Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-02-27
ample py careless. foolish mothers. or

ample by careless, foolish mothers, or
wicked fathers and brothers?
Phebe felt a gentle pity take the place
Of the indignation and condemnation she
had at first held toward them in her
thoughts; they needed help, poor girls,
they were the innocent sufferers. The
sins of the fathers were visited upon
them. She felt glad that she had risked
their displeasure, or ridicule, and spoken
plainly. An appeal to conscience may
appear, at the moment, to possess but
little motive power; but it will abide, and
in the end set to work forces that will ac-
complish the purpose desired.
Her cousin Annette, Miss Flower had
discovered, was a victim to just ouch
careless education. Her parents were
blameless, however. Left an orphan and
an heiress at an early age, a wealthy aunt
and guardian had placed her charge at q
fashionable boarding-school, where, had
she not been possessed of good common
sense and "A strong character, she might
have been ruined. Her marriage 10 Doc
tor hurry had, fortunately, followed her
first season in the gay world of society;
she was, therefore, only a little warped,
not spoiled, by the hot air she had
breathed in the short whirl amid its per-
nicious customs.
"Why, / have drunk wine at dinner
ever since i left school, she said to Phe-
be, whose surprise at seeing her cousin
order wine daily, amused her. 1T il
customary in Gotham society, you know,
dear. Aunt Wetherill would be horriiied
To have dinner without her wines. What
IA little water-color saint you are, with
that grave look of disapproyal on your
face. Come, have a glass of this Cha
tedu Ldttte; it will warm you up and do
you good"
mo, no; thank you," replied Phebe.
warmly enough, II cannot begin society
ways now The daily practice of drink
ing liquor seems to me dreadful, in wom-
en- especially"
Annette had laughed, called her
Grandmother Flower" and said no
more. Phebe loved her new cousin, and
in spite of all the fashionable chaff that
surrounded her character and made her
seem, sometimes, light and frivolous,
Phebe knew that there was a wealth of
sound, good wheat at bottom.
Hello, there! Wake up from your
day-dream, Phebe, and come with us
IL was Annette's voice that reused her
from her %reverie, as. making a sort OF
telephone of her tenn racquet, she shout
ed her invitation across from the lower
end of the piazza, where she stood with
her companions, who had all just leftthe
lawn.
Where are you going?" asked Phebe,
catching upher work, which had dropped
from her lap.
"To the Star Chamber replied Mrs.
Van Worst, pointing inside. Annette
beckoned again, a little imperatively and
Phebc obeyed her. following the company
10 the nttie private ROOM. As usIISI Liie
orders Were for drinks.
"Sit down, dear said Annette to
Phebe: you look a. pale as "A ghost. Let
me order you something stronger than
lemonade"
yes, Mis- Flower, nave a seat in our
august midst. This is the Star Cham
Der, you know. Come, we will drink to
you as the bright particular STAR" and
pretty little Mrs. Burton held up her
glass of liquor and prepared to begin.
Thank you, replied Phebe, still
standing in the doorway, but | fear if |
should remain, | should return your toast
with a speech that might be severe. Do
you recollect what the star Chamber
was at Westminster: A court whose
jurisdiction wa To punish such offenses
as the law had made no provision for"
Phebe's color rose with her words, and
she looked anything but pale as she spoke.
Some of the ladies looked atritie ashamed
and some returned her quiet, sober gaze
with an angry fash of eye. One sal!
in a stage whisper, 1--WE forgot, the
schOol-mistress is abroad" Annette
looked d~ispleased and annoyed, but re-
| ,laAI nr,aanll,~ ..NtT,ll ~ .rnar ..lAau.
dear. We invited you TO join us with
kindly intent; if you have severely con
scientious scruples about it, you are at
liberty to decline
Phebe felt the hot tears struggling for
outlet behind her blazing eyes. How she
longed. then and there. to speak To the
mothers, as she had done to the daugh-
tiers: but she feared she had offended her
cousin and hostess already, and there
fore, with a gentle, IF you will be so
| kind AS to excuse me, then, | will de-
| cline" she left them and went up to her
room.
As she passed one of the open doors in
the corridor, she caught the sound of a
mans voice in authoritative debate.
Without pausing a moment she heard
every word:
II positively forbid you, Henrietta" il
said, from drinking with that gay set
of fashionable Why, it's actual
ly an every morning, as well as every
| evening. occurrence. To seq them sitting
in that private room and drinking liquor.
It's outrageous: and my wife and the
mother of my children shall not do it,"
All! here was one brave man who laid
down the law outside the Star Cham
ber.'