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

Many people In COdlingtOn were sOr-
~ when poor Jack Lilly died. He was
a kind, smiling. good-looking fellow, a
year or two over thirty. and he was
taken off by fever after a short ILL.,
ness, leaving young widow Of three
and-twenty and an infant child. He
was surgeon. and was getting to be
quite q formidable rival to old Dr.
Dummy, when death removed him out
Of the way of that old-faShiOned prac-
titioner.
Jack thought he was going to live Tor
the next forty years. 1T least, ana so
did most people who knew him. SO.
instead of saving out of his professional!
earnings, he lived up to his income,
us the phrase goes In fact, he died Il
trifie in debt: and his debts had to DC
paid by his father. Mr.. John Lilly. coal
merchant and barge owner. and twice
mayor of his native city. The son was
always called jack Lilly, partly to
distinguish him from his father. and
partly because he was one of those nen
whom all the world would be sure to
address by familiar abbreviation Of
his name. whatever it might be.
So it came to pass that his wife was
known as Mrs. Jack by all the friends
and acquaintance of the family; and
when her husband died there was a
good deal of sympathy expressed for
Mrs. Jack and her fatherless little girl
Not that she was as popular as her hus-
band had been. By no manner of
means. She was not native Cooling
tonian. She was young. She was pref
ty. She was-at least they said so in
Codlington-fighty. I do not mean to
say that youth and good looks were an
absolute barrier against sympathy on
the part of the inhabitants of the little
town: but the 'iiightiness'' was I'M
doubtedly considered the more objec-
tionable in Mrs. Jack because of its
combination with sparkling prettineSs
and twenty-three years.
And then, with her late husbands
parents, Mrs. Jack did not get on well
ut all. 1t was preat pity. people
said, that she could not conform her
self little to persons so much older
and wiser than herself, and who stood
in the place of parents to her-a great
pity! But, there. she was just one Of
those f1ighty creatures who couldn't be
guided Poor young woman! They
dared to say there was no harm in
her-not a bit of harm. But she had
such wild, giddy way with her. And
with such model before her rs Mrs.
Lilly, senior!! 1t did seem strange.
Poor Jack Lilly lad been dead a year
ard a half when his widow walked I'D
the shady side of the High street one
fine summer day to the residence Of her
father-in-law. Although the day was
hot, and she was loaded with heavy
black stuffs. and half-stiffed under a
great Grape veil, she was walking fast.
Mrs. Jack had a way Of walking fast,
with q light, eager, impatient step,
which seemed very girlish and impuls-
i've In contrast with her widows weeds.
How she do scud along, Mrs. Jack
L.hy! was the comment of the gro
c,r's foreman, as he looked admiringly
after her TALL graceful figure.
''Scud, indeed!' said Mrs. Hogg, the
grocer's wife, with shake of the head.
"Ah, there's more than enough of scud.
ding, think. UP and down, up and
Down the High street, every day, and
all day. Well, Mrs. Lilly has a handful
of her, that's certain
Mrs. Jack went on her way uncon-
sclous OF the comments Of her neighbors.
She was not given to consider much
what people were thinking about her,
nor whether they were thinking about
her at allan Indifference to public
opinion which injuricusly affected her
popularity in Codlngton.
Perciyal House was the name of Mr..
Illy's residence. 1t was a large, solid,
red brick building, some hundred and
fifty years old. 1t had once stood
alone, surrounded by large pleasure
grounds. But the city had crept up and
hemmed it round and it was now only
numbered 90 High street But Mr. Lii
~ chose to retain the old name, and had
it engraved over the front door on a
stone panel. The lower part of the
house was occupied by the offices of
John Lilly s. Son, coal merchants, as
set forth in fourishjng letters on the
ground glass windows Of the front par
lOrs. The living rooms ere upstairs.
Mrs. Jack turned the polished brass
handle of the front door, and went in
without knocking or ringing. She
passed through lcng tagged passage,
secured and sanded. and with mar.
row path Of green dlugget running
along the middle of it. Half way across
the passage, which divided the base
ment story into two equal parts, was
a double door of green baize, and on
this was a, brass plate, bearing the
name Of MI Lilly. Behind the baize
door you came UPON fine oak stair.
case, blackened with age and polished
with friction. And up this staircase
Mrs. Jack ran as lightly and as swiftly
as child
Come in" said woman's voice in
answer to her tap at a door on the first
door; and she walked into a room full
Of the smell Of dinner, and where five
persons We're at table finishing theil
meal
"Oh!! I'm sorry to disturb YOU" said
Mrs. Jack, pausing in the doorway. 81
thought dinner would have been over
by this time"
And as she said it she raised hel
Grape veil,and showed a very pretty
blooming face, lighted by pair OF
dark, bright eyes and framed in two
braids Of wavy auburn hair, whose nat
ural tendency to curl was not to be
overcome by the most persevering at
tempts to make it smooth and sober.
'Cone in, Bell! come in!" said Mr.
Lilly, graciously. You don't disturb
us at all. =
'f'4 Mr. r i1lv woc /, toll p,.oy !, a ;,o,5 ,>o,,,