The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-02-12


mother and small l-salaried brother Of
the burden Of providing her with the
thousand and one super1uities girl in
society finds indispensable.
She was not all in love with her occu-
patton for its own sake, however, and the
long dull period during which no Gus
toners appeared, and the cups and
saucers and shells slowly accumulated
| upon the tables and shelves Of her stu
! dio, was very dispiriting. Indeed, but
| for the constant and irritating goading
of her mother, the studio wonld have
been again surrendered to the dispos-
sessed spiders and mud d-daubers.
Throwing herself into the faded old
arm chair, whose shabbiness had dis
missed it from more frequented rooms,
+. she cast a glance of angry disdain at
the, Heterogeneous collection of doll
and porcelain, then fixed a fearful gaze
upon melancholy owl depicted on a
4 green silk banner.
i It's always the same tune" she said
despondently. No money-no nsoney.
What does mamma expect? A girl who
has no money herself can't expect to
marry q millionaire. s !;
| While she communed thus sadly with
her own soul MS typifed by the melan-
choly owl, Mr.. Ned Proctor sat at
breakfast with his mother. in an almost
| equally desparing frame of mind.
| His mother was the very antipode Of
Mrs. Frink, o dark pOnderous woman
with hoarse voice, and q waddling
gait that reminded one of a frog.
Ned on the contrary was most ele-
CANT creature, with soft, fine, dark hair,
a pale complexion, and large gentle eyes
| of that indefnable hue between gray
and black, perhaps the most fascinating
ofall eyes. They wore q troubled ex-
preston at the moment.
The breakfast being served in their
own parlor, the mother and son were
quite alone, and he had just confessed
that he was engaged to marry Lily
Frlnk
1t had been ayeritable confession, &C
companied by all the trepidation and
sense of guilt the word implies.
What in the world possessed you to
do that?" croaked Mrs. Proctor. HThat
Frink girls as artful Us Satan, and her
mothers even artfuler. I should think
you could heve seen that for yourself. /"
Ned leaned his head weakly upon his
hand, and famed himself with his hand
kerchief.
"Cf course you'll do nothing Of the
kind" his mother went on, taking her
chop in her fingers and attacking it with
her short yellow teeth. II have enough
to do paying your bills without taking
the extravagant little mink on my hands !;
so you can Just go this morning and tell
her your mother won't allow it.
[ cawn't do that, you know" !" said
Ned, wiping his forehead. 81 never
really meant to propose, but cawn't
act like a cad, you know y
Ned had been abroad, and he affected
the society of the young EngIishmen
who came over as cotton buyers for the
Manchester factories.
Mrs. Proctor looked at him with se-5
verify, but his elegant detection pierced
her heart through all the superlncum-
bent flesh. She was very proud of be-
ing the mother fso much grace, and
always somewhat bewildered as to how
it had come about. There, were times,
indeed, when as she looked at him, q
terrible doubt of tile reality of it would
seize upon her and an appalling fear
that he might rise up and repudiate her.
She had read of children, changed in
the cradle, discovering their real paren-
tage after they had arrived at mans es-
tate, and though she had nursed him
herself through all his years of infant
incapacity, as she now supported his
hardly more capable manhood, this ir-
rational fear would still haunt her like
nightmare. s5
Itseized upon her now as she looked
at him across the table, one hand sup
porting his beautiful head, sand the
other thrown negligent'y over the back
of his chair, the long fingers loosely
clasping white silk, handkerchief. SO
rare and fine creature must not he
harshly dealt with.
Never mind" she said in softer
tone, sIsl fix it for YOU
"Ho%sdo you mean?'
I'll get you off, she explained, nod
ding encouragingly.
But IL, -rather-like her you
know" !" said Ned family. S!.
Nonsenser croaked his mother,
there's nothing about her to like. IS
Don't You think I'm the best Judge
of what I like ~ he asked, smiling faintly
under his dropping moustache.
Certainly not returned Mrs. Proc
tor, promptly. Not in q matter Of
this kind. I let you have everything
you like in the way Of eating and drink
ing, and clothes and amusements, don't
II" sss
sNed raised his eyebrows and shrugged
his shoulders.
" Well. why can't yon be satisfied,
then? Don't you see that if there's an
other tofeed and clotle there'll be less
for YOU? Besides marrying,s thing
can't be lndone in q hurry il you don't
happen to like it. She laid her knife
and fork across the plate and rose with
decision. Send me the carriageat ILL.,
SHE said, II owe them Frinki s call" :"
II wish you'd let the matter alone,
mother urged Ned tyou'll only make