The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-01-12


more. she began In earnest to consider
where she could find Il home for her
self and child. away from the uncon-
genial little town.
CHAPTER MI.
About twelve miles from Cod!lngtOn,
IN the midst Of Il flat. fat county, stood
Il farm house. 1t WAS Il twO-s.Ory rcd
brick house. with Il slated roof, and
small square windows. 1t had Il li.;le
formal garden in front and farrlyarsl.
and stahlng and barns, and gr;luarirs
In the rear. 1t was unpicturesl,,r. lilly
and dull There was IL mOloton"l;s
series Of wirc-fenced fields I'LL around it,
and the only relief to the eye. In nli the
landscape within range Of vision, was Il
little tangled wood. full Of nut trees,
and brambles. and gnarlctl old haw-
tErrns. and elders now laden with
lunches of dark berries.
The inside of the house was unscrll-
pulously clean. Yet. nevertheless, its
was not agreeable to nose
or lungs. for the occupants Of 1t had
Il mortal aversion to fresh mir within
their dwelling. AMI only enjoycd--cr
rartook of without cnjoying-that lux
uly under the open sky. Only Ole win.
dow in all the house was open through.
out the warm autumn day. 1t was a
window on the second tiOor. and Il
willie curtain 1lutteral backward and
forward there, and pot OF flowers
broke the monOtony of the series of
square glass eyes which blinkcd mt
the sunshine all along the front Of the
house. This was Mrs. ia ks chamber
window. Here she had installed her.
self with Topsy for month. lodging
with the farmers family. who were
relatives of Mr.. Mills, the colnpositor.
Mrs. Jack had been dissuatlcd from
removing her few goods and cl,attcls
her pianoforte. her work table. Pop
Sy's little sleeping cot-Out TO Bcck's
Heath Farm. until she should have tried
the lif" there for Il few weeks. Mrs.
Pethcrick ami Barney, having carried
this point. felt little doubt Of Mrs.
Jacks return to Old street. She would
certainly bc very dull and lonely ut
Beck'S Heath. and would be glad. by
and by, to return to her old quarters
and her old friends. Mrs. Lilly, of Per-
cival House, when she learned that the
with the fnSt4er's people
WAS but temporary, came to the same
conclusion. depend upon it," said she.
i'll tile bosom of her family. I'VE shall
have Bell back here very soon. The
place will be too quiet for h.. alt0sctl-
ci"
1T will be terribly dull for Il person
with SO few spiritual resources as poor
Bell" said ltehecc:l. SEA S,ly ANY u:a.
to speak to-"
OR TO tiirt with" added Emtla,
Epit"fully.
Il do not think YOU should say that.
Emma," returned her sister, Il did MT
like your saying something of the kind
To Mrs. Botl,linyton. I:.li IS frivolous.
but she is not false. And Il flirt must
act lies if she speaks nolle''
"Bell is awfully vair. Itcbccca. She
Is r:lvrnolls for admiration"
Indeed. think not. never knew
She has none Of the little tricks of dis
play. which vain people can no more
help than Il patient with St. Iitus'
dance car help twitching"
This was Il telling hit II. Miss
Emma Lilly, who could ncve: keep
her eyes of a looiiing glass
il there was one within sight,
and who was perpctually contemplate
ing her hands and lier feet and her curIs
and her figure after the manner COM
mon to persons afflicted with the NAL
ady of vanity in excess.
1t will be seen that the Lilly family
was not quite at one with regard to
Mrs. Jack. Rebecc;i had begun to feel
that the poor young widow had not
been treated fairly. And she even went
SO far rs to say that many things
might have gone better, II they had
used Il little more Kindness and a good
deal less GOODNESS in their behavior ia
Bell. The others dissenting from this
view. But they all concurrel in be.
lieving that Bell would not remain
many days at Beck's Heath.
In this however. they were mistaken.
\ fortnight passed over, during which
the sccond-tioOr window In the ugly
brick house stood open, and the Witt
curtain tlutteretl. and the pot of flowers
was TO be- seen on the sill. Mrs. Jack
remained In her solitude. The place
was very cheap. She found that by con.
tinuing to board and lodge ut the farm
she could pay what she owed in Cod.
lington. and have wherewitlal to live
Oh for the remainder OF the year. Pop.
sy was quite content. A good deal to
her mothers surprise, she took the part.
ing from Biddy very cOolly, just us
Barney had prDphsied. The child was
not more unfeeling than most young
human animals of her agc. But the
new impression quickly effaccd the old
in her lnalleable little brain. She made
acquaintance with all the live stock on
the farm. and grew fatter, brownel
and roster day by day.
The same wholesome result did not
accrue to Mrs. Jack from her rural
residence. lsebecca Lilly drove out ia
see her sister-in-law when the latter
had been three weeks ut the farm.
The visit was made against the advice
of the others. who opinetl that tho more
completely bell was left to herself the
sooner she would return to reason and
Cotllington. However, Rebecca carried
her point. and returned to lcrcivaI
House. bringing q very poor account OF
Bells looks and spirits.
SHE never was Stout said Kcbecca,
but now she Is miserahly thin" Em-
ma GLANCED at the reflection of her own
wcIl-ruundcd figure In the glass. "And
SHE is losing her color. and there are
dark circles round Tor eyes, which look
as IL she cried Il good deal. / really
do not think she Is well at all; but the
child IL fiOurishing."
Henrietta inhcrits altog ether the
constitution Of her fathers family"
observed Mrs. Lilly, with much dignity
and an air Of taking great credit to her.
self for the circumstance.
The fact was that Mrs. Jack was fad
ing and languIshing day by day In a
way which would have panied AMI
made anxious any loving friends who
should have been ut hand to watch hcr;
but there was none such at Bcck's
Heath. She passed hours alone In the
little wood, whittier she carried her
sll wi and her book and her peetlle-
work nearly evry morning, Tho leaves
had turned brown and yellow. and n
solitary copper beech showed its burn.
tsllnfl lanvnS n,nnuu Tho oaan FnlInnn ~