The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-11
LEA.

he Will never marry you!" a pair
OF startled eyes, brown and beautiful,
and a pair OF gray ones, hard and cold,
met, and Lea Caxton and her step
mother were mutually silent. The
latter saw that her blow had told
told indeed upon the heart Of the girl,
but only a flaming red upon the oval
cheek betrayed the cruelty ofthesword
thrust. eff you think" continued
Mrs. Caxton, "that you are going to
escape from my control by marrying
DIR. Danton, you are very much mis-
taken. He will never marry you.
Men like him look higher for a Wife"
Where DR.. Danton could have
searched to have found a purer, sweet
er, or prettier girl it would be hard to
say. Her stepmother knew that the
pale perfection OF the girls face had
won her favor in the eyes OF the sum-
mer b%oarder; more than that she
would not admit. DR.. Danton "a q
rich city gentleman. Ii he chose to
spend a few quiet weeks in Roseville,
and meanwhile pay afewcompliments
to Lea, it was nonsense that the girls
head should be turned. More, she was
not willing that her step-daughter,
whom she had rebuked and thwarted
from her infancy, should meet with
any such windfall of fortune as a rich
husband, thus making her independ-
ent Of her.
"Iou needn't hurry to finish your
DRESS" said Mrs. Caxton, with sar-
casm. "1t won't make any Indifference
whether you wear blue or white ior the
picnic"
Then pretty Lea rose, shookout the
feecy folds OF the azure skirt she was
at work on, and went upstairs. In
her chamber she was at least free from
insult; but she could not sew. She
hung up the beautiful dress she had
been nurrying tocomplete, and throw
ing herself upon the lounge, covered
her face with herhands, and a few hot
tears trickled between her fingers.
Meanwhile, a gentleman with a fair
beard and q very direct pair OF
eyes was walking in the garden and
casting sharp %glances at the south
piazza, where Lea generally sat with
her sewing in the pleasant autumn
days. Her dog lay there-her canar
sang there; but she was not to be
seen.
He threw himself upon Il rustic seat
at last, and uncovering his shapely
head i'll the shadow OF the leafy locust
tree, sat crushing his soft felt hat in
his hands, evidently lost in thought
not unpleasant thought.
Now Mrs. Caxton, in spite OF her as
sured words, was not altogether Sc
cure in her own mind regarding DR..
Danton's intentions. A desire to be
so made her walk that way, with a
black lace scarf about her head.
Good afternoon, DR.. Danton. Are
you going to the picnic?n
IF Lea goes" was the composed re-
Spouse.
In fact, the gentleman had so much
the air of q man who knows his own
mind that Mrs. Caxton was ut a loss
how to proceed. The former, however,
cut the interview short by saying:
"If Lea is at leisure, Mrs. Caxton, l
wish you would ask her to come into
the garden for a little while.''
Now Lea, when summoned. was very
10th to obey, and when she camedown
the box-lined path and DR.. Danton
roseto receive her there was a strange
restraint in her n
"1ou wish to see me?" she asked in
q constrained voice.
Certainly l did. always want to
see as much OF you as possible; and
as your step-mother said you were at
leisure, l thought youhad better come
out in the sunshine"
There was 40 responsive smile and
blush. LEAFS fine black brows con-
tracted, and the young man was sur
prised.
ale considers me q plaything for
his leisure" thought Lea, and was
silent.
But at 80 this girl was not stoical
enough to resist a man like DR.. Dan
ton when he chose to be winning, and
now he chose to be very winning, in
deed. Lea's GOODNESS melted beneath
the air OF chivalrous tenderness with
which he devoted himself to her enter.
tainment; and soon the old pleasant
light was n her eyes and a smile on
her lips.
what are we to do at this picnic.
Lea?"-go wandering about in the
damp woods? Why do they never
choose a sunny placer"
Possibly on account OF our COM
plexions,' said Lea demurely.
"That's the trouble with your pic
MICS, Lea-not sunshine enough. For
my part love the sun. Let us walk
down the lane under the trees"
Lea laid her hand on his arm and
down the lane they strolled, breathing
the balmy air and gathering asters and
golden rod; and when DR.. Danton
brought her back when the dew began
to fall, and kissed her slender hands
at the porch door she stole up to her
chamber with her flowers and her
dreams.
No, it did not matter what she wore
at the picnic.
When she was almost ready she ran
down in the garden for a few flowers.
AS she gathered a knot OF gold and
blue pansies a bit of crushed paper at.
tracted her attention. She picked it
up. There was writing upon it and
she read it:
"-is very pretty, with a rarely
fair complexion and s~ilky-black hair.
You have no idea how charming in
pale blue Of color so trying to raven-
haired women, that of course l intend
nothing serious; she is only a country
girl, but she is charming!"
The ch~lrography was DR.. Danton's.
For Len stoo1 hewiIdaro3