The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-01-03

CuAplG vi DGtlto " Wiz uoC VI ~ 1SW
who cared for the pleasure.
Sometimes he went out with the fish
sometimes he did a turn at
and sometimes he was gen
eral "handy-man' to the big houses, as
they were held to be in this hamlet.
He lived all alone in a little cottage,
away high up the cliff that frowned
down on Grayle to the northward-a
queer, lonely place, perched on a bit of
table-land, bleak of all verdure-the on
ly ascent to which was by a rough path
way; but as he liked it, and in his
morose sort of way enjoyed his exist
ence there, the folks left him to his
taste.
HE gets it for nothing almost. they
said, with knowing wlnks one to the
other; "leastways, he built the bit of a
place, n pays near nougllt for the
land"
For Nat Poynter had the reputation
of being fond of money. and able to
drive a good bargain with a neighbor;
n yet, Withai, q man not without GER
tain generous impulses; for instance,
he never could be persuaded to take
money from Miss Erica, whom he had
known from the time Mrs. Vernon and
her daughter had lived at Grayle. near
ly eight years ago. He would take her
about anywhere in his boat; had Taught
her to row, and regarded her with a
sort of dog-like affection, which was
perhaps the softening influence of his
rough, hard life. And when Mrs. YER
non died he was sorely grieved because
Miss Erica went away to some distant
relation in Scotland, and the Grayle
House was shut up.
Nearly two years had passed since
then, and great was Mats Joy one day,
when passing he saw the window blinds
signs of life about the OLD house, and
was told that a gentleman from London
had bought it, and was coming down to
live there for a time. And the woman
from the village, who was having u
grand "clean up" told him, with beam
ing face, that the gentleman was Miss
Erica'so husband.
Our Miss Erica!o said she. scrub
bling vigorously. lord, to think Of
that slip of a thing being married. She
as used to be out over the rocks half
her time, with her pretty bare feet,
a-dreamin' and a-readin' all her life"
And now this particular afternoon
Nat Poynter stood on the beach, one
foot resting or the side of his boat,
which he had redecorated for Miss
Erica
She had arrived the day before, but
had not been down on the beach. Nat
thought she might be coming down and
want a spell on the sea this fine after
noon; so he had everything ready, and
as he stood so waiting, smoking his
short pipe, and screwing up his eyes in
the sun. he unused on the turn of affairs,
and on the appearance of a gentleman
whom he fancied to be Miss Erica's
husband that he had seen walking down
the High-street in the morning-a tall.
handsome man, with delicate and
naughty features, somewhat stern and
grave, the boatman thought.
"Hulloa, Matt said Il voice: and a
burly fisherman lounged up with his
hands in his pockets.
"EIulloa, Jem!" responded Nat, with
out moving or scarcely looking at his
mate. Heard the news, Jem?"
Nat removed his pipe from his mouth
to blow a cloud of smoke from his lips,
and tilted his boat backwards and for
wards as he spoke.
"News?" Jem was slow and rather
apathetic, as co%pntrymen are. but the
sound of news stirred him a little. NO;
only that Grayle House is took"
THAT'S the news. Don't you know
it's our Miss Erica as is the genneman's
wife,"
"No-o!" said Jem, with a p%rotracted
dwelling On the SOP that expressed
some bewilderment. Miss Erica.-
Lord. Miss Erica! 'Oo's the genne-
MANI
Don know" said Nat. "If it's him
l saw to-day, he looks a haristocrat,
every hlnch OF nm"
Jem unused in silence for a moment
N tlen iounged away, utterlng anew,
MISS Erica! GOOD Lord
"Nat, Nat! dear Old Matt cries a
young, Slivery voice. The shingles are
scattered far and wide, and down the
shelving beach comes bounding a tall.
lllhe neure, whose every movement is
grace. Her soft hair is flying about
her, her eyes bright with glad greeting;
and she lays her two bare hands-on
one OF whlch CLEANS the golden clrciet
ON nus, ana smiles INTO his uncouth
tace beaming now with delight.
Lord, now; didn't | think you'd be
uoWn! INC got the 4 ready ana all
and so you're married, Miss Erica
lum-I mean--I AK pardin, ma'am."
"Never mind, never mind that" said
Erica, laughing, and coloring a :ittlo
too. I'm Miss Erica still, YOU know,
W dill lin lIlPltlS. HOW GOou OF Won 10
get the boat ready-oh. it's the dear cid
Water Nymph,-how grand she locks
and stra1ghtway Miss Erica vaulted
lightly into the boat and seated herself
in the stern, leaning her elbows on her
knees, her firmly-rounded chin on
her hands, looking up with those beau
tlful eyes which have never lost a GER
tam sadness of expression they had
even as a child. And now too, that the
first gladness of this renewal of old ac-
qnalntanceshp is subdued, the face
loses It's bright flush and gayety and
settles INTO gravity.
II DID her up for you, miss-ma'am,"
said Nat, pulling himself up; sit does
seem nice to see You settin' there quite
comfor bic like. And so you're mar
RED. Miss Erica
Yes, Nat, I'm married" answered
the girl smiling. weren't you sur
pr1sed when you heard who had bought
a'ayle iouse!,
Mas lhat pleased, ma am sad Nat
WIN rough energy, there, ! can't tell
ye, when ! knoWtd you was the genne.
"lie. be you gong To 1--we here?'
on, no, Nat. Mr.. st. John. that is
my husband. is a Writer-WriteS books
you know, and he has to live in London;
pun ne $ peell working too hard, and SO
asked MN 10 come mere Tor a time"
Ave, l pXpect YOU haven't 10 aek for