Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-08-14

will send up over any harsh exercise of thei,
bones; this lady wants some sleep, and II
thank ye, my dear, for the loan Of a ouiet
room for her, where the drawn blinds'l max,
her poor eyes think it night"
"lf yell come with me, ma'am, I'll lead you
straight to such a room as Mrs. Mead ask
for" said Sally, with a courtesy, giving
Jenny the "ma'am" on account of her wed.
ding ring, which tho quick eye of the woman
spied instantly.
With a feeble smile of thanks, JENNY
slipped her feet into her shoes, and, taking
up her hat and shawl, followed Mrs. Walker
out of the room, and Mrs. Mead went creak.
ing after them.
Now, though Mrs. Mead had represented
Mrs. Walker az hardened into incuriositv by
her calling as hostess, the truth was Mrs.
Walker was still, and was ever likely to re-.
main. a thorough woman in respect of in.
quisitiveness when any real object of curiosi-
ty came under her attention. To this quality.
which after all is harmless enough when ii
prompts honest and kindly hearts, Jenny was
indebted for the %promptness with which she
was conducted to a bedroom and made com.
Portable in it; for Ar1 Walker was very
anxious to have Mrs. Mead alone, that she
might hear all that was to be told ABOUT this
beautiful young girl with the wedding ring
OH her finger, and what part in the lnysteri-
GUS little play Judith herself was taking.
"There. said the old woman, when jenny
had stretched her length upon the bed and
her hot forehead pressed the snow of the pill
low-"there," said che, pinning the curtains
together, SO as to effectually darken the
room, snow yt'Q think its night; and a good
wo hours you've got. and e',ry inch of it
must be sleep Wi ye."
"Give me a kiss before you CO." whispered
Jenny, putting up her lips.
The old woman bent her furrowed face
over the girl, asi as she turned away the
notion struck Sally that all three of them
were in a very fit state to cry.
Gently they quilted the room and closed
the door upon the girl.
"Niver was creature born more sweetlv
lovable than that dear heart" exclaimed the
old woman as she hobbled downstairs, holding
on to the banister. "Do ye know, Sally. that
she is Mike Strangfeld's darter, the Baptist
deacon-him as talks O. hellfre as cooliy as
thee talkest of thy big gooseberries!"
wye dunno say SO! Well, now, thought I
whin I see her, Missy, I know thy face.'
What, in the name O. goodness and mussy,
brings her to Winston this time O. mornsL
and she a wife, as any creature might see
with one eye by her ring, not to speak of her
pale face, poor thing"
us this the room I came out of Yes. there's
my bonnet Now, Sally, no word dost thee
get from me till my breakfast is gotten"
said Mrs. Mead, sitting herself down; land
then maybe I'll make your eyes big, and
give ye a secret worth oil that liver you did
hear sim ye left your mammy's breast"
Such a promise was sufficient to put
alacrity into a doll. OF went Sally, and in
ten minutes time a good repast was smok-
ing under Mrs. Mead's appreciative
nose. Yet, though the old woman did good
justice to the sweet country food, there vas
q contemplative manner about her, a
thoughtful h%esitancy, an absent glazing ut
nothing in particular, the while her old jaws
kept her temples leaping, that indicated a
mind in labor.
Mrs. Walker, who breakfasted with her
for company's sake-for her husband had
gone to Marples and was there stopping
watched her %anxiously and spoke seldom,
until breakfast was done; and then Mrs.
Mead, with a little thanksgiving to the Lord
for her meal, folded her hands and told Sally
all about the cause that had brought Jenny
to Winston.
Her story took an hour to relate by the
clock; and when she had made an end, what
had been hot on the table was cold; the sun
had come round into the window to look at
the prater, and the cool breeze of the dawn
had been smothered in the sultry arms of a
burning morning.
"Now, my dear" said she, II want you to
go upstairs and look at the girl to see if she
sleeps-for how it may be with the wenches
of this age l know not, but whenever I was
troubled, as a young un, Iniver could sleep.
Don't come back now and tell me she's
awake. If ye do yell spoil a good scheme"
Mrs. Walker went away softly, and, after
an absence of five minutes, returned with
the information that Jenny was in a deep
slumber.
"But law, dear heart alive! what a beauty
she is! More lovely than a pictured And
there she lies, with her left hand ag'in her
chin, just as if she had fallen asleep kissin'
her weddin' ring. Poor dearie! l never liked
the look O that S~trangfeld somehow.
Woods all very well to build ships with, but
when l see a mans face made of it, it don't
seem to take my fancy much"
SALLY" exclaimed Mrs. Mead, clasping
her hands in her lap, and frowning por-
tentously on her, "can ZEE keep a secretp
"Why, as niver you could believe Of a
married woman"
whats the true hour for the coach to
come to thy doorp
''Eigh: o'clock; true as a hair, if there
baint no accident"
sally, III tell ZEE what it is: Mistress up
stairs mussu't 60 to MARBLES. 1argeyed VII
her last night when she come to me-. Its
only her fear o the neighbors as makes
e1,oSan @e lo, l,,eSS,oe, VOTE. h,,& sE olo ,.-1.
away and come back no more, whatl the
town thinkp
"Well, now you speak it, Mrs. Mead, I'll
be plain If I did not hear thee say she be
married, I'd niver believe it for her raving
home"
There" shouted the old woman, shave I
lived all these years il the world to be taught
wisdom by a wench. With might and main
l argeyed, and, like her father, she looked at
me. and that was the good I did. 1 told her
l didn't like the business, and would nave no
hand in it Yet, see what good natur' is,
and what long journeys it putteth old people
upon. But to MARBLES she'll not go with my
leave; and If the coach don't wake her, she
shall lie till it's gone"
Sand what then will We do, Mrs. Mead"
"What then will Idoa All, an ye would
like me to speak quicker nor l can think.
Oh, Sallyl thou art a cormorant for news!
Stitch gluttony! Well, wellp
Sally laughed, and looking at the clock,
exclaimed:
"If she sleep for another half hour, she'll
not get to MARBLES this day"
There was a pretty long silence, while Mrs.
Mead reflected.
u see what I mum dol" she cried out at
last, with great vehemence. "Her mother
must know where she is-for here she'll be
oil day If she don't Xalca for tho ooaoh. and