The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-08-15
TI GRAMS WDsW u MIn ri.

Kound IN eay ana Stddy Nynee Tai, the
hill station Of NV. p. India. Natur-
ally, ssis always the cass'int this merry.
world We live in being beautiful, attract
i've and altogether charming, she won
the hearts and admiration Of most of the
stronger ssx and the envy, hatred and
malice Of the weaker. That was only
what was to be expected, it il the way
Of the world, and il would have been
altogether out Of the common il il had
been otherwise.
Admirers she had many, though it
would have been hard to pick out among
the multitude (unless one was behind
the scenes) who was more favored than
the rest. She distributed her atentions
equally among them sll-at least, 10 far
% the eye could zee; and riding one af.
ternoon With this one, rowing ON the
lake with another, or dancing With .
third, nobody was quite able, to az ON
any one in particular whom they could
tell OF ~ her own distinctive chow
vow" and whom they could set them
selves to manufacture stories and scan.
dals about.
Five months Of the Nynee Tai season
had now gone, and pretty Mrs. Cleather
had managed to pass uncathed through
ell the fiery accusations Of the host Of
scan dal mongers and gossipers of that
festive Anglo Indian community; until
quite lately, when she had svinced q
somewhat greater partislity for one Of
her staff, and set all tongues going st
once.
mind you. said Mrs. Allison to Mrs.
Barnard one afternoon, "Tve heard
queer stories about this young and inno-
cent-looking Mrs. Cleather; not that I
believe them; still, there is no smoke
without fire, you know"
"Quite so, /" responds Mr.. Barnard, in
her squeaky voice; "and Mrs. Dawson
tells me she saw two people very like
Mrs. Cleather and CAPTAIN Fenn on the
lake last night at eleven o'clock!"
"Dear me! And allthis time her hus.
band shaving away in the plains!"
"Yes; and you know they've been
very much together Of late; they say
he is always up ct her house every
morning alb ont ten or eleven, and re-
mains there the best part of the day."
"Ah, it's crying shame," says Mrs.
Allison, "for such scandals to be al
lowed to go onin public like this; why
does not Mr.. Cleather come up and look
after his wife?"
"Well, I suppose, poor man, he can't
get away from his duties in the plains,
Int I think some one ought to warn him
Of the way his young wife Is going on.
"Yes, and il I only knew him bit
better I'd do SO myself just out of pure
christian charity"
"But what could one tell himP You
see there is as yet no direct evidence of
anything exactly wrong"
"No, true, my dear, but il this kind Of
thing goes on much longer there will be,
mark my word. The truth must come
TO light some day."
Meanwhile pretty Mrs. Cleather, the
pride Of the "bow- vows" aud the envy
Of her sex, pursued the even tenor Of
her ways, utterly callous of what peo.
pie thought or said about her-a friend
Of every body who knew her we'll, and
could appreciate her pleasant manners
and conversation, and the enemy, though
not of her own making, of others who
knew her but slightly or not ct all.
The season was on the wane at Nynee
Tai. The rains we're over and once more
the lake shone forth in all it's former
glory, and the over hanging trees and
rocks covered with fern and moss, with
which its banks were surrounded, made
the whole more like picture in fairy.
land than reality in the hills of North
ern India. Every one was making the
most ofthe Last few weeks that were left
Of the season, and dances, theatricals,
picnics and designations of all sorts
crowded one on top Of the other
day after day. Mrs. Cleather
was everywhere, and the
charm and spirit of every ball or picnic
she went to. Certainly she did give
people afaint excuse for talking as Cap
tain. Fem latterly was never absent
from her side, and had these last few
weeks evidently taken his place as chief
of the numerous staff OF her would-be-
admirers; but then he was personal
friend of Cleather's the husband, and
would not that be sufficient in account
ing for the decided preference for him
among the others by the young grass
widow?
On Thursday afternoon about the be-
ginning of October Mrs. Allison, Mrs.
Barnard and Mrs. Dawson had small
md select picnic of their own at that
most delightful Of all resting places,
namely the inn known as Rest by the
Way, at Douglas Dale, half way down
on the road to Ranibagh. 1t is pic
turesque little house, situated in the
middle of the valley, and surrounded
by the most beautiful of gardens, redo
lent with the sweet odor of acacia and
orange trees, and planted out in the
most artistic style with palms, grasses,
trees and bushes of oil sorts, western as
we'll as oriental: The garden produces
fruits of all kinds, cherries, apples plan
tains, strawberries, and in fact, every
thing the thirsty traveller could wish
for; added to which there are lovely
walks under the cool shade of the trees,
and green arbors, such ~ are seldom
seen, where one may hide away from, the
madding crowd and he at rest, lulled
by the ripping Of the silver stream
near ct hand and the singing of the
birds overhead. Such place is Doug
les Dale, Q veritable Garden of Eden, q
second paradise.
The sun was beginning to set over
the purple hills to the north as Mrs.
Allison was gradually collecting the
remnants Of her army, Is they came in
two by two from their walks and talks
IN this paradise on earth. Mrs. Allison,
more staid than the rest, had remained
behind in the veranda, dear Colonel
verriker so kindly remaining too, to
take care of her-so kind and thought
full of him! but it was not the first time
this gallant officer had performed this
charitable task. Mrs. Allison herself
was grass widow Of . somewhat doubt
full character, although according to
her own ideas prim and proper to q de-
gree; still, she had no real objection to
one Of the male sex, other than her law.
full spouse, being tackled on to her apron
strings for the time being, though the
same arrangement with others was scan
dalous in her eyes to Q degree.
The party had now all arrived and
were sitting in the far corner Of the
r,ava~Io kno n-I IL