Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-07-01

second week running by with Evelyn
alone.
Alone, do we say7
Not at all that.
One cannot 90 from the Priory TO
Pucksisigh without passing the rec
tory, and Gerald Wickham's steeds
are accustomed to water at the rec,
tory founts.
Perhaps the impassioned eyes-girls
cannot always set a calm veil over
their passion OF Evelyn deola-e their
beauty to Gerald. He alwa.,s Ups
there and never gets to Pucksless =
Perhaps at first he thinks lw has
something like an intention os going
there; but days go on, and one .ay he
wakes up to the fact that no sich in
tention does at lasthave any influence
with him.
He is sure which girl is chest" now.
Evelyn is "best," the most perfect
girl, the one woman for him.
And he makes his discovery in no
dulcet, dreamy way. Evelyn has said
some fiery words OF scorn about his
aimless, pleasure-loving, empty life,
and, like whipped cur, he has gone
riding along the bowery lanes back to
dinner at the Priory.
1t is tete.a-tete dinner with his
father, and. like a tacit reproach to
his. own do-nothing state, he finds the
squire is bent upon hurrying over
port wine and Strawberries. He is up
to the ears in business; he has magis-
terial papers TO con before the morrow;
he has this and that to do. And tell
ing it all as by habit to his son, he
little thinks what purposes he is driv-
ing into that sons, as yet, irresponsi-
bic personality He goes away to his
den, and Gerald lights cigar and
saunters out over the quaint old
pleasance with his collie at his heels.
A young mans fancies are turned
many ways. Gerald may be some
what displeased with the reproving
world in which he suddenly finds him
self, and he may be somewhat dissat-
isfied with his own actions, or lack OF
actions. We do not care to dive into
the mystery of his thoughts; he is per-
baps a thoroughly transparent, hon
est-souled individual, and as such may
not reward our search. However, he
smokes out second cigar, and he
finds himself at what he is pleased to
consider a logical conclusion to one
division OF a muitiform difficulty.
He will marry Evelyn Lascellesl
Then he'll travel a while, then-how
grandly easy it all stands out in the
future, that the moonlit gardens frame
in for him-then he'll put up for the
southern division of the county.
There must be a general election be-
fore the year is out!
'Heyi Presto" cries the magician,
"and is all OF this 10 be carried out
before the end of theyear comes?"
"Assuredly" answer Youth and
Gerald.
The morning rises, and with it Ger
aid goes once again to the rectory.
He then waits by the little green gate;
looking in, he sees tall man, with
grizzled, closely-cut hair, walking along
by his fower-beds. His lean hands
are loosely clasped together behind
his back, the long loose flaps of his
clerical coat are quantity opposed to
the severe, thin, dry character of his
physical self. He Is either controlling
or watching girl in her morning gar
dening-a girl who wears dark-hued
crimson linen dress, and whose dark
head is shaded by a big Tapping willow
hat.
A lilac bush, full with summer leaf
age. may screen him, ami Gerald
chooses to be so screened; it does not
enter into his masterful plans that he
should see the rector in any way but
one that day.
How the dear rector dallies among
the rosesl But he goes in at last, and
Gerald then clicks the latch of the
little gate and
Enough. By-and-by he walks into
the study, and he has that interview
with the rector which he had planned
to have.
And another evening comes when he
and his father, the squire, dine tete a
tete. The squire, good old man, is
tired with his day; he and his brother
magistrates have had afull time of it,
ana he is predisposed for an after
dinner nap, and needless OF the rest
less vivacity OF his son and heir.
But Gerald rules thehour. Sudden
ly his easy, happy -so-lucky nature
finds a persistent masterfulness with
in, and what he wills he does. He
tells the squire tharhe has "won his
wife"
"oh-hey! Well, that's right, my
boy. And who may she be?''
The squire mods his head roguishly,
and pours himself further glass of
port. "Maybe have guess"
Miss Laseelle
Gerald is loftily cool.
The squire smacks his knee; ne has
turned, and sits sideways in his com
Portable everyday habit.
"Good-goodp' he calculates half to
himself. (which one, though? They
say"
"Theyl Who are they?' and Gerald
at once feels WI faithful at any "they"
daring to speak of him or his.
"Walcott, of Bray, and Ealy, and
"Bahp' contemptuously. sit is
Miss Evelyn Lascelles. / wonder you
talk of private concerns with such
men as those!"
Miss Evelyn? Ha--humP' rather
dolorously. "My good sir"-the
squire rouses, "those are all very good
men-very good men, indeed. Wal
colt is older than we are in the county,
mind youl"
"Wbat may they have chosen to say
of me?"
The young man has walked from his
seat to tie window, but here comes
back again, rests his two hands on
the back OF his chair, looking at his
father with laughable defiance in his
blue eyes. but after second seats
himself. Clearly the situation calls
for no tragic demonstration.
"Why, the place pairs you and the
other young lady; the fair one-Miss
Cathie,"
"The place is wrong, then"
simultaneously with this Evelyn
and her aunt talk OF the same sub
ject from their feminine point OF
view. Strange though it may
seem, at the very hour when the squire
is enlightening his son with the public
opinion OF the county, Mrs. Symons
is giving to Evelyn her private opin-
ion, which concurs with that OF the
public.
Some women are idiots-blind, fool
ish rousers OF evil passions, destroyers
of peace, and all with the best inten-
tons"
Evelyn is dazed for moment.
Then she gathers together her forces,
and slips away to bed. But-you have
had hint OF her fiery, passionate ma
ture-she is Wild She has given her
love; she has been played with-she
.,,~ss, - I'll ,,nxy NJ Iopbf q aral1 has
been hunting Pucksleigh, and no
doubt he takes her because Cathie will
have none of him.
Plainly, she is bereft of her senses.
She lies awake all night, and in the
morning she will fly to Cathie, and
fling her gift Of lover back to herl