Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-03-26
DO B ! N."

HerDertS had all Its doors and windows
opened wide To the breeze and the sun
shine. The sun was hot ON the lawn:
there was not q cloud in the blue sky
overhead; the shadows of the trees be-
yond the lawn lay across the grass, clear
ly outlined, but moving in the breeze.
Ii was an afternoon late in August: the
corn vas standing in golden sheaves in
the fields; the swish of the scythe and the
busy whirr of the reapin ,-machine were
noises OF yesterday; and the rustic of
leaves and branches. the drowsy cawing
Of the rocks, and a little song which
Molly, the kitchen-maid. was singing
gaily as she washed her dishes before an
open window were the only sounds that
broke the stiffness of the afternoon.
Presently a leisurely step came up the
garden: II at the same instant "A little
old lady who had been working alone III
q downstairs Dol sat up alert and list
ened, put down her knitting. took off her
spectacles, and went TO the window to
look out. The window opened, door
fashion, on TO a narrow paved terrace be-
meath the shade of "A veranda: the old
lady stepped out and waved her thin little
hand payfully at the new arrival, who
was skirting the lawn.
The newcomer was q young Saxon
giant. a fair-haired, sunburnt. careless
looking young fellow. six feet high, and
with shoulders that did not shame his
height. who was good-tempered to a
fault. and "a awkward as his soldierly
training would allow him to be. He was
conscious OF a feeling Of disappointment
when he saw only old Mrs. Herbert wait
..- g.. Is,o, 49,, L.. ,,,,IL,.l Lie o4aVNa 4,
little and smiled as he took the old lady's
hand. IL his glance wandered beyond
her into the empty room, and his face
fell when he found there was no one
there, the old lady pretended not to n o
tica.
"Now this is what ! call nice of YOU
she said airily. "All this way. and on
such an afternoon tool The girls have
all gone out. Come in, Captain Dewar
come in. This is very nice: we can
have a little chat-a nice quiet chat.
And you shall hold my wool for me-
had Just finished my b%all-vou shall hold
this skein.'
The young Hercules stood looking
down a little ruefully at the pale blue
wooden skeiu that was being prepared fol
him.
II may make a mess OF il, you know"
he said.
Then I'll forgive YOU" returned tho
old lady, with a ~coquettish laugh and
smile. ''Sit down before me there
down low. Get off the f~ootstooi, Milo
good doggie, and let Captain Dewar sit
down. Poor doggie-and was he dis
turbed then? Milo is poorly--not himself
he feels the heat. Now you al sit Oh
the footstool and stretch out your hand:
yes. so-keep them still. This IL very
nice and easy. I'm glad you came"
The young man tried To acquiesce, anC
blushed at the untruthful ringo 4 his owl
voice. He was not fond Of old Mrs. Her
bert's society. He was Il ~good-naturec
uncritical Young fellow, who was happy
with most people; but vanity and co
uuetry are not charming in mn old lady
| of seventy years, and he felt ill at cas-,
and a little ashamed, az an honest school
boy feels when a forward schoolgirl
makes love to him.
This reminds me Of old times" sale
the old lady gently, ''when " "a girl
YOU know, and had lovers by Tie score
NOWADAYS girls are delighted if the,
have one lover: but IL refused my
twentieth offer before l was eighteen
Truly" Intercepted young DewaI
good~-naturedly.
"Yes-before / was twenty every elig
ible young man in the county had pro
| posed and been refused
'Oh, but, ! say. you were cruel, yot
KNOW
The old lady gave a little pleased rip
ping laugh.
"And after all, " she said sentimentally
81 married Mr.. Herbert, and every ont
wondered why. Qcite a aesoHidnce
they said. And So it a No money
no family, and quite "a stupid man; and
widower, too, with a big boy-quite
big boy! But | WIS in love-and love
makes us blind, they say. Quite a love
match! Girls are foolish beings, Captain
Dewar--foolish, foolish beings! tel
Amy so. What wonderful offers tina
child has had-I should surprise you If
told you! A young German noblemaI
last summer, and excellent offers i'll Lon
don this spring-all refused! Well, well
/ mustn't scold her! Her heart has beer
| given away-as mine was-near home
Foolish. foolish child!'
The young man looked hard at tn
wool he held, and his brorzed face tiushe'
n little. He was a good soldier and hat
fought valiantly in the Soudan, and wa.
not a fool in the company Of men; bu
women like Mrs. Herbert perplexed him
Did she mean to hint that her step-grand
| daughter Amy was in love with him
Her tone and manner implied it; and yet
| he told himself, he was a C0nceited Toe
so to interpret her words and smiles
Amy was a nice little girl, frank as tn
day, and no more in love with him thai
he was with her. And he had no though
of loving her. Wa he now in love
hopelessly, devotedly--with Hespie Hell
yer, the prettiest,~ cleverest, most woman
" little girl i'm the world, who spent Ion
terms in the year at q learned college a
Cambridge. and attended lectures OF
logic and political economy, and was a
kind to Amy and Florence Herbert. he
friends, and to him, the Herbert's neigh
Dor, and to other foolish and unworth,
people, as though she were any ordinar,
unlearned maiden?