The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-19

threw down q pile Of my books befor.
making her exit. / attributed this tt
the timidity which her mother had as.
sured me was counterbalan:ed by sc
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. anl
gave me such a start that l nearly Gu
off finger in mending q pen, 1 coul6
not help saying, rather brusquely, "Fol
heavens sake, my good girl, BE-
careful what you do next" which pro
duced quite an attack of shifting and {
hasty retreat on the part of the unluckJ
maiden.
A little later in the day, my landladJ
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 it, though
9 liberty, but as Tn q mother, which It's
nothing after all, and I've no call tc
worrlt, I'm certain, but it's my daught.
er, sir, a takin' on so after you spoke tc
her this mornin, and if you'd be so very
kind, seein' a Sophonisba Ann IS sc
tender-hearted"-
What is it abont?" I SAID, as the
fearful lady paused to take breath. n
Edon't understand. !"
'Oh! and I'm sure you didn't mem
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 saws; Tn certain sure
OF it, she says, and she's been a cryin'
her eyes out, which Sophonisba Ann is
rather 'sterical ut times, sir. l tell her
I'm sure you don't mean nothing, and
likely it won't SO occur again"
"Rless me?" said l, "this is very fool
ish; of u I didn't mean to hurt
your daughters feelings, nam; pray
tell her SO; I'll remember to speak less
abruptly since you've named it,"
@"Oh! sir, you're the most feelin' gent
as ever l did know, Tn sure, I don't
know whatever my gurT say-and the
last gent we had SO different-so wio-
lent in his language; not to speak of
banging the door. O dearl what it is
to have a sperrit, which is what me and
mine never had, and so the world tram
pies OF us, said Mrs. Maudle.
HEs".A AoPV Aol, SUM- L. Lou SHOULD
take q more cheerful view of life, Mrs,
Maudle."
I was very busy, and wished she
wonld go, but she didn't.
"Well, sir, she observed, with a sigh.
II always was one of the downhearted
ones; and Maudle's nerves that low! 1
never shall forget when he asted me to
have him-that's seven-and- twenty-year
ago-'hnriar,' he says to me CHATS my
name)-3but there, sir, don't mind me,
which as a wife / hope l have a wife's
feelin's;" and Mrs. Maudle shed tears.
l did mind her very much, and de-
youtly wished her at the North Pole, as
she stood in the doorway wiping her
eyes with her apron, and evidently
awaiting my sympathy.
aIm sure Mr.. Maudle's choice does
him credit" I said desperately, che
couldn't do better than take q good wife
to sooth the path of life for him; wasn't
that your door-bell?"
"Sophonisba Ann will answer the door
sir, which | think you wa mistaken,
and it didn't ring" said Mrs Maudle.
II am sure | never did inject with a gem
tleman so thoughtful and %feelin'; a real
friend, as one may say, already, and I'm
only thankfnl-'
I'm afraid I must trouble you to
shut that door, Mrs. Mandle," I gasped.
"Tm subject to %ear-ache, and the
draught"-I hope shall be forgiven for
the ibs that woman caused me to invent.
She slowly withdrew, murmuring moth
erly compassion, and family suggested
pepper plasters and other mild remedies
for ear-ache, while / took up my pen
and tried to collect my scnttered ideas.
state of whose nerves. kept him most
ly confined to III armchair in the kitch-
en-, but from occasional sounds of melo-
dy, something like feebly rendered
choruses of a jovial nature, in which q
slight confusion of ~consonants was per-
eeptible, I concluded that even Mr.. M.
had intervals of comparative cheerful
ness. Moreover, / discovered that there
was o son of the house-a tall youth,
with w~hitey-brown hair and skin, and q
stoop II his shouldels-whose ayocation
seemed to be near at hand, by his pune
tual return to meals ut stated hours in
the day. With this young man 1 was
fated, alas! too soon to become aquaint-
ed.
One evening, a little before my din
ner, Mrs. Maudle waited on me with an
air of meek mystery, to ask if her son
might "step up by-and-by' and speak
to me, if so be that Ihadn objections.
His name, his mother told me, was
C~incinnatus; he was rather low-spirit-
ed, and had, in fact, something on his
mind.
Dear mel" I said. "poor fellow! any
trouble? Nothing serious. / hope?"
"Oh, dear, no, sir-leastwise, moth
ing wrong. Gins as innocent as the
babe unborn, as to evil ways, sir,
no, its the mind, that's where it Isl"
(mysteriously) "he's got a soarin' mind,
sir, and the worlds too little for him."
"Indeed" said L, mentally regretting
that the young gentleman had selected
me as the confidapt of his mental trials;
but, alas! / little guessed what was to
come. Scarcely was the cloth removed
when o modest rap announced my new
acquaintance, and Cincinnatus entered,
bearing a huge brown paper parcel,
which he deposited with o jerk on the
table, violently shaking back a long
wisp Of hair which kept falling rebelli-
ously into his eyes, and sinking inn
mediately into the first. chair near, with
nm air of profound detection.
This young man had a large lose OF
the solid Roman type, very red eyelids,
and q sonorous voice with q twang in
it. He told me he was in an attorneys
office, but that the work was very dis
tasteful to him, and he had thought of
giving it up and turning author.
he had begun several works of inn