The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-11-23

ward look, "Wil It mark me. do you
Think
The Jolly farmer burst out laughing.
swell" cried Dolly, half laughing too,
4Joe let the gray mare down last year,and
father said she was never good for any
thing after"
'sTake no notice of him, my pet" said
Mrs. Pickard, stopping to kiss the pretty
bruised knee as she dried it. sit will be
all right in q day or two. Annie, bring
out some cheese-cakes and some cream
Would you like a few Strawberries too,
my petT
"Yes, / should, please. very much" an
swered Dolly; "Aut"--breaking off and
turning anxiously to watch the farmer,
who was moving away-"Mr. William
Pickard, you won't go without mel" she
cried imploringly.
"Surely not" he answered returning
81 was thinking. mother"-he often called
her another" though they had nc childien
we might go out and get our business,
over, and then come back and get some
cheese-cakes. You see t'Sluire wants the
grub in good time"
ooh, yes, please, Mrs. PickardW put in
Dolly eagerly. She was dreadfully afraid
those of the sterner sex would leave her
in the lurch.
She jumped down from the large chair
and followed the farmer and Jasper, but
when she reached the door turned back,
and, going up to Mrs. Pickard. put two
loving arms round her, and uplifted a ten
der rosebud mouth.
"Thank you, dear Mrs. Pickard,n she
cried.
"My little lamb, my honey-sweetw ex-
claimed the farmers wife. gathering her
into her arms and kissing her n dozen
times. "Bless her; what n sunbeam she
is" she said to Annie as Dolly went out
again.
"a real Nugent," returned Annie, as if
nothing more could be said on that sub
ject. ,
"Meanwhile Dolly, with the real Nugent
pluck, ran out of the house and along the
rubble as if she had had n fall in
her life; and having seen the whole of the
wasp-taking process, during which the
farmer and one OF the men got IL sting or
two, returned to the house with Jasper,
and went straight into Mrs. Pickard's
pleasant sitting-room where they found
the promised cheese-cake and straw
berries.
'It was splendid" announced Dolly,
~triumphantly. "They put the powder in,
you know, and it went of with a f-f-f-u-f,
and all the wopses blew up in @ regular
cloud. l say, Jaspe;"-turning sharply
to the young Squire, who had already APP
proprinted n cheese-cake-"you might
have waited until you were asked"
..Oh, it's all right" returned Jasper,
with careless ease, and speaking with his
mouth full. "Mrs. Pickald did ask us be-
fore you know"
"Yes; but still it isn't polite" objected
Dolly; land i think mother would be
ashamed of your
Here Mrs, Pickard bent down and kissed
the pretty flushed face again, piling the
largest Strawberries on her plate as she
did so.
II say, Jasper" remarked Dolly pres
emily, pausing with u large strawberry in
her right hand, whilst with her left she
held Mrs. Pickard's hand tightly, don't
you wish Culverton was here?"
"umphw answered Jasper, with n grrnt
that might mean anything or nothing.
81 do" continued Dolly. because Gull
verton is so fond of Strawberries and
cream; and I don't think"-lowering her
voice cautiously-.that he gets so very
many at the Towers"
Are my young people hereW cried q
NoiSS ~ XIV tHut iHoillCllt.
Mrs. Pickard ran out, exclaiming, s'The
Squirrel and q moment later the hearty
voice went on
~ have brought Lord Culverton to see
if you would give him one of Your good
cheese-cakes."
'Come in, sir; come in, my lord; you are
both very welcome" cried Mrs. PickaId,
all in a tlutter of delight at such distin-
guishcd visitors.
"Oh, you are here!" said the Squire, as
he entered the room. sCulverton has
come over for the rest of the day; and l
thought we might find you here"
"fes; we come to see the wasps' nest
taken" answered Dolly, looking past her
father towards the young owner Of Gull
verton Towers. "And l was just wishing
Culverton was here, for the Strawberries
are so good; wasn't 1, Mrs. Pickard9"
Mrs. Piclkard spells you," said the
Squire, picking Dolly and her strawber-
ries bodily ont of the large chair and set
ting her on his knee; land as for that big
husband Of hers, l don't know what I
shall not have to do with him one of these
days. l believe Mrs. Pickard is worse
than he is though"
could she be spoiltY" said the farmers
wife in an undertone.
The Squire rested his cheek against his
little daughters golden hair and made no
reply, though perhaps MS silence was sui-
ticiently eloquent.
u think" put in the young Earl, speak
ing foT the first time, in a clear higk-b Dc
voice, "that Mrs. Packard spoils every one
you most of all, Squire. Why, she ac-
tually let's you come into the parlor in
stead of marching you off into the draw
ing room and making you thoroughly un-
comfortable, as they TO at Cnlvelton!"
That's right, Culverton," said Dolly
eagerly. "You always know what to
say" and then she leaned her head back
against her fathers shoulder with a con-
tented sigh, and closed her eyes.
You are over-tiIed. Dolly" said the
little face. ..You should not run about so
much in the hot sun, my pet"
II don't think it's that, Squire" put in
Mrs. Picknrd; .but she had u sad fall this
afternoon
"a fall! Howl WhereT
"But I didn't cry" asserted Dolly, open
ing her blue eyes again.
'Well, it was in this way" volunteered
Jasper. 81 came in here quite by acct
dent, and found William just going to take
the wasps' nest for your grub. / knew
Dolly would he horribly disappointed if
she didn't see it, because she missed the
last one, you know; SO l said, it they'd
wait five minutes. I'd run home and fetch
her. Well. she had hold of my hand, and
we'd run all the way through the village,
so perhaps she was rather tired; but, at
al events, just as we turned in at the fold
yard she slipped among the lubble and
down she came. And, don't you see, faith
er, she had hold of my hand, and we were
running full speed, and l dragged her
ever so far before l could stop myself"
"But ! didn't cry" supplemented Dolly,
with infinite pride in the assertion,
though I've hurt both my knees. But
William Pickard says l sha'nt be any the
worse-it won't mark me"
The Squire bust out laughing, and quite
forgot to rebuke Jasper for not taking bet
ter care of his sister. At that moment
the farmer himself entered.
"tiood afternoon, Squire" he said. "Glad
to sea you, my lord. You'll have heard o
Miss Dolly's mishap"
Eyes" answered the Squire, hugging
Dolly a tlile closer.
SAY, she came down like n sack o pota-