The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-11

it,"
The mother wrung her hands. "Oh,
know it is something readful-dread.
full He has married some horrible wild
person or something"
Richard. miserable as he was, re-
manned calm. WELL" said he. II
don't know about her being horrible
Frank is silent ON that point, but she is
wild enough--a wild Indian, in fact. -
"Indianl Indiani Good God, red
niggerv' cried General Armour harsh
ly, starting to his feet.
IAN Indian! A wild Indianp' Mrs.
Armour whispered family as she drop
ped into q chair
"And she'll be here in two or three
daysl" futtered Marion Historically.
Meanwhile Richard had hastily pick
ed up The Times. "She is due here the
day after tomorrow, he said doliber-
ately. Frank is as decisive as he is
rash. Well, it is melancholy tit for
tat
"What do you mean by tit for tat?"
cried his father angrily.
"Oh, i mean that-that we tried to
hasten Julia's marriage with the other
fellow, and ne is giving us one in re-
turn, and you will all agree that it's a
pretty permanent one"
The old soldier recovered himself and
was beside his wife in an instant. He
took her hand. Don't fret about it,
wife," he said Its an ugly bust
ness, but we must put up with il. The
boy was ont Of his head. We are old
now, my dear. but there was q time
when we should have resented such a
thing as much as Frank, though not in
the same fashion perhaps--not in the
same fashion" The old man pressed
his lips hard to keep down his emotion.
"Oh, how could he. how could hel"
said his mother. I'VE meant every
thing for the best"
"It is always dangerous business
meddling with lovers affairs. " rejoined
Richard. Lovers take themselves very
seriously indeed, and-well, hero the
thing is Now, who will go and fetch
her from Liverpool? i should say that
both my father and my mother ought
to 60"
Thus Richard took it for granted that
they would receive Franks Indian wife
into their home He intended that. so
far as he was concerned, there should
be no doubt upon the question from the
beginning.
Never! She shall never come herer
said Marion with flashing eyes. "a COM
mon squaw, with greasy hair and blan-
kets and big mouth and black teeth, who
eats with her fingers and grunts! II she
does, if she is brought TO Greyhope, /
will never show my face in the world
again. Frank married tho animal.
Why does he ship her home 10 us? Why
didn't he come with her? Why does he
not take her to home Of his own and
not send her here to turn our house into
q menagerie?''
Marion drew her skirt back, as if the
common squaw. with her blankets and
"Well, you see, continued Richard,
''that is just it, As j said, Frank ar
ranged this little complication with q
trifiing amount Of malice. No doubt he
didn't come with her because he wished
to test the family loyalty and hospital
ity, but postscript 10 bis letter says
that his solicitor has instructions to
meet his wife at Liverpool and bring
her on here in case we fail to show her
proper courtesy.
General Armour here spoke. "He has
tarried the war Of retaliation very far
indeed, but men do mad things when
their blood is up, as i have seen often.
That doesn't alter our clear duty in the
matter. If the woman We're bad or
shameful, it would be different thing.
If
Marion interrupted, "She has ridden
bareback across the continent like a
jockey-like common jockey-and she
wears blanket, and she doesn't know
word Of English, and she will sit on
the floor
WELL" said her father, call these
things are not sins, and she must be
taught better
Joseph. how can you?" said Mrs.
Armour Indignantly. "She oannot-she
shall not come here. Think of Marion!
Think OF our positionV She hid her
troubled tear stained face behind her
handkerchief. At the same time she
grasped her husbands hand. She knew
that he was right She honored him in
her heart for the position he had taken,
but she could not resist the natural i'm
pulse Of woman where her taste and
convention Were shocked.
The old man was very pale, but there
was no mistaking his determination.
He had been u.1rc indignant than any
Of them at ilr.t. bat he had an unusual
sense Of justice when he got face to
face with it, ~ Richard had here helped
him TO do. 1--WE do not know that the
woman has done any wrong" he said.
"As for our name and position, they,
thank God, are where mad marriage
cannot unseat them. We have had much
prosperity in the world, my wife. We
have had neither death nor dishonor.
We
''If this isn't dshonor, father, what
k?h Marion flashed ont