked timidly at my door.
"Come in" said I.
She came in, folding her hands and
looking up at the ceiling.
'I'm sure, sir, you'll excuse it.
though a liberty, but as I'm a mother,
which it's nothing alter all, and I've
no call to worrit, I'm certain, but it's
my daughter, sir, a takin' on SO after
you spoke to her this mornin', and if
you'd be so very kind. SEEM as So
phonisba Ann is so tender-hearted"--
"What is 1t about?" 1 said, as the
fearful lady paused to take breath. II
don't understand"
"Oh! and I am sure you didn't mean
for to hurt her feelin's, sir, and she
owns it; she's said as much in that
kitchen down below to me. His way
seemed harsh, she says, but his hearts
in the right place. she says; I'm GER
tain sure of it, she says, and she's been
a cryin' her eyes out, which Sophonisba
Ann is rather sterica at times, sir;
and I'm a mother, with, l hope, a
mothers feelin's, as you'll excuse; but
there, don't mind me, sir. I tell her
Pm sure you don't mean nothink, and
likely it won't SO occur again."
'sBless me?" said I, '.this is very
foolish; of course I didn't mean to
hurt your daughters feelings, ma'am;
pray tell her so; I'll remember to speak
less abruptly since you've named it"
She almost wept at this.
"Oh! sir, you're the most feclin'
gent as ever 1 did see, I'm sure, l
don't know whatever my gurln say
and the last gent we had so diff
ferent-so violent in his language;
not to speak of banging the door.
o dear! what it is to have q sperret,
which is what me and mine never had,
and so the world tramplesc on u.s."
said Mrs. Maudle.
81 hope not" said L "You should
take a more cheerful view of lie,
Mrs. Maudle."
I was very busy and wished she
would go, but she didn't.
..WeIl, SIR" she observed with a
sigh, Il always was n of the down.
hearted ones; and Maudle's nerves
that low! 1 never shall forget when
he as.ed me to have him-that's seven
neutrality-suspicious. he says
to me tthat's my nameo-''but there,
sir, don't mind me, which as a wife ]
hope l have a wife's f~eelin's;" and
Mrs. Maudle shed tears.
1 did mind her very much, and de-
voutly wished her at the North Pole,
as she stood in the doorway wiping her
eyes with her apron, and evidently
awaiting my sympathy.
.pm sure Mr.. Maudle's choice does
him credit" 1 said, desperately, she
couldn't have done better than take a
good wife to soothe the path of life for
him; wasn't that your door bell?"
..Sophonisba Ann will answer the
door, sir, which I think you was mis-
taken, and it didn't ring" said Mrs.
Maudle. "1'm u 1 never did meet