The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-11-21
III.
Ah
A MUTINY DOWNSTAIRS.

eccentric logger. NUMBER JWenty-SeYen
was rather unsettled. but the inmates
grew accustomed to him gradually There
was, in fact, no alternative, he gave
very little trouble and he had no in
teption of going. The cook gave warn
ing, the housemaid would not wait up-
ON him, and Nj. p. Parker stole i'll and
out of the house on tiptoe; he was
dreadfully afraid of that eminently dis
agreeable old gentleman upstairs. When
he walked about the house the ceilings
shook: and when he called his man it
was in Il rcarthat made everybody trem-
Bile. Up to this time Mary Allenby had
not much to thank the friendly lawyer
for, but she did not tell his so.
He is old, and irritable, and in pain,n
she said, when MI. Joyce inquired how
she liked her new ledger. land perhaps
the climate does not agree with him.
He will be better by-and-bye.'
Nothing w did suit him or agree
with him except having his own way"
said Mr.. Joyce; she is rich and eccen-
trio, and most people let him do as he
likes for the sake of what may be got
out of him. BY the way, l forgot to
mention that he hates the sight or sound
of children. They drive him mad, so l
told him you had none.'
Mr.. Joyce, how could you?"
"A little evasion, my dear lady, moth
ing more, quite legal. He asked me if
you %had-no, | am wrong-he did not
ask anything about you in that respect,
he wanted to know if there were child
zen in the house; now, II child is not
children, so l could answer him fear
lessly, and then yours is such a quiet
little angel"
"He certainly is very quiet said
Mary, land l keep him out of the way"
Quite right, too, most children are a
nuisance, except to the people they be-
long to; how does the little chap get
along with the niger. for of course he
has seen itY"
II was never so surprised in my life.
Arthur took to him from the first; he
understands children wonderfully; but
You should not call him a niger, Mr..
Joyce"
lie would not mind. Why should
he? The negro is a man and a brother,
and | have told him not to mention the
child to his masttr.''
II was about to ask you that
u would not have him know ii for
the world. 1t would aggravate the govt;
inflammation might set in, and then |
should lose my best client. Keep that
child out of his way, Mrs. Allenbv,
whatever you do
1t was difficult to tell whether Mr..
Joyce was serious or jrsting. but ne
said that SO solemnly that Mary was
frightened: there was no knowing what
such IL singular gentleman might do if
he came suddenly upon one of the in
nocent race that he hated with the
ferocity of Herod.
Had Mr.. Barker's irritability not been
a natural inlirmity intensified by pain,
1t might have been thought that he was
trying to see how thoroughly disagree.
able he could make himself. lie grum-
bled whenever he had a chance, and til.
way he went on at the poor man Of his,
was, as the cook said, something dread
full; not that she understood word, for
MIR. Barker roared at him in an un.
known tongue, and Cinci replied in the
same. with his quiet, mellow voice and
irresistible smile; and then she wanted
to know why he did not have his game,
and fish, and poultry from the proper
,tradesmcn, and his meat from thf butch.
er. instead of eating those timed things
like a cannibal. Evidently the cook had
curious associations of ideas, or else her
impressions as to what those tins con.
tanned We're decidedly erroneous.
With a cook who gave warning twice
q week on the average, anda housemaid
in a perpetual state of mutiny, Mrs,
Allenby was ina sad condition of per-
plexity, and she did not like having to
smugsle her pretty baby out of the way
If she CHANGED to hear her lodger's voice
or footstep on the landing. The little
widow had a very independent spirit OF
ner own, and in her inmost heart she
wished MI. Barker would go.
II would tell him to 60" she said tc
DR.. Hyde, "but l am sure no one else
would take him in; he is so disagree.
able"
"You have the true spirit of a Chris.
tian, Mary" he said, with a smile
"You endure the inflictian rather thar
let yonl neighbors suffer; but it seem.
to me that SO long as you keep.a lodg,
ing house you will be liable to these
things. People who live in lodgings
imagine that they have the right to do
as they please; people who let lodgings
Imagine that those who live in them
should do as they, the people who LET
them, please. Now here we have the
two brought into conflict. You have a
self-willed old gentleman for a lodger,
he has a dignified little landlady. Now,
the thing is, do you really wish to get
rid Of himln
Mary hesitated.
have to keep baby out of his way,
Well, that is no particular hardship,
and is to be met by keeping baby out of
his way. Now what comes next?n
The cook will not stay. She gives
me warning every other day or 80, and
the houselnaid is always complaining
eXhess things are to he gemsdied,