The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-04-26
A DYNAMITE STORY.

Papa, who is the stranger I saw in
the library just nowp He was talking
to your secretary, Mr.. Winchell, as if
lie were quite at home," said Daisy
Clyburne, winding n plump, white
arm around her fathers neck, as she
perched herself on the arm of his
chair.
Those who knew Silas Clyburne
only as a business man, president of
several railroads, director in q score of
other corporations and n shareholder
in every paying concern in the state,
would have been amazed to see how
easily this fragile girl bent to her
will the stony-hearted, iron-handed
man.
His name is Osborne Palmer,n re-
piled the elder Clyburne, gazing af-
fectionately at his idol.
II didn't ask You what his name is;
ask, who is he? And that is the way
you dare to answer my questions, sirp"
and as she spoke Daisy playfully
pinched one of his ears.
''Ouch! You little inquisitiye tor
ment! Well, to be explicit. Mr.. Pal
mer is to be one of my under secretar-
les. He is toto assist Mr.. Winchell."
''Come, come, sir? that hesitation
shows that you are trying to hide
something; 1 want the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the
truth"
perhaps you remember that q few
weeks ago your mother extracted
from me n promise that [ would never
again, under any circumstances, open
packages which might come to me by
mail OF. express"
..Of course we did! If those wretch
es send you u dynamite bomb once,
they might do it more successfully
again; it was by a mere chance that
the thing was out of order and did not
blow us all up replied Daisy with q
shudder.
'Not one of the servants has courage
enough to do it for me; Mr.. Winchell
has a family, and since our recent ex-
so have employed this young Palmer,
whose special business it will be to
open my parcels"
"Oh, papa, why should he take the
risk of his life? He is $3.50 young,
maybe he has a motherP"
mo, nor sister, nor airy near rela-
tive. He is highly educated and well
born, but being unfortunate in bust
ness, and therefore Tilted by n heart
less girl, he resolved to put an end to
an unhappy life. He procured a
quantity of laudanum, but decided
that that was uncertain, and SO shot
himself in the head. Either his hand
swerved or his aim was uncertain,
for the wound proved to be only seri-
Gus, not fatal. He was taken t o Il hos
pital, and as the letter he had written
for post mortem purposes proved that
the shooting was intentional, he was in
danger of arrest and trial for attempt
ed self-murder.
"Learning Of the affair, l was struck
with an idea and so used my influence
i'll his behalf, and there was no arrest.
He placed no value on his life, and so
readily accepted the position l offered
him.. He came the very day after you
and your mother went to your grand
mothers to spend Thanksgiving, and
MI. Winchell tells me that he is of
great assistance to him, especially in
my large foreign correspondence. He
is a gentleman born, so lie will live
with lis rs Il member of II family,
and | want you to give your cousin
Bertha a hint that willie she is with us
we hope she will be courteous to him.
] am very fond of Berth, my dear, but
l can see that she is the least bit snob-
bish-like her father. Obed Jenness
is an inbred snob!n
The famous Kilkenny cats might
well have been named Silas Clyburne
and Obed Jenness, for these two men
were continually fighting, tooth and
nail. If n could thwart a scheme OF
the other it was rare sport to him, but
retaliation was sure to come in some
heart-searching way. AS they married
sisters and there was constant inter-
course between their wives anddaugh-
tiers, they outwardly maintained an
armed neutrality.
Goodness gracious, Daisy, do you
know who Uncle Silas has in his en-
ploy nowP" cried Bertha Jenness to
her cousin when she, too. had seen the
young package opener.
Eyes. but lie told me all about him
just n few moments ago. Poor fellow!
He has a romantic and sad historv.''
replied Daisy, and then went on to re-
late what we already know about Os-
borne Palmer.
Bertha listened attcntively with a
peculiar smile lowering around her
thin, soulless lips, and when the story
was concluded she said, withra shrug
of her shoulders, Every romantic, j
admit, but what a fool he was.'
"Oh, no, Bertha! Doubtless his
troubles had temporarily turned his
brain, yet surely he is to be pitied."
Il am not SO sure that he is not now
but tell me-, Daisy, did you ever
hear me speak of a young cavalier l
had who used to deluge me with rare
roses and choice bonbons until his for
tune vanished, and then showered on
me tender verses of his own COMPOST
tion?"
''Oh, yes; and how l cnvied you for
having a real poet at your feet! But
you poems?"
"Doggerel, you mean! No. l hope
not. In Osborne Palmer, your
fathers clerk, you behold the man!'
"No! Not really? Isn't that odd?
And now that hehas come to life again,
80 to speak, the lovely will
begins all over again" said Daisy,
with a faint shade of regret in her
voice.
Each of these cousins had something
the other lacked. Bertha was one Of a
large family, and how Daisy wished
that she. too. might have one or two
brothers, or one or two dear little
midgets of sisters. ButBertha regard
ed these younger ones as channels
where a large share of her fsth-
er's money must go, while Daisy
was the soul and ldolized heir in her
home.
Then, too, Bertha had so many low
ers and Daisy so few. To be sure. the
former. ever eager for attention, met
them fully half way, while the modest
little flower waited quietly for notice
or attention.
OF course it was not now at all sur
prising that Osborne Palmer was soon
made quite at home in the Clyburne
mansion. He and Bertha had one day
a long and confidential conversation.
and after that there was no restraint
in their intercourse.
II, however, he wrote any more