Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-01-22
MABEL'S WHOEVER.

MABEL'S WHOEVER.
mo doubt Horace Ray is clever and
handsome" observed Mabel Wilmot,
but her curling lip seemed to say that
she was of quite another opinion.
'.And very rich," added her step
| father. .'All the girls are running af-
| ter him."
pray, except me-" cried Mabel;
81 have never thrown myself in his
way"
.'All the other girls are not as fool
ish as you, returned John Chesterton;
'he is worth running after"
anyhow, | don't want to run after
him." said Mabel.
because you are fool" said her
| stepfather IF you were to set your
cap at him, you would win. You can
make yourself very agreeable when you
like. He is not only rich, but the neph-
ew of an earl. y
II can make myself very agreeable
or very disagreeable, returned Mabel;
and it was evident in this particular
case she meant to be the latter.
You are perverse girl, said John
Chesterton; ''but / know why it is YOU
are so obstinate. You want to marry
George Fentou, the widower, who has
half dozen children.
1T is untrue" said Mabel, flushing;
because | am kind to poor Kittyfs
children, it does not follow that should
wish to marry her husband.
THAT is the idea people seem to
have, :" remarked her stepfather, with a
provoking smile.
81 don't care what people think of
me, (" said Mabel, bravely; but tears
sprang to her eyes.
Was the world indeed so cruel, so
hard in its judgment? Well, let people
say what they liked. she would not
turn her back upon her dead friends
children.
Mr.. Chestcrton did not pursue the
subject. Possibly, had his stepdaughter
been penniless he must have tried to
enforce obedience by forbidding her to
speak to the Fentons.
But the young lady had few thous-
ands her own right, and Mr. Ches-
terton was Oft under the necessity of
borrowing money from her.
Poor Kitty had been Mabel's school
mistress, and the girl was loyal in her
likings, Once You gained Mabel's
friendship it was yours for ever. even
if YOU disappointed her. She held that
''lovc is not 10 q, that alters when it al
teraton finds.
Geors ftntor had loved his wife
dearly, and was quite DO ed down by
her loss. Kitty had been his right
hand. He seemed perfectly dazed by
his grief, and Mabel piticd him with all
her heart.
Her pity, however, did not merge in
to any warmer feeling. and it was out
of pure kindness of heart that she Wis
tied the children, and gave useful hints
to the well meaning bqt ignorant wo-
man who had charge of them.
And now, according to her stepfath-
or. people were talking about her. and
saying that she wanted poor Kitty's
husband. There was no charity in the
world, the poor girl thought, with
crimsoning cheeks.
After all, why should she care what
people said? Why should the best i'm
pulses of her nature be crushed beneath
the iron heel of conventionalityP
'1'll go right off and spend the even
ing With those poor little things she
thought, as she went up stairs toput on
her hat and dolman.
George Fenton's house was not far
off, and Mabel was soon knocking at
the door. How she smiled to hear the
patter of little feet in the hail.
''Come in! Come inn cried tiny
Rose, and dragged her triumphantly
into the presence of George Fenton.
Mabel had not calculated on this,
nor had she expected to see the man
her stepfather had referred to seated in
an armchair by the fire, with one of
poor Kitty's twins on his lap.
Il did not think of finding you at
home, Mr.. Fenton," she said, drawing
back. But he sprang up and led her
into the room.
"You know Horace Ray" he said.
swell, if you don't, SO much the better,
for it gives me the pleasure of making
you acquaint d. Horace, Miss Wilmot
is an angel. | don't know what the
children would have done without her.
She does all her spiriting while / am
away, as rule, but have caught her
to-day"
81 did not know you were acquant-
ed with Mr.. Ray" said Mabel, rather
coldly.
''And l didn't suppose he knew L
was acquainted with you,n returned
George, who seemed to be in better
spirits than Mabel had ever seen him
in since the day when his good angel
was taken from him.
Its mutual enigma observed
Horace Ray, with a smile. "Miss Will
mot, won't you sit down now you are
here?n
He handed her chair as he spoke;
but she declined the civility with a
hasty gesture No! she won't sit down!
what on earth would people say?
Mabel was ready to cry with vexa-
ton. Perhaps, after all, her stepfather
was right-kindness was always mis-
understood.
Il thought the children were Alone"
she said They do not want me, since
you are at home.
Then, with bow, she walked out of
the room, and they heard the loud re-
monstrancc of the children, followed
by yell from little Rose, as the hall
door closed behind her fayorite.
What in the world ais the grip"
cried George Fenton. shovelng on
more Goals. 80 nice and pleasant
and unaffected as she is as a ruler
Perhaps she did not like being
caught doing the Good Samaritan. .
observed Ray. II say, Tommy, does
Miss Wilmot often come to see you?n
.'Yes,h said the child. Don't She
make nice cakes? Me loves Miss VIII
mot
"Sagacious child. cried Horace, de-
posting him on the carpet. Il say,
George looking at his friend keenly;
..Miss Wilmot i remarkably pretty
girl to act the Good Samaritan to the
children of a lonely widower. l hope
her kindness does not get talked
about.
Talked aboutr' repeated George,
blankiy; what on earth for?'
Horace bent forward and clapped his
friend atfeetionately on the back.
Just the same simple, unworldly
old chap as in the bygone days when
you were my tag at school" he ex-
claimed.
Your fagr' cried George. '.You
mean when you took me under your
protection, old fellow, because though
older than you, was poor, weak
bOohy withnt1t brains enough IN Eapn