Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-01-12
A STRANGE PEACEMAKER.

A STRANGE PEACEMAKER.
She walked, as was her custom, slow
| ly through the crowd, pushing before
her the invalid chair in which reclined
her little crippled sister. The other
bellies and beauties declared it was
absurd the airs she gave herself, and
wondered where her gowns were made.
The old gentlemen who sat on the
benches under the trees, smoking
their pipes, and discussing the prob
able outcome of the November cleo
ton, eyed her approvingly, and said
she was dignitied and modest like the
girls in their day. The younger mas
culine element admired her without
an exception.
On two points, however, all had
perforce to agree. First, that she
was decidedly the prettiest girl at Sill
Yer Beach, and second; that she was
the least interested in social matters.
There was no disputing these facts.
The Wilings had arrived early in
the morning and taken possession Of
one of the handsomest cottages.
With them they brought a retinue Of
servants, a carriage and pair, and
countless trunks and boxes. Pater
and Mater Willing were q handsome,
young-looking couple who seemed to
know all the chest" people, but who
kept good deal to themselves; part
ly, they said, because they had come
to the seashore on account OF the
health OF their younger daughter, who
had recently been thrown from a
horse and narrowly escaped death.
The family seemed to bow down to
and worship this child. In fact, Miss
Vikings reported eccentricity lay in
what some people called her eXagger-
| ated and unreasoning devotion to her
| sister. 1t was said that from early
morn until dewy eve every moment OF
| her time was occupied in attendance
upon the little invalid. This in the very
nature of things was unnecessary,
her social critics averred, for there
were numerous servants in the house
hold; and, besides, the child's fond pa
rents regarded her every wish as
law. However, Miss Willing was
Nelly's self-constituted nurse,
and the expostulations OF ac-
quaintances and the criticism OF
strangers failed to affect her in the
least. She appeared in the social life
OF Silver Beach but once O. day-in the
afternoon-when she took her sister
! for airing in her invalid chair. Nelly
preferred this style OF locomotion to
| a drive in the carriage with her
| parents.
On this particular afternoon they
presented a more than usually inter-
esting picture. Nelly, who was ma
turally very bright and accustomed
to being made much OF, and to whom
fear or embarrassment was unknown,
| had something to say to each OF her
acquaintance among the passers by,
Who in turn, spoke kindly to her.
She and her lovely nurse had become
familiar figures on the beach, and
objects OF general interest. Through
all this Miss Willingpassed Indifferent
~ enough, speaking to her friends with
perfect civility, but without any in
shine full upon her charming figure,
and transformed to gold the silken
hair that the sea breeze blew about
her brow in careless ripples.
The beach was crowded with groups
OF children amusing themselves in
sundry fashions. Occasionally Nelly
would call halt, and carry on short
but animated conversations. Pres
emily they came upon q small boy at.
tired in white flannel, lying prone up
on the sand. his heels in the air, and
an expression of fiendish Joy illumina-
ting his countenance. Tied to astring
was an unhappy crab, out OF which
combinat the youth was deriving
exquisite satisfaction. Down toward
the seething surf the crab would
amble as far as the length of the string
would permit and just as visions of a
watery home and the renewal OF old
acquaintance began to brighten his
weary way, back with a thud he
would be brought to his original
starting place, a sadder but no wiser
crab. Over and over again this per-
formance was repeated, the small
boy being in no wise disconnected bv
the presence his two observers.
Nelly watched him with deepening
interest. Finally she inquired grave.
ly:
"Where'd you get your crab?"
"Found him. was the brief reply.
SIS the any more where you got
that one?" proceeded Nelly.
"Reckon the is" said the boy, kick.
ng his heels together.
81 want one just like that" she
said, looking straight at him.
He grinned, and there was a pause.
81 want one," she repeated, with
more emphasis.