The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-07-31

upon me this afternoon while |. like
dutiful Christian. was in church." she
said. Her smile was her brothers, her
blithe. refined tones her own. but
mean to improve my advantages the
more diligently on that account
The genial persifiage had bridged over
the always-awkward transit from front
door TO drawing-room when the host Is
the conductor. 1t was the more embar-
RAISING in this case because the two
meagerly furnished parlors were un-
lighted except as glimmer from the
hall-gas added to the sense OF space and
emptiness.
.Allow me-' March took from Hetty's
fingers the match she had lighted, and
reached up to the chandelier. The
white illumination flashed upon pleas
ing study OF an up-looking manly face,
with honest, hazel eyes, dropping mus
tache and teeth that CLEANED in the
smile attending the question:: Il hope
your niece is none the worse for her
fright"
THANK you! think not She is
rather nervous than timid, and not
usually afraid Of dogs"
Il hope we can see her to-night?"
May took Up the word. MY brother
says she is such dainty, bright little
creature that / am impatient to meet
her.
Hetty's eyes glowed with gratitude
and surprise. No other visitor had ever
named the afflicted daughter OF the
house in this tone. The frank, cor
dial praise kept back no implication of
plying patronage. Mr.. Wayt's wife's
sister had knocked about the world
OF churches and parishes long enough to
know that the perfect breeding which
ignores deformity without overlooking
the deformed is the rarest Of social
gifts. In any thefciscumstances,s she
would have refused steadfastly to SUBJ
ject Hester to the scrutiny of q stranger.
As it was, she hcsitated visibly.
"She is seldom able to receive COM
pany in the evening. But will see how
she is feeling tonight
She had remarkable sclf-possession,
as March had noted already. She got
herself out OF the room without num-
BILE or halt. She walked well, and with
single eye to her destination with no
difiident conjectures as to how she
moved or looked. March had keen per-
points.
'What an interesting-looking GIRL"
observed May, in an undertonc.
And March. as cautiously--'I hope
she will let us see the little one! She is
the jolliest grig you can conceive Of"
Both tried not to look about them while
waiting for the hostess return. The
place was forlornly clean, and the new
carpets gave forth the ungoodly smell
Of oily wool nothing but time and use
can dissipate. Plaintive efforts to abol-
ish stiffness were evident in chairs
grouped in conversational attitudes near
the summer-fronted fireplace, and ia
BILE pulled we'll away from the wall, with
books and photographs lying about on
it. March could fancy Hetty doing these
things, then standing disheartened, in
the waste Of Moquette, under the con-
seriousness that there was not one-fifth
enough furniture for the vast rooms.
At this point, he spoke again, subdued-
ly:
What possessed the church to build
these desolate barns and call them fam
lily parlors?"
May was parish worker, and looked
her surprise.
"a parsonage must have plenty of
parlor room for church sociables."
"Then those who use them ought to
furnish them. Or, say! it wouldn't be
amiss to keep them up as show-places
are abroad-by charging . shilling ad-
mission fee."
Hetty's return saved him from de-
served rebukc.
any niece will be very happy to see
you," she reported, rather formally, her
eyes darkling into vague trouble or
doubt as she said it. On the way across
the hall she added hurriedly to May:
I'VE never overpersuade her to meet
strangers. In this case there was no
need"
Mays glovcd hand sought hers with a
swift, involuntary gesture. It was
the merest touch that emphasized the
low Thank your but both struck
straight home to Hetty's heart. The
March tact was inimitable.
Hester lay upon lounge, propped
into sitting posture with pillows. Her
hair and drapings were cunningly dis
posed. A casual eye would not have
penetrated the secret OF the withered
limbs and curved spine. A red spo,
like rose-leaf rested upon each cheek