The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1891-01-02
The Widows Ledger,

H8-A plrD Atnln6, ana SOHlo. 1aEskla
tobacco. And he is coming to smoke a
pipe with you some day. I was to tell
you particularly MOTTO make yourself Ill
by smoking cigarettes. . s4@ K
Good gracious mel Ny dear lady,
did you eve see such a magnificent
pipeY Quite a work of artl Look al 1.-THE
delicate trAcery2o of those minaret spires,
or whatever they are meant forl l
should not be disposed to accept this,
but since you bring it. and / am not to
smoke cigarettes. I dare say he is right;
there Is a burnt~papery favor about
them, and they may be bad for the
n~eryes-he ought to know. Perhaps it
il smoking such pipes as this that have
made him so strong; and the Germans
smoke big ppies, and they do not know
what nerves are. Now. you know, this
is yeryskind of him. Age has its Pc
culiaritfes-H
And they should be respected. or at
least endured, " said Mary, graveiy; "but
not when they go too far. l am Q r
glad you spoke to him as you did"
"Did he hear Mep"
aNot distinctly; but he could tellthat
you were very angry, and it seemed to
make an impression upon him. He
rather likes a man who an defend him
self"
"Well, really, you know, Mrs. Allen-
by, it was timeto speak, and r should
have come upstairs hut l knew you were
there, and a scene between two such
men might have upset you.n i.
ut would indeed, Mr.. Parker. You.
were very kind to think of that. Will
you take tea with us this afternoon?. i
expect Miss Allenby here
II shall only be too delighted, il you
are quite sure ] shall notbein the way.n
Quite sure.n
AN angel" he said, when She was
gone-"two angels. What a magnif-
cent pipe. l will try it now, 1t may be
what Ihaye wantedto soothe my nerves
/ never thought the cigarettes might be
injurious"
1t really was a magnificent pipe; the
bowl finely carved, and just colored at
the base to a level biscuit-brown; the
stem, with an amber m%outhpiece Of six
inches, was nearly thirteen inches long.
MI. Parker removed the wadding, adj
justed the plug, and filled it carefully.
1t held nearly half-an-ounce, and he
found it very soothing, 80 he filed it
again.
About lifetime he got to the end Of
this he began to think he was on board
a channel steamer with a rough sea run
ming; the carpet rose in waves and the
couch he took refuge on swayed and
swung with him. Putting his pipe safe
ly In Its case, with a last expiring effort
he felt his way along the wall into the
nextroom, and fell on the bed with an
indistinct idea that the end of the world
had come for him. That day he smoked
no more.
But he slept 80 long that Miss Allen
by had been in the house some time be-
fore he aWoke, and the pleasant clink
OF the tea thugs going past his door
was the first sound he heard. He look
ed at his watch, it was four; he put his
head into the basin and emptied the
water over it, dressed with an unhappy
consciousness of feeling and looking as
if he had been very drunk, and waited
to be sent for. He had to wait q long
time, it seemed, when he was dying for
acup of tea.
Much as they liked him, he would
have been in5the way, for the two girls
had q great deal to say. Mary had al
ready answered the letter from Arthur's
mother, but it had not arrived when
Margaret left home, and Mary had to
tell her the contents.
ut is very curious" Margaret said,
"bnt Uncle Michael, who had been out
since quite early this morning-he is a
very early riser-came home not long
since, and said he should very much
like to see the boy this evening as he
is going away for a day or two, perhaps
for a week or two, and he thought you
would not mind letting him go for an
hour OF SO with me-"
II made the same suggestion in the
letter l sent a little before twelve" said
Mary, with a smile; land will see
your mother at any time within the
next few days.
Did you say that, too2"
dearest Mary. I am SO glad.
Uncle Michael seemed so much to
wish it."
And you wish it, too,'' said Mary,
wiping the tears from her friends eyes,
and kissing her; "but it must make no
difference to us, Margaret. You will
come here just the same, for I shall
v be at home in your house; my
visits must necessarily be purely formal.
lean accept the position, and that is
all. My home is here, and here YOU
must see me when we want to love each
other"
II know" Margaret said; eand 1
would rather come here. Still, I shall
be glad to see you received on a proper
footing al. our home"
Mary could have said how little she
cared for that, but she would not pain
her friend.
Another curious thing" Margaret
said, sis that Uncle Michael asks very
few questions about you, though l am
often in his room; he likes me to be
there and talk to him."
Perhaps lie does not wish to know
much about me-
II am sure it is not that, for he speaks
OF you in the kindest manner. Some.
times think he must have some source
OF information; he did, if you remem.
Der, mention a friend who knew Ar.
thur and you"
HAS he mentioned this friend since?'
Never. Mamma found courage to
put the question once as to who this
friend could be, and he simply said, il
his quiet way, 'simplya very old friend
madam'-he said madam as he doe.
when he is not quite pleased-'and one
whose word / can depend upon.' Have
you the least idean
I'VE have known so many people,
Mary said-"Arthur as a doctor. and j
as a lodging-house keeper. 1t may have
been n OF his patients, OF my ledger
it does not matter. Uncle Michael. will
see me for-himsef, I dareksy, after
your mother and l have met
Another curious thing,n Margare,
said.
"You seem to deal in curiosities to
day." Mary i~nterposed.
Yes, but this is very, very curious
Uncle and George Hyde have become
i%nseparable friends. They sit and tall
of Arthur by the hour together
There is nothing curious in that
Margaret: GeOrpa was alwnva A ,fhf,r,s