Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-01-04
He is awfully womanish in

you knew; He is awfully womanish in
that wayS
..Let me see if his hand has i'm.
proved?" flc held out his hand, and in
a scared way she drew a letter from her
pocket, withdrew it from its envelope
and gave it TO master. He glanced over
it, with q look l never noticed before
a panied, broken-hearted look. 'He is
absent-minded rs to dates, 1 think, Ag-
mes; this letter is a week behind" He
handed it to her and left the room. She
had not given him the last letter-she
dared not. for Roland had again urged
her to get money and send it or he
would be ruined. His debts were press
ing him hard. Miss Agnes had felt the
old letter in her pocket, and in sheer
desperation drew it out, hardly know
ing what she did. 1t was her first de-
ceit and nearly killed her, but she must
shield the maynard mad boy-she knew
master SO well.
She had already parted with every
cent master had given her for a quar-
ter's expenses, and he was the soul of
liberality in his household. She threw
on a light gray shawl and stood dis
mayed in the same vestibule where she
had lain, a forsaken baby, nineteen
years before. A chilly autumn rain was
falling, and she dared not go back to
change her slippers for boots, and 80 she
went on. Ann Gardiner, o former
housemaid, had married q well-to-do
farmer and lived in a copse near by. To
her she went in urgent cases, and Ann
was proud and glad to lend Miss Agnes
small sums, o. such We're always repaid
with interest, and the young mistress
had sat whole nights by the bedside of
the farmers sick babies. Ann had no
money in the cottage, and Miss Agnes
came back, wet to the bone and terribly
unhappy. just as she stepped into the
vestibule master laid a stern hand on
her. d
"Can this be my Agnes stealing into
the house as wet as q weed?" What is
the meaning of it? Twice I have seen
this, but trusted you too nobly to ques-
toin your motive"
sit is q good one, SIR" she answered
humbly. ''I've only been TO Ann Gar
diners with some grapes. Was it
wrong?"
He released her gently, and that hut
her more than the bitterest anger. She
had taken grapes, but she had implied
more than the truth and she could not
bear it.
''Take all the fruit you wish to the
sick children, dear, but for Heavens
sake choose a better time and suitable
clothes. Next time send the basket by
Dorkins."
In the morning she went to the vii
lage and sold some little trinkets master
gave her on her birthday, and her eyes
were red with weeping. She had taken
cold and was too i'll to rise and was in
an agony of tears about posting her let
tiers. Luckily master sent the bag up
to her with orders to seal it when she
had done with it, but this could not 90
on forever. You mus understand that
young master constantly wrote indy
ing devotion in his letters and spoke of
getting married to her some day, and
she loved the very footprints he left on
the lawn-the old, withered roses he
had left littering up his room. He was
her shrine, her idol. She knew no law
but his will.
Once Ann Gardiner came up and
stood right here talking to the house
keeper in awhisper, and Mrs. Cowper-
thwait lifted her hands in dismay. Ann
told her as a great secret that s'Tom,
her man, had been to the CITY, and
there found II that Master Roland had
set up an establishment with a hand
some young person, which it might be
the black-eyed siren, but they burst not
breathe it to old master"
After this the letters ceased and Young
master came home as mild as MAY
weather, and courted Miss Agnes in
dead earnest. The servants believed in
his smooth tiattery and thought of we'd
ding festivities, but 1 had watched him
often when he entered the morning
room alone, and l knew he was false to
Miss Agnes. Christmas came and
brought a magnificent snow which lay
like royal s~wan's-down on the park ter
race and the fir trees.
Edgeworth and the Rectory were
bravely dressed Oft, young master cut
ting all the green boughs himself. Old
master looked on and smiled when he
seen all the holly and mistletoe hung
over every arch and doorway. 1t made
him happy to think of a marriage ring
for Miss Agnes.
Christmas Eve AIMS children and q
few others dropped in, and the gifts
We're distributed by Miss Agnes and the
housekecper in the mushroom, and
then there was a grand romp and blind
mans buff. with all hands, while Miss
Agnes set off the old music-box that she
used to cry for when q wee little thing
in white gowns. In here on the great
table a INDUSTRIOUS plum pudding stood
all week with holly berries on top and Il
bowl Of punch for the tenants who
dropped in with their leather bags full
of rent, Miss Agnes signing the receipts,
as masters hand was a little shaky
from a slight shock. Young master tied
true-lover's knots in all the wreaths,
with red ribbons, and Ann Gardiner
said to Dorkins, the butler: 81 can tell
that this job won't be put off long; any
one a see that he fairly dotcs on her
and her on him."
81 'opes she Does" said Dorkins,
sharply. 'Some young persons knows
their own minds, and some doesn't"
(Which l knowed mine, if you mean
me, Mr.. Dorkins,n and Ann laughed.