Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-02-22

told him about Barney" and about
her father-in-law's family; and about
Popsy's sense and precocity. Mr.. War
rem was especially interested in Miss
Rarnasconi. 1t may be remembered
that Barney, catching glimpse Of him
from her parlor window, had recos-
FIXED his face rs once familiar to her.
And on searching Ler memory it turn
ed out that she had known a Mr.. Rob
ert Warren years ago who had be-
friended q brother Of hers.
MY father, you Know" said Barney
to Mrs. Jack, was Il chorus singer ut
the Italian opera. He might have been
something better than chorus singer,
for he had a charming voice and he
knew music we'll, and h" was an Ital-
ian into the bargain. But he-he never
was something better; and he had a
half-dozen of Us children, and my poor
mother shaved and toiled to keep us.
My father is dead and gone these FIVE
and-thirty years. Tn not going to rake
up his faults. Lord. have mercy on us
all! But only say that my mother,
what with one thing and another, had
hard time OF it for many long day.
Well, one of my brothers-Antonio his
name was-showed a pretty talent for
drawing and design, and mother God
knows howD scraped together the
money to apprentice him to great
house decorator, and the lad did we'll,
and was getting on. But, rs ill-fortune
would have it, he tumbled from a scat
roldlng when he was decorating the
ceiling of a great rich East INDIA mer-
chant, who had a fine house and want
ed to make it finer, and moor Tonic
broke his collarbone and dislocated his
wrist, and then he was on his back in
the hospital for long time. The
nephew of the East India merchant
happened to see the accident and he
went to the hospital to look after Tonic,
and he came to mother to break the
news to her, and he was as good as an
angel to us all. His uncle was very
generous with his money, and we were
very grateful for his help But young
Mr.. Warren-mother said if prayers
and blessings could do him any good he
would go straight to heaven! He had
a heart of gold, to be sure! And he
was slim, handsome young fellow in
those days, with brown hair and a fair
skin. And think Of my recollecting his
face all these Tears! They did say that
he was going to marry one of the East
India merchants daughters; but he
didn't, you see. He went away to India
instead, and poor Tonic is dead and
buried. All, dear ME. how long ago it
all seems! You ask him, my dear, if he
remembers Tonic Harnasconi"
Bell did ask him; and the result Of
her question was that Mr.. Warren
forthwith called tc see Miss Barnasconi
and made great friends with her Also,
he was presented to Popsy, who sur
veyed him with calm attention, and, on
accepting a tribute of toffee from his
hand, observed that her grandma had
black hair, but that she popsy), never
theless, liked him better than her
graadma-"grandma's'' views on the
subject of toffee being probably of a
narrower and more limited nature
Altogether Mr. Warren showed him
self to be so much less stern and Sc
we're on acquaintance than he had
seemed tc be on first sight, he displayed
so genial an appreciation of fun. and
even SO great Il federation for mon
sense" that Bell was before long en-
boldened to tell him how afraid she had
been OF hirl, and how she had specu-
lated ON the probability Of his wife-as
she then supposed Mrs Boddington to
very much in awe Of him.
Mr. Warren did not appear gratifed
by this testimony to his "awfulness."
Il suppose" he said, you wondered
what on earth mada q pretty young
woman like Mrs. Boddington marry q
sun-balsed old fellow like meY'
Bells wonder had. 1t may be remem-
bered, taken Il different direction. She
II IT,, l>s
that lazy. roundabout little woman"
but she did not say so, of course. She
merely replied, demurely, ''Oh, no,
did not, indeed, Mr.. Warren"
You know / am twenty years older
than my sister. Jane is only my half
sister. AS long as l was in India. busy
and responsible, / never thought about
my age. But since have come home"
added Mr.. Warren, quantity, and strok-
ing back his thick white hair as he
spoke, II seem to be twenty years
older than everybody"
You're not twenty years older than
Barney" said Mrs. Jack grlvely.
Yes. I am! Fifty years older than
Miss Barnasconi! She has all the fresh
ness OF youth upon her. The very roses
in her bonnet wear the dew of early
morning. No; the only staid person
OF about my own age with whom
am acquainted in Codlington is Pop
sy."
1t was wonderful, Bell thought, how
easy her daily task had become in
short time. The children, on the whole,
behaved better than she had dared to
hope for ut first. And whenever they
showed SYMPTOMS Of downright rebel
lion the threat of appealing to Uncle
Robert" slfticed to bring them back to
tolerable obedience Bell became rather
proud OF her powers of discipline and
made little boast about them to Mr..
Warren, who smiled and nodded.
She saw very little of Mrs. Bedding
ton That lady seldom left her room
before twelve o'clock. But occasionally
she would sarnter into the school room.
magnificently arrayed. few minutes
before the lessons came to an end.
and her appearance there was the
signal for utter INSTRUMENTATION on the
part OF Jimmy and Jenny.
One day, when on entrance into the
schoolroom the children were making
more outrageous clamor than usual,