The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-04-16
ESTHER TALBOT.
A Lancashire Story.

"She IS as bonnie a Lancashire las.
sic as ever the sun shone on!"
eyes, she is very bonnie"
$50 merry and witty, too! Why,
she has almost a genius for relating an
anecdote. My daughters are fairly in
love with her. They call her a Ian
cashire Rose and would like to have
her at the Rectory as much as posi-
ble."
Here the conversation was inter
rupted by the entrance of another par
ishioner, much to Mr.. Newton's relief.
He was an uncle of the Lancashire
Rose" and for reasons he could not
give, was unable to join in Mrs. Law
son's--the clergyman's wife-praise Of
his niece.
Mr.. Lawson had but lately been APP
pointed to Brenton church, and so was
not very intimately acquainted with
his interesting parishioner. He had
come to Brenton, a busy, populous
town in Lancashire, from a quiet,
sleepy country parish in Cheshire.
Amongst the most refined and we'll.
TODD of his new parishioners was the
Talbot family. They lived in the
widest, most respectable street in the
township, and rented one of the large
family pews, which they filled every
Sabbath.
Mrs. Talbot was a gentle, indulgent,
self-sacriticing woman, wholly devoted
to her husband, children and home.
But she was not strong, and often had
days of distress when she was unable
to leave her room. One bright warm
afternoon in May, about two weeks
before the great Lancashire holiday,
Whitsuntide or Whit-week, as it is
more commonly called, Mrs. Talbot
was busy ironing, when q sudden
faintness, followed by a severe head
ache, obliged her to give up her work.
Esther was in the sitting-room, fin
islling a bonnet she had been making
for herself, and which was almost a
marvel of simplicity and good taste.
The shape Of the bonnet was la mode,
but the style of trimming was original
though not singular, and many q fash
ionable lady would willingly have Civ
en- for it as many sovereigns as it had
cost shillings.
"My dear, 1have q severe headache.
am going upstairs to lie down. Will
you finish the ironing fol me? And
keep the children quiet when they
nOrna hnna from oohnnl -
Esther did not lift her head, or look
at her mother, who stood waiting for
a reply. It seemed long time before
any response came, and the mother
stood there, with a panied, anxious
expression on her face. Then Esther
threw down the bonnet abruptly, say
ing
Il suppose / must, If you say so,
but you know | hate ironing! / never
can have half an hour for myself"
Her mother did not remind her that
she had been sewing at least two
hours, but pale and grieved, she went
slowly up stairs.
When the children came from school,
the ironing was finished, and the bon
net also, the latter laid carefully
away not to be worn until the event
full Whit-Monday
Several times Esther's better nature
prompted her to take her mother a
cup of tea, but she put away the
thought, saying to herself
"She will be down to Tea when father
comes home.'i
She busted herself getting the chill
dren their supper, and treating them
to many a sharp word, of which they
took but little heed, only saying to
each other, when Esther left thereon,
ooh, she's in one of her tantrums
again!''
When they had finished their tea,
Maggie, a sweet, thoughtful little
maiden, next in age to Esther, went
softly upstairs, and gently openingth the
door to her mothers room, looked in,
and seeing her laying on the bed, APP
parently asleep, went quietly away
again.
But her mother saw her, as she noise-
llessly closed the door, and a pleased
look came into her face, while she muir
INJURED, "My blessed little Maggie! If
Esther were as loving and thoughtful,
what a comfort she would bel"
1t was the Saturday night before
Whit-Sunday, and hundreds OF tired
mothers IN Lancashire had gone to
rest, glad that the time so long looked
forward to by the children, and for
which they had been preparing, was
SO near at hand. Esther Talbot, too,
q been unusually busy, helping her
mother get the younger children's
Clothes in readiness.
She had noticed, with some uneasi-
ness, that her mother seemed wearied
and looked pale, and coughed a good
deal, and she began to fear lest some