The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-09-01
MONA'S CHOICE.
BY MRS. ALEXANDER.

white and his face brown, and he had an
EN- pity sleeve. lie was named to me and
gave me a stare, a. much as TO say. Who
tine deuce are your Then he began to talk
in short sentences, AZ with What we might
term staccato foItiSImo manner.
Somehox " his eS es aud voice seemed fam
iliar 10 me, only | conld not fiud q clear
place for him 10 my memory. When he
bad eaten some curry-ane abuss it
and taken n glass of hook and sell Ger, he
said, looking at ,ne as if he was going TO
accuse me of mur Ter.
"'What did Won say this ladv's name is''
"'Madame Drbrisav.' said Mrs Rivers.
womanr
No said I; but am next door to one
II arm Irish
"'From what part of that unfortunate
country. may ask more politely.
"'From Bsllykillruddery.'
'Ah, thought sor
"And he was silent for bit, then he
said. with pieasante smile than thought
his grim face could put on
see you have no recollection of me-
'fou. voice and face are not strange to
me- ! said, my heart beginning to beat,
but ! cannot recall your name
Have you qnits FORGOTTEN a gunner
called Fielden Mark Fi-lden-who won
In '59, more than thirty years Ago,'
"'Do ] not, Aad I helped to do up my
cousin Rose Nugent's hair with ribbons OF
his colors for the race ball! l know you
now, and ! must shake hands with you.'
$50 we shook hands; and his brown face
eoftened and glowed while no talked Of
Rose. He was desperately In love with
her, and they were engaged. He went of
TO India; sho stayed ut home-got wet
ting out boating. took cold, and went off
int h. II -,-us- Il Il.
wife, and now he Is wandering about In
indifferent health. ! should not have
mentioned all this II 1t had not been for a
bit that will interest you. In tho course of
conversation, it turned out that the gener-
al Is some relation of poor Mr.. Warnings,
and he is awfully vexed with him. 1t
seems he has got through heap Of money
and has gone away to America. A friend
OF the generals saw him breaking horses
last spring somewhere in California.
low thought him. Then the general said
be was an ass, and had let himself ba
knocked out OF the running because he
could not get the girl he wanted to marry
him or course | did not let on that
knew anything about it, and the subject
dropped. Then my old general asked for
my address, and said ho would come and
see me some Sundsy-which, | told him,
he will
''Now, my darling. have prosed long
enough. and must stop. When shall I
See you againi Can't you persuade your
uncle To come up TO town fos little more
physicf You make him too happy and COM
Portable. i was going to write. 'Don't re-
fuse Sir ST. John Lisle without thinking
tremendous experiment, and I'll not ven-
ture to recommend it. God bless you, my
own dear. My best respects to your uncle.
Ever your loving friend,
"GEEALpISE DgBRIsAy."
Mona read this with the deepest interest
She smiled at the account of her meeting
AZ Mrs. Rivers. but grew very grave over
the description of Warnings dscadence.
Am | to blane' | wish were not al
ways having sidelong reproaches flung at
me. He would have been as bad or worse
II had married him, for could not have
been loving sympathetic wife, and then
his last state and mine, too, would be
worse than the 6rst. How wish | could
hear that he was well and happily mar
ried."
The Thursday on which Mona was to
have q peep once more at the world she
felt she had quilted forever. rose fresh and
clear after yesterday of storm and rain.
Lady Finistoun had offered to drive over
after luncheon and fetch her, 50 Mona
relieved from the necessity of taking out
Uncle Sandy's ramshackle conveyance
dressed, and having put up carefully ar
ranged dinner dress and change of raj
ment, waited quietly for her ladyships ap-
pearsnce.
Uncle Sandy had driven away early with
Kenneth to sale of Highland cattle at
Kirktoun, aud Mary had gone to carry some
jelly TO the shepherds mother, who was
old and weak.
Mona was reading a review sent her by
Mime. Debrisay, when she heard the sound
of a carriage driving up.
"She Is earlier than expected" was her
mental comment as she glanced at tho
clock. at is barely half past three"
Voices were heard speaking in the hall,
and Mona rose intending to go out and
meet her friend, when the door opened,
and Lisle entered unannounced, his hat in
his hand, looking bright and brown. Mona
col>ied in spite OF herself
"Good-morninS." he cried, cheerily. ~
hope you will forgive Il change OF plans.
Lady Finistoun finds she must drive in TO
Kirktoun to meet Majos and Mrs. Men
teith-Finistoun' sister, you know--so /
offered myself and my dog-cart to convey
you to the Lodge hope you will forgive
the change"
'Ohl have nothing To forgive, she
said, smiling. "if you do not mind taking
me and my dress basket, | am ready 70
start"
"Well said" cried Lisle. exul.inSly.
"As it is a fine clear afternoon, and we
have plenty Of time. will take you round
by Balmuir: the views are splendid nearly
all the way"
Every WELL" said Mona, who had now
recovered herself. and in a few minutes
she was perched beside her charioteer. her
Light dress basket hoisted up and confided
to the care Of the groom-who sat behind
and they were of.
"l hope there are not many very steep
hills" she said, after few moments sill
ence; 81 am not too COURAGEOUS"
"No. the road is safe and easyi / know
the country; was here for whole season
with Ffnistoun few years ago. the au-
tumn before you were presented. That is
sort OF epoch to me-"
"Auch moro so to mer' she returned,
laughing. 81 well remember the heart
sinking with which | looked forward TO
making my courtesy under the eye Of roy
atty. Do you know sometimes think all
-