Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-11

teeth he did not look either wise or
dignifed. And yet he considered HIM
self to have no small share OF wisdom
and dignity. But he wore these quail
ties jocoselYs SO as not to be too hard
upon his fellow creatures He was not
a fat man, but he had a portly and pro-
truding stomach. on which q heavy
watch chain and seal were displayed
conspicuously.
Mrs. Lilly was short and plump. She
had a smooth, white-and- pink complex
ion still, despite her fifty-four years,
and very pretty little features like q
dolls. Indeed, as her countenance was
very smooth, very waxen In coloring,
and very immovable, she would have
looked precisely like magnified wax
doll had 1t not been for a certain vigil
ance in the expression Of her jet-black
beads of eyes. She wore jet-black
band of velvet across her white fore
head.
The other persons at table were Re.
becca. Edgar and Emma, the eldest
daughters and only surviving son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lilly.
Il won't come in unless you. all finish
your dinner just as If I wasn't here"
said Mrs. Jack. Don't move, Edgar,
pleasew And she sat herself down on
La chair near the window, which was
open.
You must not sit there In the
drausht. my dear Bell" said Mrs. Lilly,
in a severe tone. You look painfully
/ flushed"
ooh, it isn't painful at all!'' replied
her daughter-in-law. smiling and show
ing two delightful dimples in her DAM
J ask-rcse cheeks. II get red directly,
and the day is hot. would rather sit
i by the window"
| 1T is very dangerous to sit near an
cIen window in the heated and fevered
, condition you are in," persisted Mrs.
lilly.
Bell rose with jerk and changed her
place.
| "And how is Henrietta?" asked Mrs.
Lilly, after a pause.
ooh, Popsy's very well, bless her."
replied Mrs. Jack.
! "Popsy, eh?" said Mr.. Lilly. showing
his long teeth, and looking round SO as
to bespeak the attention Of all present.
GLOW do You make out Popsy to be
short for Henrietta, ha? Hopsy would
be nearer the mark, eh?"
, Mr.. Lilly set the example of laughing
at his own joke. He always did. And
| it was very good plan and prevented
! mistakes.
! Edgar and Emma laughed, too, in
subdued giggle.. Kebecca, who was
dressed with severe simplicity and wore
huge string of beads with cross
round her neck, waited with folded
hands and downcast eyes until her
i father should say grace after meat.
MY dear husband always called the
child Popsy," said Mrs. Jack, quickly,
land shall keep the pet name he gave
her.
! This time Mrs. Lilly might have been
justified in calling the flush on her
daughter-in-law's face painful" And
Mrs. Jacks bright eyes had tears in
them
Tut, tut, tut! No, no, no! Hopsy's
the thing; quite as pretty, and much
more like Henrietta" said Mr.. Lilly,
with a fresh display of teeth. He
checked his laugh tn the midst, when
his rolling eyes alighted on the down.
cast face of his daughter Rebecca, and,
somewhat hurriedly, recited a short
grace.
Upon this Miss Rebecca rose and
went away, saying shortly that she had
business to attend to. Emma got up
too, and dawdled about the room in q
purposeless way; the great point of at
traction to which she had always re-
turned, as moth to the candle-flame,
being q large looking-glass over the
sideboard. Edgar babe his sister-in-law
good day, and went down to the Office
care you busy, Mr.. Lilly? CAN I
say a word to you?" asked Bell, as
her father-in-law rose from the table.
Yes, Bell. Oh, yes certainly, if you
don't mind my pipe Come down into
the snuggery with the missis. No Sc
crets from the missis, supposey'
Mrs. Lilly and Bell followed the mas,
ter Of the house down stairs into a
very tiny room-little more than q
closet-with one long window down to
the ground, Opening on the garden.
A honeysuckle, full Of flower, hung
partly across it. a pleasant fragrance
was blown into the room from the old
fashioned garden full of box borders
and wallfowers and spicy carnations.
On small, round table were set forth
1 case of spirit bottles, stumbler, lem
Ons, sugar, stone pitcher Of cold water,
pouch Of tobacco and long church
warden pipe. Mrs. Lilly mixed q
SSA4OASA LUZ VI COA4 SAA WdLcE,
filed the pipe, gave it into her hus-
bands hand, lit it, and then sat down
with her needlework in one of the
two arm chairs in the room. This
was the invariable custom in Percival
House and had been for more than
thirty years. There was never any
change in the proceedings, unless i'll
ness prevented Mrs. Lilly's presence in
the "snuggery," in which case her place
was taken by her eldest daughter.
| Mrs. Jack knew the routine, and
waited silently but with little impa-
tent tapping of her foot, until the grog
was mixed, and the pipe began to send
forth curling line OF smoke.
| Then she drew her chair nearer to
her father-in-law. He sat sideways to
the window, leaning back in his easy
chair, and with his glass within easy
reach Of his hand. His wife sat next
to him, facing the garden; his daughter
, in-law opposite to him, at the little ta-
BILE; so that a line drawn SO as to
touch all three would have made q
kind of triangle. with the window for