Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-01-14

III Qu0 pTeparVd % take my oath the UNI. |
breua did 60 down your area, it's rather
a~ggravating to be told you don't believe q
word I say"
II never said that I answered.
b find it all out my own way, I dare
tom Of things, they tall me-but I will not
Il I have boon . bit rough" be said: ssrll
ask you to forgive mo, and 70 believe I donr
think for an instant you know anything
about It. Heaven forbid, with such . ptcs
l0ok ., you'vs GOT
u beg pardon. Don't mind NJ; I'm
bothered" he ran On, with ektraordinsry
volubility, land this umbrella was ny old
fathers last prsseut-just three days bafore
he died-when he was given up, and ene
would have thought hs had had something
more serious to consider than buying me an
umbrella for my birthday. He died on my
birthday, too, which u another odd part Of
the story" he ran on; ''but, there, good day.
madam, I am bothsring you. I wish U
cold bstter-good day.
Aud away marched Mr.. Geodry Bird out
Of my room and down the long passage to
tho street door, swinging his arms wildly to
and fro. h jumped the whole Aight of stems
into the street and was gone, as I thought,
for good
The next day I was very III indeed-too III
to rise. I had caught cold at the open win.
dow and In the damp night air. and it had
become absolutely necessary to sepd for tho
doctor, and to make what Railways considered
was too much Of a fuss uver ma. Lily Brian
told me q week afterward, when I was able
to sit up for the first time In my room, that I
had been In q critical state, aud there had
beer one night when everybody was anxious
and excited, and even Capt. Choppers walked
continuously up and down the stairs for two
hours and a half. and said, "Poor girl, moor
girl" and had q secret conference with Mr..
Goods Is to tho advisability Of having phy-
stefan In the morning at their mutual az.
' pense, land cay nothing about it, sir, to any
one" But I was better the next morning: I
changed for the better with the summer
weather which came in, bright and fne anal
hot, and suggested holidays out Of town and
by the great green sea for the lucky folk who
could afford to spend their money.
Lily Brian and hcr mother and father, and
two gawky brothers whom I did not like yorv
much, and thirteen s,nall members Of the
family, were oil going out Of town. and
why not como with usF' Lily had said,
kindly.
My answer was a very old one, and very
natural and very truthful, too.
because I cannot afford it, Lily.n
"Oh, bother the money" said Lily,
THAT'S what I often say myself"
ut shall cost you next to nothinc-hardlv
anything" Lily suggested. Papa says you
will only have to pay for a room somewhere,
and you can board with US, and, Oh. door. il
will bc awfully jollyw
TITS very kind Of your papa, nnd-and I'll
think OF 1t, Lily, at any rate"
And make up your mind and soy 'ycs,'"
cried Lily-''won't you, Jane."
II don't know"
"That fright OF a captains going some
where. I know" Lily sald, land Mr.. Goodo
has got q free pass down the limo, you toll me-,
and he's sure to go into tho country with 80
little to pay for it; it's just like him. Anddo
think OF it. Jane, there's q lover
did think Of it. Thought Of Mr.. Brlan,s
large family, eighteen Of them altogether,
and whether it was possible I could intrudo
gracefully upon them. MIR. Brian had retired
from q cocoanut fiber and street door mat
business in tho Tottcnham Court road, and
was pretty we'll off, with only q slight noccs,
sity of letting his drawing room floor. IIo
was evidently not a rich man, and H,r.
were q few struggles to keep up an appear
ance," although ho went out Of town with his
fMuily for q month evcry summer, by cx-
press desire OF Mrs. Brian, who required
change every August, md regularly sailed
forth, Gil famil]c, from der largo establish
ment in Prossitcr street to a house down u
back Stun in High street, Margate, where tho
rooms were small, and tho children wero
heaped together sardiue fashion, and now
and then came back with something catch.
Ing" as a wind up to tho seasons enjoyment.
And this particular August I was asked to
join them. There was the sea, and "You
must take a little change" said tho doctor,
and Lily Brian was very pressing, and Capt.
Choppers had talked Of going away for q
week or two, and tho boys Goodo were COM
ing home for tho holidays, and I, Jane Neild,
was able to pay-and would insist upon pay
ing-my fair share for board with the Dri-
aus, having my little room out Of the house,
too, for that peace n quletness which is not
always found in largo families Yes, I would
go down to Margate when l was strong
when I was we'll enough to bear tho fatigue
Of the journey.
This was o promise on the day the Brians,
with much formality of departure, loft town
for tho season, and made up my mind TO get
well and strong o. soon az possible, aud join
them When l was down stairs again in M
little back room there was a great surprise
awaiting mo. Nailed against tho wall, under
my fathers cabinet sized photograph, was a
brand new ornaments little carving in oak
of q dead bird hanging by its claws down.
ward, and with every feather wonderfully
dolineated. I stared at 1t with intense as
Constituent, and Bridget stood in the back
ground with q grin on her face from cur to
ear.
"Where did this como from, Good
gracious, how beautiful how-well I never
did!"
Ny thoughts flashed to Mr.. Goode, for he
was liberal at times, and grateful for any lit.
tie attentions in his widowerhood,s estate in
the shape Of darning stockings or reestab-
fishing the security Of buttons; but the truth
soon came out, and then I was moro aston.
ished than ever.
III you please, MN, its the young man
who lost his umbereller," explained Bridget,
with . loud guffaw at last and . violent
stamping Of both her big Irish feet, like an
excitable person with . bone In her throat.
"What"
"Yes, m'm," continued Bridget; land I
was to say nothing about it to anybody but
you-and not till you were down stairs again
because he wouldn't have you worried
about anything, be said, not for worlds"
HE said all thatr'
Eyes, MN"
"But, bless the man." l exclaimed, "what
has be left this here fotr'
"It's-it's a prsent, MN, I'm thinking"
"a present to me, and from that imperti.
nent being!" I said; "Ill see about his pres.
ent presently. When did be comeF'
"He's been here every day, nm"
GSEv~a~v dawn