Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-12-21

looked much surprised and gratified
when Mr.. Cleveland entered. and felt
thrill of modest pride myself; for you
must know that was the unworthy
instrument of recalling him to the path
of duty"
'sYou!n-yos-l-"
ssWhat do you mean, Tessa?" Mrs.
Calender dropped her knitting. and
looked sternly ut the pretty indolent
figure.
81 told him the other night at the
Philosophical meeting at Mrs. Turn
er's-you were much surprised to see
him there, too, l believe"-in slow
meditatiye tone-.'what number Of
silent meetings we had had lately, and
how fired get of theml told him
too that / had studied all the women's
bonne;s and the chronological devel-
opement of the back OF the mems
heads till was intimately acquainted
with both, and that unless something
or somebody new at ended meeting |
should disgrace myself and you by fall
ing asleep, and, in all probability,
snoring. And he laughed and said he
would come next Sunday, and should
study the back of his head. And he
did; and that disagreeable old Jona-
than Turner poked him behind the
gallery where could not see himt'
Tessa added, in tone of supreme dis
gust.
'sYou would probably have prefer
red TO see him among the speakers,
Mrs. Calender remar ked sarcastic
ally.
1T would have occasioned feeling
of supreme happiness in my heart.
THAT just reminds me, Tessa. that
| wished to speak to you about Noel
Cleveland, Mrs. Calender remarked.
You are already on terms of TOO
great intimacy with him. His atten-
tions were much too conspicuous the
other evening at Mrs. Turner's"
Tessa looked injured and supremely
innocent. She gave her ball vicious
toss into the air.
II don't know how to please your
she said in deeply-aggrieved tone
IF talk to the unmarried men am
accused of flirting; and if the married
ones talk to me their attentions are
too conspicuous and l like Mr..
Cleveland so much. Do you never go
to the Priory?n
s.No-never."
why not?n
.tBecause Mr.. Cleveland's friends
are not people whom l should care to
know" Mrs. Calender answered
shortly.
Wicked people, suppose, nTessa
suggested cheerfully.
wicked? Well, won't go so far
as to say that, Mrs. Calender return
ed literally; ..they are generally
actors or artists-disreputable low
people with no standing in society"
s.Oh, l should like to go there! |
want to know Mrs. Cleveland, Tessa
observed. els she quite an invalid?"
according to Mr.. Cleveland's ac-
count she is. She never goes into so
ciety or sees any one; but have met
her occasionally driving with Noel,
and she looks in perfect health, Mrs.
Calender answered grimly. "a mys-
terry evidently surrounds her.
Tessa tossed her ball high up into
the laburnum tree, where it stuck for
minute among the branches, then
the string snapped and the flowers fell
in shower upon Te5sa's head. She
sprang to her feet with careless
laugh.
IL shall go in and see what auntie
is doing, she said, and then she
picked up her rug and walked away.
Mrs. Bcvan was sitting by the win
dow in her usual seat when Tessa en-
tered the drawing-room. 1t was her
hour for meditation; her bible lay
open on her knees, and her head was
bent over the page. Once or twice
before Tessa had come in at this hour
and found her reading, and noticed
with silent thrill of pity and tender
ness that the book always lay open at
the samep lace-the story of the prod
igal son. She crossed the room light
ly, and, unobserved. stood by the old
lady's side and watched the wrinkled
finger travel slowly across and across
the page guiding the feeble sight, till
it passed over the tender sentence
which has brought comfort and hope
yto many poor mothers aching heart.
But when le was yet IA great way
off his father saw him.
The slow finger paused; then came
a rush of quiet tears into the aged
woman's eyes; great drop fell upon
the page.
"Oh, my boy, my darling, shall
ever see thee againP Wilt thou ever
come back to me?" she murmured.
Tessa guessed at rat99sr than heard
the words. Her tender heart was SO
full of pity and love that she could
keep silence no longer. She sprang
forward knelt by Mrs. Bevan's side,
and kissed the wrinkled hands, while
her tears fell in plying shower.
'He Wilt know he will come back
to you some day!' she sobbed. ut
could never be that such love as yours
was spent in vain! Oh, know he
will come backr'
Mrs. Bevan starred. She turned
excessively pale, and trembled. For