Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-11-04

tolerable familiarity. But she could only
endured
..Florence, come down! Philip has just
arrived! Come down TO sec him" Ethel
said, rushing excitedly into her cousins
room. ado, Florence dear; he wants 40
much to see your' And the answer cruel
ly repealed her.
81 think the anxiety to see an utter
stranger may he endured, don't you Ethel?
Remember, he is not really my cousin, a.
you are"
Ethel's bright look vanished i~nstantane-
ously.
s.Oh, Florence, don't say that it will
hurt us all so much! You don't know what
dear Phil is 10 us. do come. and see for
yourself. Or may l." she asked with sud.
den brightness, .tell him TO come up
here:"
'9Not for the world, Ethel!" Florence
said haughtlly. "since you wish ii so much,
l will come down presently to see your
brother" And with this ungracious prom
ise Ethel left her.
Miss Worthington "came down." but
too late. Maud and Ethel had carried of
their brother 10 the hated shop TO see his
father, just three hours sooner than he
would have seen him had he remained qui.
city at home. Florence had heard them
s%campering past her door, and then down.
stairs again
"The girls were so sorry, my dear; they
would have liked YOU much 10 have accom-.
panied them; but Ethel thought you
would not like TO go to the house Of busi-
ness" her aunt told her. $50 you will have
to put up with my company till tea-time
We are all so pleased to have Philip home
again that really think we lose our senses.
And he looks so much better"
"Indeed," Florence said curtly.
"Yes, much better. He was so tagged
before he went that we were all quite anx-
ious about him. You see, he works hard.
my dear-often far into the night; and the
different drugs and poisons he has 10 dc
with 80 constantly must be pernicious. /
can assure you, Florence, that sometimes
and 1 am never very f~astidious-I can
not bear the horrible smells hat his labora-
tory reeks with" Florence could quite
understand that, and sympathised now en-
tirely with her aunt. s'But of course you
cannot be interested in a person YOU have
never seen, though you must soon like
Philip. Come and sit nearer to me, my
dear. and talk about yourself-here OH this
low chair, Florence, where you will avoid
any ufaugnt from the NlnuOW.
Miss Worthington came nearer, and In
her sunt's kind homely face began to think
that she could trace a likeness TO her moth.
er's picture, now hanging in her room up
stairs.
"You are beginning TO get used TO Us,
and our bomely ways" her aunt said. al
noticed that they tried YOU a little at first"
Florence thought that she had carefully
hidden her feelings-f.but you see, Flor.
ence, your mother married out OF her sta.
tion. Whether or not she was happier for
il, Heaven knows" Mrs. Darlington added
~thoughtfully. ".Of course YOU must have
lived a different kind Of a life always from
ours, and must feel the difference now but
you are Young enough; ! hope, dear, 10
get rcconciled to the change"
Indeed, aunt, I am ~ happy as | can be
anywhere Florence put in.
"Yes, dear, | know; and AT present of
necessity must suffer very much," Mrs.
Darlington said, stretching out her hand
and touching the girls heavy Grape. "But
you must try, dear, 10 be resigned 10 the
will of Heaven. l wanted TO say this to
you, Florcnce-not unkindly, DEAR Mrs.
Darlington went on, taking the girls hand
ia hers-you must try to identify Yourself
more with our life, a. a necessity for your
health"
Florence was crying softly; filled with
sorrow for ser father. she was conscience
stricken too, because her distaste had been
seen through. But she did not withdraw
her hand.
IL won't weary YOU with many words,
dear; but for your health's sake you mus
make some little effort, Florence. You
have been with us three weeks, and you
have never once left the house, not even
10 go TO church." 1t was the first mother
ly speech Florence had heard in all her
life, and il wen straight to her heart in
spite of herself. at pains your uncle too.
lie is always saying that he wants YOU to
be more like the girls, and he always asks
for You when you sit alone. Now my little
lecture is over" her aunt finished.
Miss Worthington volunteered the first
concession that she had ever made.
"You are very good to me, aunt-too
good; | will try TO do what you wish"
THAT is a good child. Now tell me if
you often hear from your aunt. OF course
you must feel parting with her even for a
time. suppose she has always been your
nearest and dearest friend!"
"Oh, no, aunt M~ary--neyer" Florence
answered quickly. ..There is but little
love between Us, / think. She has not al
ways been with Us. AS was, | suppose l
suited her; but l am sure il would be
different now.'
The words gave Mrs. Darlington strange
pleasure. She had far rather her dead sis
ter's child had not inalienable love and
sympathy for the worldly-minded woman
she had quickly seen through.
The afternoon was closing in, and Mrs.
Darlington wanted fresh flowers for the
table, probably in honor Of her sons re-
turn. For the first time Miss Worshinyton
proffered her services 10 gather some; and,
as the pyramid Of bright roses grew higher
under her slender fingers, her eyes seemed
to brighten, and her cheeks 10 kindlc more
softly. The heavy mourning also height
ened her delicate beauty, saddening and
softening it.
IL hope Philip will not fail us. ! don't
think he will: hut he sometimes does-and
he has gone dangerously near his laborato-
~. lie will scarcely like 10 send the girls
home alone though" Mrs. Darlington, SO
liloQuised.
MAY l have a few more cream-colored
roses, unit Mary-enly 4 few"
"Yes, my dear, as many as YOU like
And Florence, scissors in hand, left the room
by the French window.
When she came back she could hear the
girls voices. Her hands were filled with
roses-red aud white. For q moment she
meditated flight upstairs; but there was no
time.
.sHere is Florence. Phil! Florence, Flor
ence!" cried Maud eagerly; and Miss
Worthington knew that her new cousin
was close to her.
She kept her eyes bent cbstinately over
the roses, or she would have seen a gentle.
fair, pale, clearly-eut face, with "A broad
low brow, sweet and soft gray eyes, n =
mouth which smiled even In repose. Tall,
too, the newcomer must be. she knew for
she felt that he stopped Ina greeting her.
"This Is Florence is III" lie asked.
Pride. shyncss, curiosity, were all strug-
Cling in Florencc's breast. Her bands
were still flied with roses, held with OBJ
stinate tightness.
Could there ever have been such pre-
sumption: Philip ~Carriugton's hand light
~ touched her waist-worse still n hun
dred times, bis lips were pa: 70 her brow
fiorence's face Mas aSsHis. nHc" dare
your" she nearly exclaimed.
ado not blame me, colsin,' Philip Car.
rington said, laughing softly. at Is Eth
els Ss::.s, net s.!ae. She told me that l
must do SO, or you would not think ] was
pleased 10 welcome YOU In our home. which
indeed l am = the marvcllously sweet voice
added.
Florence,s head raised n little higher.