The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-01-26

I from side table where It lay "a her
| folded shawl
! NO; but | Thought | should like to
say word to you. Please to sit down
! again. How exceedingly uncolnfort-
! able these SchOolroom chairs arSn
| Bell sat down il silence Her heart
was beating fast although sha could not
tell why, and her color changed quickly.
She had vague idea that she WAS go
| ing to hear something about Mr.. War
rea. She had got into III odd habit Of
thinking OF him A great deal, ana con
Meeting him with all the incidents OF
her daily life Mrs Boddlngtcn's first
| words startled her IS though she had
found herself involuntarIly uttering her
thoughts aloud; they were:
My brother Robert"
And then Mrs Boddngton paused,
and changed her phase. Il believe you
have been seeing Il good deal OF my
brother Robert lately, Mrs Lily
Bell would have given al she had in
the world at that moment to prevent
the hot red blood colorng her face rs 1t
did with 4 rush. But the deep blush
was beyond her control She answer
cd. however. with straightforward
simplicity. Il see Mr. Warren nearly
every morning. Quite every morning,
| may say
".sh. YOU meet him on the road?"
Il ovcrtake him when he is returnin.
from his morning walk May l inquire
why YOU say this?"
Bell was beginning to feel 4 little
combatiye. There was 4 solemn judi
.1.,1 at. .,j.n
irritated her.
"Oh, yes: | mean to explain 1t to you
very clearly, IL you win wait 4 little.
You are not aware, suppose, that Mr.
Warren has been in the habit Of brb-
ins my children not to give you any
trouble in the schoolroom?'
Certainly not" answered Bell. more
mildly. For she felt that here Mrs.
Boddington was on strong ground. and
had right to be Judicial and solemn.
Il assure you | had no idea of it until
Jenny said that word yesterday
think she Inconseiously exaggerated
and misrepresented the matter i little.
Mr.. Warren probably said, If you are Il
good girl at your lessons / will give
yon doll'-or something to that ef-
ect"
"Oh, dear, no! Jenny was perfectly
accurate. | have NO doubt. Mr. War
ren bribed the children not to tease
Mrs. Lilly These We're his words.
Now, | must say | do not think that a
good kind of training for young minds.
They ought to obey for very different
reasons than bribes."
I'm very sorry murmured Mrs.
Jack, humbly. She did not know what
else to say.
well. it is not altogether your fault"
returned Mrs. Boddington, graciously
''Itis not my fault at allr' retorted
Bell, with some heat And then she
was conscious that she cut Il rather RI
diculous figure with her sudden change
Of tone. Mrs. Boddington opened her
china-blue eyes in lazy surprise. She
could not follow the rapid current OF
Mrs. Jacks emotions.
Il naturally understand my brothers
character Il great deal better than you
do" she proceeded, after looking at
Mrs. Jack for minute or 50 in silence
And / think it my duty to say word
OF warning to you on the subject Ny
brother Robert is most excellent
creature-eyerythin that is kind and
nice and | am very fond of him; but
he has dreadful habit suppose he
got it in India. where it is the custom
to fiir't a good deal, I'm told-of paying
attentions to ladies without meanin.
anything by them. Now, | fancy he
has been paying good deal Of atten-
ton to YOU"
Bells cheeks We're In permanent
condition Of heat and redness by this
time, and the little dog gs-eared exnr-
else books quivered in her trembling
hands, but she spoke up brayeiy and
unhesitatingly in answer to this har-
angue.
Yes, he has paid me a great many
attentions" she said, fixing her bright
eyes on Mrs. Roddington's. tThat lady
declared afterward that Mrs Jack had
glared at her like Il tigress) And l
don't believe that he meant nothing by
them"
"Oh, my dear woman, you have been
caught like many another. If you knew
Robert as well as l do"
I believe he meant nothing nv
them" repeated Mrs Jack in louder
key. II believe he meant them to
show kindness and benevolence. and
n
tleman for my inexperience and unpr,-
tectedness. believe he meant 10 cen
vince me that my poverty, and the need
nave TO earn some money, were no
degradation IN his eyes. / believe he
meant that I should not be exposed to
distress ana disregard and annoyance
SO long as was as was employed I'M
der his root. That is what | believe
his attentions meant, Mrs. Hoddington
And appreciate them. and nm grateful
for them from the bottom of nv
heart"'