Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-09-02
A CHANGE OF ROLES.

IN spirit, grasplng IN Its post-mortem
desire to keep the hard-earned money
together; more fit for a monarchy
and its systems of entailed property
than for free republic. But the
facts of it remained Old Selah
Meadows had had a stiff-necked will
of his own in life, and tiff-necked
will Gin another sense) he exhibited
after his death. His brothers child
and one of his sisters children should
marry each other; then the money
would all go to them and the Mead
ows dynasty would continue and go
down to posterity surrounded by
wealth. If this marriage were not
carried into effect the bulk Of the
fortune should go to Baptist missions
and Baptist temperance societies.
What Lydia Thrall and Benedict
Meadows might get would be very
small matter.
The will did not designate Lydia
especially. But, most assuredly, it
was his younger niece whom Selah
had had in his mind when he planned
the marriage of his nephew Bene-
dict To begin with, the two young
people had fallen, the summer before
Selah's passing beyond, into gay
Irritation, when both, at the same
time, had been visitors at the old
homestead. They had appeared to
endure each other so well during
these lazy summer weeks that moth
ing was more natural than the sup
position that they could endure each
other through life. Moreover, Vesta
Thrail could not be reasonably
thought of in connection with matri-
mony. She was only two years
older than LYDIA. But she had, it
was generally understood, elected for
herself a career. She was strong
minded. wore reformed garments, be-
lieyed in the purifying effects of
feminine influence in public life and
was, in toto, the species of girl
whom old Selah Meadows had es-
pecially abhorred.
Hanged if blame him, either"
said Benedict to himself Il wonder
how much of the reformed female |
shall have to stand in the next week?
She will chaperon little Lyd, | sup
pose, and be eternally in the way
mere the young man sighed. But let
1t be confessed that the sigh was not
occasioned by the prospect of the
presence of the elder OF his two
cousins, whom, indeed, since his
early childhood days, he had never
seen. He was, as he drove up the
long, odorous lane, between the
blossoming hedgegrass, toward the
homestead where the sisters had
taken up their abode. thinking of
Lydia, with whom he had lirted and
of his marriage. OF course Lydia
was dear little creature and would
probably make good wife; and, two
years after the wedding day, was not
one good wife the same as another?
The Meadows money was solid and it
would be the rankest idiocy to allow
a bit of foolish sentimentality to
stand in the way of acquisition OF it.
Still-still--
The thought was not completed for
the carry-all halted at the homestead
gate. The house looked cool and
white under its spreading elms. A
young lady in a loose and undefnably
picturesque semi-masculine dress was
coming toward him over the lawn.
She had short hair, whose crisp waves
showed the contours of remarkably
well-shaped head and a pair of ex-
tremely steady. frank and wide-cpen
eyes, whose brilliant glance was fixed
upon his face. As he jumped to the
ground she put out her hand in a
boyish way and said promptly in clear
tones. distinct, well-modulated and
OF striking feminine softness and rich
ness:
..You are Benedict Meadows? OF
course you are. ] remember your
face well as boy and see the re-
semblance. am Vesta ThralE Come
in the house. Here Jim, take the
gentleman's satchel, carry it up to
the guest.room on the second floor.
Tell Mrs. Kinnick to see that tea is
served promptly. Mrs. Kinnick is
our housekeeper;" this to Benedict.
Lydia, as you doubtless remember
from last year when you were both
stopping with Uncle Selah here in
the old place. does not care for house
keeping. And / am too ignorant of
domestic matters to act as supervisor
myself. | am little ashamed OF it,"
she smiled of sudden, and he saw
all of her sound, white. sparkling
teeth. "But my life has been so
busy in other ways! And then, as l
never intend to marry, / did not
think it SO important to acquire the
house-wifely arts. With Lydia it is
different am determined that she
shall not be an incompetent wife. 1
have prevailed upon her to take cook
ing lessons of Mrs. Kinnick Il
have sent Lyd away for this after
noon because / wished to speak to
you undisturbed. I" She had led the
way into the house, which, under its
new aspect. he had difficulty in rec
Where was the familiar,
stale, shut-up odor OF Uncle s.elah's
occupancy? Where were the dark,
mouldy rooms, with dim visions OF
wax flowers and horsehair furniture