Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-01-04
OUR GIRLS.
They Were Only Girls, But They
Achieved Success.

"a fine place you've got here, Des-
mond," said Major Clippett, looking
around with approving eyes upon the
lovely lawn, spotted with leafy walnut
trees. Up on the hillside the haymakers
were at work: down in the valley one
could just catch a glimpse Of river that
wound in and out among the green
copses and level pasture lands.
''Yes," said Mr.. Desmond, who,
stretched out upon q bamboo reclining
chair, was smoking an Eastern chiboque.
at Is rather pretty for a man who can't
afford villa ON Lake Como!'
Il saw two young gypsies as came up
the HILL" added the Major, cheerily.
'They were good enough to direct me,
or might have taken the wrong path.
One OF them was riding bareback colt
in the pasture, the other was doing bat
tie with blackberry hedge and had q
very pretty mouth all besmeared with
stains"
Mr.. Desmond shrugged his shoulders.
''our girls" said he. "You needn't go
on 10 describe them any further, Clip
petit. Every body around here knows
our girlsr
''The poor girls" said Mrs. Desmond,
who sat by, in pale blue muslin, and
eyes TO match. They are great dis
appointment To my husband"
Indeed" uttered Major Clippett, SYM
pathetically. They seem to be nice
young things"
mice enough. said Mr.. Desmond, ap-
athetically. "But girls! And I've al
ways SO longed for boy. Some one for
whom you can chalk out career; some
one who can make name in the world
0irls!'
Mrs. Desmond, who believed implicit
ly in her husband, drew a funereal
sigh; Major Clippett laughed. And Ella
and Essie, who had heard IL all in the
shades of the drawing-room curtains,
looked sorrowfully at each other. Essie,
the youngest and rosiest, had washed
the blackberry stains away from her
cherry lips; Ella, the tall girl, who was
very Rosa Bonheur in respect to colts
and cows and all the barnyard animals,
had put ON her white dress and pink
ribbons to do fitting honor TO her IA
theirs guest. And here they stood look
ing sadly into each others eyes. Side
Dy Aluf KlIAN NfHN nOlNfltnSty VI
into the old nursery, where they had
played az children.
II always knew that papa wasn'tquite
suited with US" said Essie.
s'But | never guessed the reason
whyI" said Ella.
''What shall we do?" said Essie.
"What can we do?" pleaded Ella. "W6
are only girlsl''
.Yes | know" said brave little Essie
who from the threshold of her four
teenth year was beginning to take
shy peeps out into the world. "Bu
things are not as they used TO be, Ella
II we could only make papa say: 1 an
proud of your II we could only induc'
him TO look at us as II we weren't super
fiuities in the worldl"
"Do you think II is possible?" said Ella
with Frightening eyes and carmin'
spots glowing on each cheek.
I'VE can try" said Essie. Let us g
down by the river and talk about itf'
"whatl" said MIR. Desmond, lifting hi
head wearily from the pillow of the sofa
where he was composing himself for hi
afternoon stesfd. ''our girls again? Ca
they never be contensed? Aren't the
getting along we'll enough with thei
governess?
eyes, know, dear" said little Mrs
Desmond, meekly. "But they wan
wider advantages than Miss Millson ca
give them. They want music lesson
from Salvini: and course OF Frnnc
and German at the Coasercdtoire; an
Major Clippett says that his sister wi
H. laIf..htal a.. r..aat.ta than for paa
or two, II you don't object."
'objecti' repeated Mr.. DESMOND
drowsily. "oh, don't objectl Let theI
do as they please.'
And Mrs. Desmond carried this yerdi'
70 tho girls.
Didn't he say he should miss u.s.
said Essie, wistfully.
WAS he glad that we had some amb
tion?n asked Ella, whose hungry littl
soul yearned for sympathy as a desc
wanderer sighs for cooling fountain
the arid sands.
''No, children said Mrs. Desnoni
pityingly. "You know papa never ca
be very enthusiastic about girlsl But
IL dare say he will miss you when yc
arc away"
So the two girls left Desmond Cour
dismissed by their father with col
kisses. like the touch OF fish.
Five years had passed away, and ''o'
girls had not returned to the parel
nest. Mrs Desmond grieyed 4
them, but her husband scarce
seemed 10 miss the sound Of their laug
ter in the dim old garden alleys, or q
echo of their light footsteps in u
halls.
'sIf they had been boys, now" said b
sit would have been very different"
Until At length hs went up to town
visit his friend Major Clippett-