Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-03-22

. should pavc Dcen nj hand to watch her;
but there was none such ut Reck'S
Heath. She passed hours alone in the
little wood. whittier she carried her
shawl and her book ana her needle
work nearly evry morning. The leaves
had turned brown and yellow, and a
solitary copper beech showed It's burn
ished leaves among the scar foliage OF
the rest. Mrs. Jack would remain
there. as say. for hours, and when she
returned to the house she would not
have read page or sewed a stitch.
There she would sit at the foot of a
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
In her daily wanderings about the
farm. The child had made friends
with all the people in the place, and
was safe enough. Her mother began
to feel the mere daily washing and
dressing of Popsy severe fatigue.
II am growing strangely weak"
thought Mrs. Jack to herself. II won
der why? l used to be as strong rs a
horse"
But here she was much mistaken
Hers had never been 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 go
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. fretfully. Which was a little I'M
just, for not only had Rebecca visited
her, as we know, but Mr.. Mills had
taken 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 We're
much obliged, and yet more surprised,
at the unwonted attention. AS to Bar
ney, she could not walk twelve miles,
neither could she afford to pay for a fly;
to Beck's Heath by friendly trades
man, who owned gig and stout
| pony, and she had written to Mrs. Jack
10 ko11 +, %bot al,
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 go out to Beck's Heath in order to
call upon her.
MIR. Mills walk was rewarded by
about three minutes conversation with
Mrs. Jack and Popsy, to the latter of
whom he was the bearer Of a parcel of
! cakes from Mrs. Petherick; but the re.
suit of his account of Mrs. Jacks alter
ed looks and tagging spirits-for the
farmer and his wife had told him that
she moped great deal-was to bring
Miss BarnascOni out to Beck's Heath
the very next day.
| Mrs. Jack was very grateful for her
kind friends visit; but, even from her,
she seemed to shrink a little, in shy,
silent way, which was the very anti
pode of her old buoyant, frank, fearless
manner. But, when Barney observed
that she was looking pale and ques-
toned her about her health, Mrs. Jack
persisted in declaring that she was
| quite well-only little weak-and that
she needed nothing but rest and quiet
| "Rest and quiet!" exclaimed Barney
to herself, sitting behind the stout pony
ON her way homeWard. REST and
quiet with vengeance! A long rest
and very perfect quiet it'll be il we
don't look after her. She is as thin as
whipping post, and as white as ho&
pocket handkerchief. Something must
be done. She is just one Of those wo-
men who. give way all of a sudden,
and slip through your fingers like a
ray of moonshine, if you'll let EN-"
Upon this reflection Barney took a
resolution.
| The following day Miss BarnasconIs
| card was carried into Mrs. Lilly. with
request that the lady might be allow
ed to say few words to her at once.
| Mrs. Lilly examined the card attentive.
| ly through her double eye-glass, and
gave permission for the person to
GENE in," in a tone which considerably
Influenced the servants manner in ush
ering Barney into the drawing-room.
But very little Barney cared for that
Her appearance caused Mrs. Lilly to
open her bead-like eyes to their utter
most, and fix them on her visitor with
! a stony gaze which made her look more
like wax doll than usual. The two
women were oddly contrasted, both in
/! appearance and manner.
Barney had arrayed herself in he,
best for the occasion. She wore blue
and chocolate color and yellow silk
handkerchief round her neck, and tho
bonnet with white ribbons and roses
out of which confusion of bright tints
her dark, black-browed face asserted
itself strongly. 1t was as if one had
dressed up the wcather-browned Zig
ure head of ship in gauzy draperiet
and garlands.
| r