The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-04

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sweetest graces, the arena out OF
which III greatest achievements, our
devine comedies, if one may so speak.
Invariably issue! He began another
passage: :Dante burns like a pure
star" when a signal passed silently
from the outer door to the butler, who
was languidly, and with but partial
approval. surveying a Titan e the
fireplace.
"Person outside to see you, SIR
said the critic, without removing his
eyes from the canvas. MI. Dibbins
shut the book with a snap. The ethe-
real aroma IA threatened.
II suppose it's that tiresome man,
Springer, come to get me to bury his
wife" he observed.
Springer was a gaunt, red-haired
man, with a cast in one eye. No OBJ
Ject could have been better calculated
to jar upon a tourist who had lust
come from inspecting the French and
Italian schools. His gaze slanted
obliquely away from the rector to-.
ward an Angora IA on a rug, and he
communicated his errand with What
was pitiably like a hair lip-two IN
irm:ties to which Mr.. Dibbins was
peculiarly sensitive.
1t was as he had surmised. Mrs.
Springer was dead, and must have
christian burial. The rector drew out
his notebook OF Russian leather, and
jottei down an item:
Man named Springer wants wife
buried. No. 8 Alanthus row. Bad
specimen. Sprinkle camphor on self
before entering house"
CAN right" he said CURLY, pocket
ing his notebook. "PN come. To-
morrow o'clock"
He waved his hand in a way that
would have been significant to a rail
road m%agnate, or a literary man.
But Mr.. Springer fingered. He had
been told that the rector was a very
kind man. Professor Stoneblocker,
whose daughter Mr.. Dibbins had ten.
derby wept and prayed over through
out q consumptive career, had said
SO; and for the tenth or twelfth time
IN his life Mr.. Springer would have
liked to know what a kind man was.
He did not know himself waht he
wanted, but he hoped the par
10 would know. He was on
scious of a load Of disaster and
loss which had somehow accumu
lated from his birth up, and now the
mute sharer OF the load was taken
from him.
He stood there in the doorway UNI
der Mrs. Dibbins' light gaze, quite OBJ
livious OF Brinkerhotf, who was scowl-
ing at him fit to efface him. He had
come with underlined hopethatfortune
had now done her worst for him, and
that, being informed of this. the par
son would apply some OF the balm, Of
which. he had been told, parsons were
the sole manufacturers and proprie-
tors. This hope, however, was slow
ly turning to certain disappointment,
when the parson waived all doubt by
remarking:
well, if you're hungry, go to the
kitchen. My time is valuable. Brin-
kerhotf, show this person out"
Brinkerhoff beckoned with his fat
finger. and preceded Springer. after the
name OF an Earl in advance OF q
Commoner.
Springer told him listlessiy that he
might show him the door to the street,
as he wasn't going to the kitchen.
W. . VA y W Dt StOTIlGu,
said Brinkerhpff. "But it amt a-suf-
fering for your comp'ny, neither"
Mr.. Springer made haste to get over
the wide porch and into the street be-
low, thinking of the stark form at
home, and glad that Mary Ann was in
a world where human hurts and dis
appointments made no difference.
81 suppose we amt the right sort
for Parson Dibbins to put himself out
OF the way for" he Thought. There's
too much flowers and iim-cracks on
the one side, and too much bad smells
and trouble on h. other, betwixt u.s."
He sighed at the uncompromising
truth OF his reflections.
"Well, it amt to be expected"
Meanwhile Mr.. Dibbins had recover-
ed his poise, and gone to the library
With his wifeto examine anew Giotto's
portraits OF Dante. They sat in an
embrasure, where thes slanted over
Mrs. Dibbins' cheek, and lent SUCH n
chanting brightness to her hair that
Rev. Arthur seized her in his arms
with almost boyish fervor.
an what great measure the Lord
has blessed mel" heexclaimed. "This
room. my darling" glancing up at the
tapestried walls, "shall be our refuge
from the world'sstorms. Theunkind-
ness OF destiny shall matter very lit
tie to us, so long as our lives are spar
ed for mutual sacrifices, for mutual
JOYS"
And Mrs. Dibbins, unchilled by four
teen months of married life with this
exemplary man, responded in muir
murs OF tenderness and satisfaction;
for the pair were trulyloving and CON
tented.
An hour later the great Archdeacon
came and banished personal thoughts.
Something in his presence was calcu-
lated to eradicate selfishness and send
the mind abroad.
The wax lights shed a softened glow
through tl~,edarkened rooms. Flowers
banked against the walls expanded
o%dorously i'll the warmth. 1t was a
strange scene to be summoned there
that OF the sinful soul, sinkinginstant-
ly upon the commission Gifts crimein-
to the depts OF a vivid hell. while the
surface phantom, the surviving body,
still went to and fro! Disembodied
souls-the figure was commonplace.
But disensouled bodies-who but
Dante could have drawn the desolate
lines?
Mr.. Dibbins' thoughts ran back to
the Borgias and the prosecutors of
the inquisition. They even lit up a
modern acquaintance or two, and
shuddered. He reviewed his own life
with pardonable satisfaction. No
shame confronted him, no wilful act
OF wrong or cruelty arose to confuse
him. The wife of his choice, radiant
and TREMENDOUSLY conscious OF his
presence, was at his side. The chairi in
which he sat, the rug or which the
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