The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-02-09

many days at Beck's Heath
/ In this however, they were mistaken
fortnight PASSED over during which
the seconi-floor window in the ugly
brick house stood open, and the Whit,
curtain tluttcred. and the pot of flowers
was to be seen on the sill Mrs Jack
remained in her solitude. The place
! 'Eas very cheap. She found that by con
| tinuiIg to board and lodge ut the farm
she could pay what She owed in Cod
| lingtOn. and have Whcrewithal to live
on for the remainder of the year. rup.
! sy vas quite content. A good deal tC
her mothers surprise, she took the part
| ing from Bddy very coolly, just rs
| Barney had pruphscd. The child WAS
/ not more unfeelng than most young
| human animals Of her age But the
new impression quickly cffaced the old
| in her nalleable little brain She made
| acquaintance with all the live stock on
| the farm. and grew fatter, browner
| and roster day by day.
| The same wholesome result did not
accrue to Mrs. Jack from her rural
residence Rebccca Lilly drove out to
SEQ her sistcr-in-law when the latter
had been three weeks 1T the farm
OF the others. who opined that the more
completely Bell was left to herself the
sooner She would return TO reason ana
todlington. However, Rehccca carried
her point, and returned to Percivai
House, bringing very poor account OF
Bells looks and spirits.
she never was stout said kebeCca,
but now she is miSerahly thin" En-
ma glanced at the reflection Of her own
Wcll-rounded figure III the glass. And
she is losing her color. and there are
dark circles round Ter eyes. which look
rs if She cried good deal | really
do not think She is well at all; but the
child is ilourishing'
Henrietta inlerits altog ether the
constitution of her fathers family"
observed Mrs. Lilly. with much dignity
and m air Of taking great credit to her
self for the circumstances
The fact was that Mrs. Jack was fad
ng and languishing day by day III Il
way which would have panied ana
made anxious any loving friends who
should have been 1t hand to watch hnr;
but there was none such at Beck's
Heath. She passed hours alone III the
little wood. whittier she carried her
shawl and her book and her needle
work nearly cvry morning. The leaves
had turned brown and yellow. and Il
solitary copper beech showed its burn
isbcd leaves among the scar foliage OF
The rest. MNs. Jack would remain
there. as | say. for hours. and when sne
returned to the house she would not
nave read a page or seWed, a stitch.
There she would sit at the foot Of a
tree, with her hands ciasped before
her and her eyes looking out vaguely
through the overwhelming gaps in the
foliage over the misty autumn land
scape. She did not accompany popsy
il her daily wanderings about the
farm. The child had made friends
with al the people in the place. and
was safe enough. Her mother began
to feel the mere daily washing and
dressing of Popsy a severe fatigue.
Il am growing strangely weak"
thought Mrs. Jack to herself Il Won
der Why l used to be as strong rs Il
horse
But here she was much mistaken.
Hers had never been a robust frame.
and such strength as she had was en-
tirely nervous Now that she had been
undermined by fretting: for, in truth,
Mrs. Jack was very unhappy. She
shed many tears in the silent hours Of
the night, when the child was sleeping
soundly beside her, and she saw many
sad visions in the waking hours Of the
day, when She sat solitary in the little
wood. BY the time she had been three
weeks at Beck's Heath, it seemed to
her as if she had been there half her
lifetime. And yet she would not 20
back to Codlington. More and more
she shrank from seeing the place and
the people in it.
Nobody cares for me: they all for
get me; No one comes near me-" said
She, frctfully. Which was little un-
just, for not only had Rebecca visited
her, as we know. but Mr. Mills had
taken a rare holiday one day, and had
walked out the twelve miles from Cod
lington to Beck's Heath, to see-his
cousins, the farmer and his wife,
he said; and the worthy couple were
much obliged, and yet more surprised,
at the unWOnted attention. As TO Bar
ncy. She could not walk twelve nilcs,
neither could she afford to pay for a fly;
but She had been promised drive out
to Beck's Heath by friendly trades
man. who owned a gig and stout
pony. and she had written to Mrs. Jack
to tell her that she would come and see
her at the very earliest opportunity
So who else was there Of whose neglect
to complain? Mrs. Jack had never ex-
pected that the visiting acquaintance.
who had nearly dropped her before she
left Codlington, would take the trouble
to 60 out to Beck's Heath in order to
call unOn her
Mr.. Mills walk was rewarded by
about three minutes conversation with
Mrs Jack and PoDsy, to the latter or
whom he was the bearer ct = parcel OF
cakes from Mrs. Pethericls; but the re-