The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-01

occasions. fdgeted me. After moments hest
tation turned to the butler, SAYING There arr
40 orders for him this morning. if there are any
FOR the afternoon will let the coachman know
at luncheon time"
Having thus established my authority rose
and left the room, rather disagreeably conscious
that the girls were whispering behind me. How
ever, l suppose they saw that l was not In a
humor to be trifled with, and wisely forebore
from offering me any more OF their extremely
ill-received advice. By and by saw them all
three setting geefully off with their skates over
their arms to the frozen mere, of which l could
catch glimpse-stf among its stiffened sedges
between the brown limbs of the January
trees. watched them till their light figures,
their tailor gowns and tight jackets were quite
out of sight, and then returned to the oak draw
ing room in which always spent my mornings
Here / at found traces of that solicit
care for me on the part of my girls
which my ferocity had hindered them
from expressing in words. My favorte chair
was drawn close up to the hearth; every
chink of window carefully closed-usually
we were a madly open-air family. On little
table at my elbow stood bottle of salvolatle,
one Of camphor small jug of hot water. and
several Jumps of sugar. I rang at once, and had
them all taken away. Then l sat down by the
fire and sat staring into it for the best part of an
hour in entire idleness.
| was not apt to be such drone. Occupation
I had always in plenty What mother of
family and mistress of house has not? And,
to do myself justice, had ordinarily no inclina
ton to slight my duties. But on this particular
morning neither turned nor attempted to turn
my hand to anything. l sat over the fire; not
even shivering or sneezng flor my children
were on wrong scent when they made up
their obstinate young minds that was threat
ened with influential, occasionally conscious that
l was muttering to myself under my breath. At
last. This will really not do, said aloud push
ing back my chair from the fire. Il do not know
what has come to me. l hope that am not
going off my head"
So saying put my hand to my forehead, in
which there was disagreeable pulse beating,
and walked to the window. An ugly. griding,
black frost, long, iron bound bare borders,
through which it seemed impossible that Gro
cuses could ever push their gracious golden
heads; sad robin, chafinch, and three spar
rows. all hungry. and naturally silent, seeking
on the gravel walk the poor remains of the
crumbs thrown out at breakfast. There was
nothing assuredly in the face of the outer world
to put me in better spirits. But none the less
dId continue aimlessly to cape at it. Shall
W said under MY breath; ANY one woald say
l was mad if did; it would be the ne plus ultra
of folly and irratonalty; if the girls heard of it,
and OF my reason they would thing | was ripe
for Bedlam; but-but it would DE relief! After
all, am mistress in my own house. why should
not LIZ will" / almost ran to tie bell, and
rang it sharply. But in the interval between
my having pulled it and the appearance of the
servant who answered it, there was time for an
other change to come over my spirit.
1T is twelve miles. if it is STEP" said l. in
ternally, 1.-The days are dark at 4; if give way
to these imaginings shall gradually become I'M
fit for all the ordinary duties of life; it may be
an insidious form of hysteria"
The footman entered.
Some Goals, please" said l.
l resumed my place by the fire, and took UP
requires some attention. 1t might absorb mine.
In vain. My heel, or rather Ruth's-I had rash
ly embarked upon hers-entirely failed to fol-
low, even approximately, the outline of the hui
man foot. and dropped it back into the work
basket l picked up a novel, Alice had de-
scribed it as breathlessly interesting. and, in
deed, had sat up late over night to finish it, un
able to tear herself away from its pages l
could not chain my mind even so far as to make
acquaintance with its characters. l laid it, too,
down.
II believe the girls are right I said. II must
be ILL., this restlessness must be the forerunner
of some serious sickness"
L walked uneasv out of the room into the ad-
joining one, which, as we never sat in it except
of an evening, looked unfriendly and formal by
daylight, then out into the hall, down passage
into the biliard-room. had no motive for 60
ing there or anywhere else, only l could not
keep STILL AS my eye fell on the billiard table
l remembered Ruth's silly dream of having hid
her admirer between its legs. What an absurd
dream! All dreams are absurd. | strayed back
into the hall and again looked through the win
dow. The drive stretched away before me,
dark colored between the whitened winter grass
%cly l-,-~
ing at good pace" said L; eff 1 set off at
should be there by quarter past 3. need not
stay more than half on hour, and should be
back here by half past s. poohl In the country
that is mere nothing. will decide to 60"
A second time / pulled the bell; but a second
| time, before it was answered, half -adozen ad-
verse reasons rushed into my mind and made
me repent my resolution. The road, as far as
remembered it-for part of it l had travelled only
once Or twice in my life-was not good one
The stables might be cold, and give the horses
influenza, pleasant piece of news with which
to greet the master of the house on his return
from Ireland. That last thought was con-
elusive. / would abandon the idea definitely
was looking expectantly at me. What could
be supposed to have rung fort My fancy sup
piled no suggestion.
Never mind" said l, stupidity, ''it was mis-
take 1t was nothing"
At the same moment the back door opened
and in came the three girls. bringing Whit of
frost. and buxom health and jollity with them
and still-as was not long in discovering-pos-
sessed with that baleful idea of my ill health
'Mammy what are you thinking of Out in
the draught, away from the fire. Back, back
this instant"
did you take the salvolatile?" asked the first
enxiously.
did you try the camphor2" inquired the Sec
ond.
ibid you see that we had put the sugar handy
for your asked the third
Il saw all your kind remedies" replied driIy,
'and had them all at once removed. l see no
reason why perfectly healthy woman's draw
ing-room should be Uttered with physic bottles.
While was speaking the gong sounded-for
some reason forgot what-we were lunching
earlier than usual that day-at i. The girls
scampered off to get ready. During our repast
do not think that was much more loquacious
than had been at breakfast, but my children
made up for my silence by the volume of their
chatter Once OF twice thav asked me- xhr I ,raS