Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-03
ICIBINDA!
An Eccentric Character--why She
"Must Hev John"

The river had freed itself from the
Zee chains which had bound it so long,
and this morning the little village in
she backwoods rang with its melody,
which was as %delicately joyous as one
of Mendelssohn's spring songs. There
was a soft wistfulness in the pale
northern sky, q faint fragrance of
budding leaves and %springing grass in
Che air. The bluebirds were singing in
She woods; youths and maidens were
going Maying. A pretty Swedish girl
from the little colony beyond was driv-
ing a cowthrough the sunny street, sing
ing a quaint old herd song of the
Sutherland as she went along.
But to a in a strange land,
without a servant, the charms of Sprin e
are not wholly satisfying, and Mrs.
Winsor, the wife Of the ornithologist,
stood in the porch of her cottage and
looked about her with a detection
which was akin to despair. Now the
handmaiden who had accompanied the
family to this out-of-the-way region,
only three short weeks before, lett yes
tcrdny, without warning, protesting
that to live so '.far beyant, where the
frogs gave We misery a-singin' at night,
m the people We're so quare fur Chris
t%ians," was not to be endured another
wand there seemed TO be no immedi-
ate prospect of finding any one to take
her place. 1t was useless to try an
other city maiden, for though the mel
ody of the frogs might not be as objec-
tionablc to all as it had been to Nora.
there were other drawbacks in rural
life which one Of these fastidious and
eminently social beings might find in
slpportable. There was not one Swed-
ish girl in the colony who was olsen
gagged, and the native-born damsels
We're prejudiced against city folk, and
could not be induced to accept a stu
'ation where there was the f~aintest sus-
pic!on that they might not be regarded
las good as one of the family"
The breakfast dishes were unwashed;
dinner doomed up darkly and well-nigh
impossible in the near future. '.What
shall | do?" said the lady, speaking
aloud in her distress. And then, as if
IN answer to her quest on, a tall, ma
.lestlc-looking young woman turned in
to the lane which led to the house, and
came striding toward her, her red
skirts brushing the low branches of the
gray willows. AS she came nearer,
Mrs. Winsor forgot her deprivations in
Wonder and admiration of the stran-
gers appearance. She moved m
what heavily, but her shape was like
that of a young goddess. Her skin
was smooth and white as marble; her
eyes We're large and dark, with a sort
OF sleepy brilliancy like those of m
animal; her mouth and nose were like
beautiful bit of carving, though the
Shln was a trif1e sharp and prominent,
ana the general expression Of her face
as calm and imperturbable as that of
she Unreliable Egyptian lady, the
SPHINX. Her garments were hardly of
she harmony and moderation of color
winch taste demands, being a mixture
oi war1a purple, fiery scarlet, and pea
Sock blue, and had the appearance of
naSlng beer fashioned by the wearer,
lahcy free. but she wore them with a
trace and dignity which were truly re-
Mis- Copelin was a-tellin' me haow
Neo1 was put tew it fur help" she re-
i; n ntha haughtily, stopping suddenly
A. me walk while still a good distance
from the door. ''I'm lcibindy Owen"
son yes, I remember Mrs. Copeland
~ speak of you," said Mrs. Winsor,
;n%fishtenlng; ''but she said she thought
very doubtful whether you would
s"ie TO go out to service"
s+,n shouldn't leave home only / can't
MN the talkin' there is there.
aarln'n' Lucia Maria keeps their
sonsues agoin' from mornin' till night,
nn Mhen pam the boys com home,
voo ie such Il laughin' an teeheein'
;o'' nigh abeout lose yeour sensible
,.But don't you like to have them
t %,In and enjoy themselyes?" inquired
"e ,aay, %curiously.
Lv.,nhis, lla1n't a laughin' world.
!, : don't mix no better with
ho, ,nan honey with vinegar. Folks he'd
"G..er Keep quiet, fur there's always a
o ..tN"m a-comin' this way or that
t,.m, nrl1> you certainly could not be
inc "'.eo with much laughing and talk
h1,s nee: you would be almost entirely
y2ursclf. But do YOU think Won
fTmI",'l Go the whole work of the familyP
fh n'ae are four of us, and what with
'n" cooking and cleaning. there is. Of
sc, 4 great deal to be dope."