Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-03-12

dearest friends. And why. wien she indulg-
ed "a little too frequently il reeollecuons OF
her married life, she persisted in putting OBJ
scure Mr.. Presty on level with distinguish
ed Mr.. Ormond, was secret which this re-
markable woman had never been known to
reveal Presented by their widow with the
strictest impartiality to the general view, the
characters of these two husbands combined
by force of contrast, the ideal Of manly pei
lection. That is to say, the vices of Mr.. Or
mond were the virtues of Mr.. Presty, and the
vices of Mr.. Presty were the virtues of Mr..
Ormond.
Returning to the sitting-room after bidding
Kitty goodnight, Mrs. Linley discovered the
old lady asleep, and saw that tie book on her
mothers lap was sliding off. Before she
could check the downward movement the
book fell on the floor, and Mrs. Prestr woke
''Oh, mamma, l am so sorry! l was just
too late to catch it"
st doesn't matter, my dear l dare say
should go TO sleep again if went on with
my novel"
rs it really as dull as that%'
''Dull?' Mrs. Presty repeated. You are
evidently not aware of what the new school
of novel-writing is doing. The new school
provides the public with soothing fiction"
Are you speaking seriously, mammal"
seriously, Catherine-and gratefully.
These new writers are so good to old wo
men. No story to excite our poor nerves; no
improper characters to cheat US out OF our
sympathies; no dramatic situations to fright
en- US; exquisite management of details (as
the reviews say, and a mastery anatomy OF
human motives which, l know what | mean,
my dear, but | can't explain it"
1. T. 7
terly anatomy Of human motives which is in
itself motive of human sleep. No; / won't
borrow your novel just now. don't want
to 20 to sleep; l am thinking of Herbert in
London"
Mrs Presty consulted her watch.
Your husband is no longer in London"
she announced; 'he has begun his journey
home. Give me the railway guide and I'll
tell you when he'll be here tomorrow. You
may trust me, Catherine, to make no mis-
take Mr. PreSty's wonderful knowledge Of
figures has been of the greatest use to me In
later life Thanks to his instructions, l am
the only person in the house who can crap
pie with the intricacies of our railway sys-
TEN. Your poor father, Mr.. Ormond, never
could understand time tables, and never at
tempted to conceal his deficiencies. He had
none of the vanity harmless vanity, per.
haps) which led poor Mr.. Presty to express
positive opinions on matters of which he
knew nothing, such as pictures and music
VIVA. do you want, Malcom"
The servant to whom this question was ad.
dressed answered: "a telegram ma am, for
the mistress"
Mrs. Linley recoiled from the message
when the man offered it to her. Not usually
a very demOnStTative person, the feeling Of
alarm which had seized on her only express.
ed itself in sudden change of color. "An
accidentp' she said, family. IAN accident
on the TailwayP'
Mrs. PreSty opened the telegram.
'If you had been the wife of a cabinet
minister" she said to her daughter, ''you
would have been too well used to kilograms
to let them frighten you. Mr.. Presty (who
received his kilograms at his Office was not
quite Just to the memory of my first husband
lie used to blame Mr.. Ormond for letting me
see his kilograms. But Mr.. Presty's nature
had all the poetry in which Mr.. OrmOnd's
nature was deficient He saw the angelic
side of wonderland thought kilograms and
business, and all that sort of thing, unworthy
Of our mission. don't exactly understand
what our mission is"
Mamma mamma! is Herbert hurt?'
STUFF and nonsense! Nobody is hurt;
there has been no accident"
'Then why does hetelegraph to me?"
Hitherto, Mrs Presty had only looked at
the message. She now read it through at
tentively to the end Her face assumed an
expression of stem dStuSt. She shook her
10 be Continued