The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-09
THROUGH DEVIOUS WAYS.

THROUGH DEVIOUS WAYS.
The autumn wind was laden with
promise OF Il bleak and rainy evening.
The tenacious leaves OF the oak still
clung to the branches, but down the
paths OF the garden the leaves from
the shrubhery danced their fantastic
dance OF death. At the door OF the
house the wind waited like q sheriff to
force an entrance. Within, four cous-
ins sitting together in the gray dusk
were talking on p subject as full of
matter to them as the evening was OF
damp. The stove had not yet been
put up for the winter, andmuslin cur
tains hung limp at the windows, and
the colorless walls looked like mount
ing sheets OF mist, shutting them out
from all warmth, and comfort and
gayety. A smell of mildew came
up from the hay under the car
pet-a red and green carpet, polluted
by the touch OF feet only Sundays and
company days. A black walnut cen
tre-table, uncovered, with four pain
fully bowed legs, supported the htera-
ture OF the household-a photograph
album, a Bible carefully preserved, a
collection OF ethical essays known as
the Golden Treasure OF Thought" +"
and supposed to be adapted to all
the needs and temptations OF the
human soul, and volume of miscel-
aneous poems which bore emb lazon
ed in gold upon its faded blue sides
pearls from the Poets" In one cor
ner oil the room stood black horse
hair sofa, which slopcd so violently
towards the front that any one trust
ing himself upon its slippery surface
was Obliged to cling to the back as a
sallor does to a rope in high seas. The
cane-seated chairs placed geometrical-
ly against the walls OF the room, We're
somewhat disarranged now by the
shivesing pers ons, two OF whom sat
wrapped inplaid shoulder-shawls, with
their elbows upon the centre-table A
girl little older than these paced up
and down the room with her arms
folded behind her. She did not look
old; there We're an activity and anima-
ton about her that seemed to defy
even the eencroachments OF an October
i'll the Northern Peninsula OF Michigan
The last member OF the quartet was q
thin young man with Il patient, cadav,
erous face such as isolated farmers
often wear
The land amt worth $3 an acre, "
lie WAS sayingto his companions, land
don't know as We'll have anothe,
such offer as we vegot now. We might
as we'll sell and done with it. | never
was no hand for breakingup wild lands
anyhow"
"Nor L. exclaimed the girl who
was walking the floor mischevously
But no one paid any attention tc
her.
ct might give Hattie and Nora s
start down IN town IN the millinery OF
dresSmaSing business or somethin!
light and genteel. Neither OF 'cm amt
much on farmin', an don't knows
blame en- much" The girls referred
to sat silent with that ilTesponsive
ness OF which only an American WON
an is capable when she demurs. 90
don't suppose David cares much what
is done with the land, but it wouldn't
be right for us to close the agreement
till he gets here, and he'll be here to
morrow night at the latest. Thought
sure he'd come tonight. My share
will give me boost over the winter
for I'm not in a state to sneeze al
ready money. What Marsare. vii
do With hers can't say
"I shall endow an asylum for indi
gent cats" sald the girl called Marga
ret at might go quite way If it is
expended for diluted milk. but don't
think there will be enough to do much
else with"
The cousins all looked a little shock
ed at her hippancy She was tow
bred. and they had never gotten ovel
the idea that she might be littl,
dangerous. For long time after hel
mothers death she had keps house
! for her father, but when he too dice
| she came to the country to live Will
her cousin Seth. He and his sisters
lived on vast tract OF land whicl
their father had dignitied by the nam,
| s g., l, l,,,
fight with the elements and the soil
his narrow old soul had left his toll
worn body, his children found tina
his farm was to be equally divided
between them, their orphan cousin
Margaret, and the son OF his younges
brother. This son was David, o
whom Seth had spoken, and he wa
in his last yeara at Ann Harbor, havin
| taken the law course in theuniverslty
! None OF the cousins had ever seel
him, but they knew he had sutticien
money to receive him from the pressur
under which they labored.
"Iou speak as If you didn't want t.
sell, Margaret Now ii you don't, VIII,
just pipe right out and let us knowit.
81 can't help wondering, COZ, wha
makes t><S man so anxious to buy
Im sure the land doesn't present al
attractive appearance at present.
can't get over the idea that there
more to it than appears on the SUI
face"
"Well, amt no Judge OF that, Maj
garet. I'm a iair-dealin' man and
don't look for nothin but fair-dealir
in others" The two sisters looked a
Margaret as much as to say, Sc
there, now Blush for your suspicion
But Margaret continued TO look wist
"There's no use in waiting here Ion:
er for David. Ii he had come o
that train, surely he would havereacl
Il ,,,- 1,,E, tf, u