Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-27
MOLLY ST. LEGER.
a valentine Story Of Over One
Hundred Years Ago.

Hundred Years Ago.
II was a gray, gloomy day in late
October, during the last week of their
soiourn at the old family country house
IN the Kennebec. This ancient house,
built of Hallowell granite, was Of the
Eljzabethian style of architecture, with
costellated walls and a large square
ba)l down into which you looked from
+bc galleries on the second and third
Aoors, and which opened upon a deep
norch altogether delectable in it's whey
seclusion, so suggestive of tete-a-tetes,
moonlight o daylight.
Three connecting room fronted the
river which flowed at the foot of a rap
ialy sloping lawn, and from the library
window at the south end of this triad
Of rooms could be seen a lovely river
picture framed between tall oaks and
nyercrcens, at the extremity of an open
inc a quarter of a mile long, at least,
cut through the primeval forest straight
to the bank OF the Kennebec.
This was the work of Downing, who,
years before, had cut and trimmed and
fashioned these slopes and dells into
fair, regular beauty. But time and a
proper degree of neglect had brought
back a bewitching wildness, a gypsy
like abandon of Struggling vines and
lawless growths, more fascinating to
town-brcd girls than the most perfect
landscape gardening could possibly be.
Three hundred and eighty acres COM
prised this estate of Fairview, and it
once had a deer park of a hundred
acres, but that was long ago.
1t had now been raining for three
days, q steady down-pour, gladdening
to the hearts of the country folk, whose
wells, owing to the long drought, had
long since refused water. Caleb Atkins,
coming down from the village as usual,
with meat and milk, had expressed to
the cook that morning his opinion that
the rain was likely to last a ''conSder-
able SPELL" to which statement cook
signifed her assent with the remark
that next week was court week, and it
always rained court week.
Cook has the universally logical
feminine mind" observed Beatrix, who
had overhead this colloquy while whist
ling and waiting for Ajax at the hall
door. "If it always rains court week,
why. then, of course, it's always court
week, isn't it? Wonder if Supreme
Courts and storms prevail simultane-
ously over the universe! I'll ask her.
Oh! oh! you big, black, wicked, splendid
old fellow!" This last to Ajax, who
came to her whistle with a bound and
a leap, planting his big muddy paws
on her shoulders, and staying her
1emonstrances with a sweeping lap OF
his huge tongue, which fairly hid from
view her plquant merry face.
ooh, shut that door, do, Trix, and
behave in a civilized manner" growled
Mariory, from the depths of the Sleepy
Hollow chair by the hall fire. She was
reading The Fair Maid of Perth for
perhaps the t%wenty-fifth time, and was
right in the thick of the tournament
wherein fell the sons of Torquil adj
vancing to death With the cry ''Onc
more for Hector!"
Whatever of modern authorship the
library of Fairview lacked, it was rich
IN the older novelists, and owned a
most sumptuous edition, creamy pages
bound IN fragrant Russia, of the prince
OF romantic novelists, Walter Scott.
instantly turning at the sound of her
Tolee, the big dog sprung into her lap,
planting a huge paw, only partially
cleansed, on an exquisite engraving Of
me said tournament and eliciting a
satisfactory shrek from her, he
plunged upon the sofa whereon Sue was
aozing and dreaming, and then dashed
up the oaken stair, close followed by
lle laughing, shrieking girls, casting
oack glances of intense delight at his
success in inaugurating the frolic he so
1iocn loved, and having reached the
!ahulng on the third floor. stood way
ing ms huge tail and watching with an
sexual twinkle of his eyes the breath
AesS run OF the girls up the last flight.
lhey We're nearer the storm area by
ai.y 1eet up there than in the halllbe-
tow' and the wind and rain seemed to
pe holding high carnival, whistling in
ne ,h "aterspouts, roaring down the
.uhlnneys and pelting pitilessly against
we windows and upon the slate caps OF
t!e numerous bay and oriel windows.
a window to the cast looked out upon
tns ice schooners lying just below, be-
Struggled and dripping from the tips Of
AN occasional sailor was seen shrouded
IN oil clothes.
lhey swung back the door at the enc
'ne long upper hall and peered uE
@Ne husky stairway.
fascinating, isn't it?' remarked
Isilory. Its a real cosey attic day
Nothing new up there, I suppose?'
e'eIything-Madame Heath's brocaded
"raa'ng. gown and General Heath's
t"eef Oh uniform, and Major Brock
eoh $ kit, in the 1912 war, and Great.
suaaoiather Brockton's wig and gown,
snu All the old bonnets and mob caps
e'1 camlet cloaks."
Ana General Hoath,o do1ic;nns OLD