The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-03-13

1 DREW MY HAND AWAY AND GAVE IT b
TO HIM AGAIN."
were plenty of them,) in cutting up a
thousand pranks, dabbling in the pud-
dies, building castles of sand and dirt,
climbing trees, playing robber, fighting
fighting. What was more, as ii
scorn us he had forever a liking to
read under u hoses during play hours
out of one of those old books.
"He at least looked down on us. I
saw it in the way his lip curled when he
saw me coming, as I often did at the
head of a romping troop, with cheeks as
red as mulberry blood, hair disordered
and dress in tatters. He said nothing,
and that was worse. A calm so insolent!
a silence 10 insulting! I would have
beaten him if I had dared
"You must have been naughty,
grardma!"
II thought 80, child; I often thought
SO. But l don't think so, now. Is much
to be expected at that age? A fine age,
all the same!"
@And then" "
3Then-that continued for years and
years. I, still turbulent and giddy
with play; he, always reading and point
ing at us, until he was Is years old and
I II. At that time he had to leave
Paris with his parents. I did not see
him again for six or seven years after.
I was no longer a little girl, you know;
my hair still curled, aud that was my
despair, for the fashion of head-dress
a la Chinese had come ip-all the hair
drawn to the top-and I could not sue
coed in smoothing mine according to
the style. Ny dresses had been length
ened out. Printed calicoes were no
longer worn, but muslins, and very
beautiful leg-of-mutton sleeves. In the
meantime / had not ceased being
sprightly and j%ovial, and sometimes,
only occasionally, noisy.
HAs for him he was the same fellow
as when he left, except that he had
light whiskers, which were quite be-
coming. He pressed my hand cere-
moniously instead of kissing me as | had
expected, which somewhat irritated me,
because I had planned, as I still de-
tested him SO much in memory, to turn
to him only the tip of the ear. Then,
with scant courtesy, he seemed to pay
no further attention to EN- whom
everybody else was noticing. I felt out.
ragged,
II saw hat he limped a little, having
recently fallen from his horse. Thai
passed away afterward. This lameness
I made up my mind to turn to account
for revenge. We were at an uncle's in
the country, where I made a visit every
year. Octave had scarcely gone out be-
fore I began walking round the parlor,
Initiating his hating step and formal
manner 1t set every one laughing,
Elated with my success, I vas trying il
over again when he came in and sur
prised me. I expected ~reproacLes.
Wonder! He did not appear to fee
hurt, or to observe my mischievousness,
I never detested him more.
I'm the evening there was q grand
dinner. My cousins had brought one
of their friends whom I considered {
coxcomb and whom I avoided, es
pecially as he took pains to single me
out fur his pretentious compliments. HI
attached himself to me with familiarit,
and vanquishing airs which would have
put me beside myself if I had not seer
that Octave was frowning. All! tina
displeases you, I thought. Well, m!
lad, you may plague yourself. Then
got absorbed with the idea of playing
the amiable with this reckless fellow
He took advantage of it and was 50
troublesome that l went out into til,
park to escape his ridiculous attentions
He followed me. Already the effect o
drinking a good deal of champagne ha,
been apparent; outside it was still
worse. The phrases which he ad
dressed to me commenced finely, bu
did not finish. The beginning wer
sufficient and I wanted no more.
turned my back and scampered away
Notwithstanding my bravery I had hat
enough. Alasl he ran after me, %seizin'
my hand and trying to stop me. Thi
time my fear was so strong that
@You began cry"
"Not exactly. I drew away my han
and gave it to him again, as he wished
but on his ~facn-slap bangis
Bravo, grandma!'
sDo not applaud SO quickly. Octave
who had rejoined rs, had attended m
confirmation, and made that a pretey
| to intervene between me and my pul
suer. The next morning, held respor
sible for my slap. he had a tilt with til
impertinent fellow and scratched hin
fortunately not very deeply, SO that til
adventure ended better than might hav
been feared"
aYou did not detest him any longe,
grandma, did your"
@Qui.e the contrary. By what rigf
had he interfered? 1 was furious abor
it, the more furious as everybod
scowled at me, attributing the troubl
to my flirting. So, quite reused up,
decided to go and tell this oficior
youth once for all what ! thought
him"
ooh, grandmalS
Sir, I said to him-I could think
no term more fitting and disparaging-
sir, you must tell me by what right yo
persecute me 40"
She looked at me slyly in silence, fl
I was doumbfounded in my boyish sir
! pliei.y OF thirteen years, with whom IL
feelings had yet natural play
1T vas cheeky, wasn't it? For
! WAS / who had always prosecuted hir
But it always happens that one tall
nonsense when altogether wrong at
/ dying with rage for not being right.
) expected that he would get angry, b
he did not His eyes we're fixed up,
me with singular mildness, and he sal
: calmly and slowly:
Now, what have I done, Lise? II
me-.
!: ssWhat have you done?' cried
what have you not done?
: Then i perceived that the mers wi
70 make out that one j. in the right "