Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
III.

to the garden.
The dinner party had come to an end; the
neighbors had taken their departure; and the
| ladies at Mount MOrven had retired for the
night.
On the way to her room Mrs. Presty knock
ed at her daughters door. II want to speak
to you, Catherine Are you in bed?'
| 'sNo, mamma. Cas- in"
RObed in dresSing-gown of delicately
| mingled white and blue, and luXuriously &C
| cOmmodated on the sOftest pillows that could
| be placed in an armchair, Mrs. Linley was
meditating on the events of the evening.
| ''ThiS has been the most successful party we
| have ever given" she said to her mother.
And did you notice how charmingly pretty
| Miss WesteTtieId looked in her new dress?"
| ITS about that girl [ want to speak to
| yOu," Mrs. PreSty answered, severely. II
! had higher opinion Of her when she first
came here than have now"
Mrs. LinIey pointed to an open door COM
| municating with second and smaller bed
| chamber. mot quite so loud" she answer
| ed, cor you may wake Kitty. What has
| Miss Westerfeld done to forfeit your good
| opinion?'
Discreet Mrs. Presty asked leave to return
to the subject at future opportunity.
81 will merely allude now," she said ito
change for the worse in your goyerness,
which you might have noticed when she left
the draWing-roOm this evening. She had a
word or two with Herbert at the door, and
| she left him looking as black as thunder"
Mrs. Linley laid herself back On her pill
| lows and burst out laughing. ''Black as
| thunder? Poor little Sydney, what ridic-
uIous description of her! beg your pardon
| mamma; don't be offended"
ION the contrary, my dear, am agreeably
| surprised. Your poor father-a man of re-
| markable judgment on most subjects-neveI
thought much of your intelligence. He ap-
pears to have been wrong; you have evident
ly Inherited some of my sense of humOr.
However, that is not what wanted to say;
l am the bearer of good news. When we
find it necessary to get rid of Miss WeSter-
field"
Mrs. Linley'S indignation expressed itself
by look which, for the moment at least, re-
duced her mother to silence. Always equal
| to the occasion, however, Mrs. Presty's face
assumed an expression of innocent amaze
ment which would have produced round of
| applause on the stage ''What have [ said
| to make you angry" she inquired. "Surely,
my dear, you and your husband are very eX-
| traOrdinary people"
| do you mean to tell me, mamma, that
| you have said to Herbert what you said just
now to me-"
Certainly. [ mentioned it to Herbert in
| the course Of the evening. He was excessive
ly rude. He said: Tell Mrs. MacEdwin to
mind her own businesS-and set her the eX-
ample YOURSELF"
Mrs. Linley returned her mothers look of
amaZement without her mothers eye for dra-
matte effect. what has Mrs. MacEdwin to
do with it?' she asked.
IF you will only let me speak, Catherine,
I shall be happy to explain myself You
| saw Mrs. MacEdWin talking to me at the
party. That good lady'S head-a feeble
head as all her friends admit-has been COM
pletely turned by Miss Westerield. The
first duty of a governeSo' (this foolish woman
| said to me) is to win the affections of her
pupils. Ny goYerness has entirely failed to
! make the children like her. A dreadful tenn
per; have given her notice to leave my SER
| vice. Look at that sweet girl and your little
| granddaughter! [ declare l could cry when
1 see how they understand each other and
| love each other I quote our charming
friends nonsense verbatim Gas we used to
mOnd's time), for the sake of what it led to.
Il, by any lucky chance, Miss Westerfield
! happens to be disengaged in the future Mrs.
| MacEdwin'S house is open to her-at her
own time and at her own terms. I promised
to speak to you on the subject, and [ per-
form my promise. Think over it; [ strongly
| advise you to think over it,"
Even Mrs. Linley's good nature declined
to submit to this. Il shall certainly not
| think over what cannot possibly happen"
she said. Goodnight mamma"
| Goodnight, Catherine. Your temper
| doesn't seem to improve as you get older.
Perhaps the excitement of the party has been
| too much for your nerves. Try to get some
sleep before Herbert comes up from the
smoking-room and disturbs you"
Mrs. Linley refused even to let this pass
| unanswered. Herbert is too considerate to
disturb me when his friends keep him up
! late" she said ION those occasions, as you
may see for yourself, he has bed in his
dressingroom.
Mrs. Presty passed through the dressing
room on her way out. "A very comfortable
looking bed,' she remarked, in a tone in
tended to reach her daughters ears. Il Won
der Herbert ever leaves it"
The way to her own bed-chamber led her
by the door of Sydney's room. She sudden
Iy stopped; the door was not shut. This was
| in itself a suspicious circumstance. Young
| or old, ladies are not in the habit Of sleeping
with their bedroom doors ajar. A strict
| sense of duty led Mrs. Presty to listen out
side. No sound like the breathing of per-
son asleep was to be. heard. a strict sense
Of duty conducted Mrs. Presty next into the
room and even encouraged her to approach
the bed on tiD-toe The bed was empty: the