Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-01-04
CHAPTER VII.


Somehow or other, Bell did not feel
such a glow of pleasure and enthusi-
asm In communicating her news to
T,~rnv that evening. as she had antic-
mated. She was very glad, of course,
to have got this employment. 1t was
a most excellent thing. But, IL Mrs.
Boddington could have been a little
more friendly and sympathetic, and If
her children had not been so spoiled
and idle. as Bell had IL presentiment
that they would prove to be, and
if the work were not quite so
hard; and, above all, IL the pay were a
little better! Bell was ashamed of her
self as all these ifs passed through
her mind. Il don't know you, you
thankless grumbler!" she said to her
W face in the glass. And she took
good care to breathe no word of dis
content or disappointment TO Barney.
But that shrewd parsonage very
perceived that Mrs. Jacks spirits were
not so high as they had been, and by
a rigid cross-eXamination she soon ar
rived at a complete knowledge OF the
details Of the interview between Mrs.
Jack and her employer.
We'll" said Miss Barnasconi, nod
ding her head retectively, Il think
you've come off very well. She didn't
beat you down at all"
BEAT me down, Barney! WHY, /
thought"
you thought she would object to the
smallness of your demand and offer
you more? All, my dear, what a baby
you are!!"
Mrs. Jack blushed, and protested that
she had not expected anything of the
kind. mot really expected it, you
know, Barney" she added truthfully;
although. perhaps, some vague idea of
the sort might have gone through my
mind without my consent. But l as
sure you l am most glad and thankful
to have got this situation. And if / can
only get n or two more pupils"
All! my dear, l hope you may not
find these too many for you. It's n
firing business; more firing than you
know Of. But / won't discourage you.
And SO the two gentlemen brought you
tome? Well, that was civil. / had
just come in from a lesson and hap
pened TO be at the parlor window when
you drove up, and 1 can't get it out of
my head that I've seen the face Of that
elder man before. | only got a glimpse
of IL, but 1t seemed familiar somehow.
What's his name again|
"Boddington-Mr. B~oddington."
"N-no; no, i can't recollect any one
of that name"
That same evening arrived a large
parcel, directed ITO Miss Henrietta
Lilly, with grandmamma's love-" and
containing the promised frock for
Popsey. why, it's like a workhouse
garment cried Mrs. Jack Indignantly,
holding 1t up before Barney.
And. indeed, it did look some
thing like the costumes one
Is accustomed to associate with
ing files of uniformly clad human crea-
lures walking two and two. 1t was Of
an indescribably muddy hue, and in tex
ture resembled a jack towel. why,
think of my putting Popsy into this
hideous thing!'' exclaimed Mrs. Jack
again; Il could cry, I'm so vexed at
it"
"Popsy won't cry" observed Miss
Barnasconi, philosophically, "and even
her powers of destruction win be taxed
to tear it. / should have it made up
forthwith"
Barney never flattered her friends
maternal vanity, and perhaps there was
no circumstance in the friendship be-
tween the two women more honorable
10 both.
wei, ] suppose I must have the
thing made up" said Bell, mt length,
yielding TO reason. "But"-with a sud
den fash of the eye and flush of the
cheek-the very first money I get from
my teaching shall 60 to buy Popsy a
pretty frock-pale pink with white.
That I'm determined"
"Oh. my dear, what a baby you are!'
cried Barney, In her deepest octave.
And then Mrs. Jack laughed, and said
she was afraid she was rather foolish
about Popsy.
ITO Re Continued