Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-04-13


acter, by Jove, to push on in that broker
buggy, rather than linger or come in {
farm cart, chi"
'sShe was alone in that wheat field,
said Mrs. Randolph with grim delibera,
ton, flor half an hour-she confesses Il
herself-talking with young manP'
Eyes, but the others had gone for the
buggy. And, in the name of heaven,
what would you have her do2 Hide her
self in the grainY' said the major, des-
perately. "Besides,' he added with a
recklessness he afterward regretted,
shat mechanical chap they've got there
is really intelligent and worth talking to. y
Il have no doubt she thought SO, "
said Mrs Randolph, with a mirthless
smile; lin fact observe that the Amer
lean freedom generally means doing
what you want to do. Indeed wonder
she didn't bring him with her! Only, l
beg major, that you will not again in
the presence of my daughter-and may
even say of my son-talk lightly of the
solitary meetings Of young ladies with
mechanics, even though their faces were
smutty and their Clothes covered with
OIL"
The major here muttered something
about there being less danger in young
lady listening to the intelligence of a
coarsely dressed laborer than to the COM
pliments of rose scented fop, but Mrs.
Randolph walked out of the room be-
fore he finished the evident platitude.
That night Rose Mallory retired to
her room in state of self satisfaction
that she even felt was to certain ex-
tent virtue. She was delighted with
her reception and with her hostess
and family. 1t was strange her father
had not spoken more of Mrs. Ran
dolph, who was clearly the su-
perior of his old friend. What fine
manners they all had, SO different from
other people she had known. There
was quite an Old World civilization
about them; really it was like going
abroad! She would make the most of
her opportunity and profit by her visit.
She would begin by improving her
French they spoke it perfectly and
with such pure accent. She would
correct certain errors she was conscious
Randolph as much as possible Certainly
there was great deal to be said of Mrs
Randolph's way of looking at things.
Now she thought of it calmly, there
was too much informality and freedom
in American ways! There was not
enough respect due to position and cir
cumstances Take those men in the
wheat field for example-yet here she
found it difficult to formulate an indict-
ment against them for freedom" She
would like to go there some day with the
Randolphs and let them see what COM
pany manners werel She was thoroughly
convinced now that her father had done
wrong in sending her alone; it certainly
was most disrespectful to them and care
less of him (she had quite forgotten that
she had herself proposed to her father to
go alone rather than wait at the hotel),
and she must have looked very ridicu-
lous in her fine clothes and the broken
down buggy. When her trunk came by
express tomorrow she would look out
something more sober. She must re-
member that she was in Catholic and
religious household now. All yesl how
very line it was to see that priest at
dinner in his soutane, sitting down like
one of the family and making them all
seem like a picture Of some historical
and aristocratic romancel And then
they were actually "de Fontages
L'Hommadieu." How different he was
from that shabby Methodist minister
who used to come to see her father in a
black cravat with a hideous bow. Really
there was something to say for religion
that contained so much picturesque re-
tinement-and for her part-but that
will do. | beg to say that l am not
writing of any particular snob nor fenni-
nine monstrosity, but of very charm
ing creature who was quite able to say
her prayers afterward like good girl,
and lay her pretty cheek upon her pillow
without blush.
She opened her window and looked |
out. The moon, great silver dome,
was uplifting itself from a blush gray
level which she knew was the distant |
plain of wheat. Somewhere in its midst |
dull star, at times brighten
ing as if blown upon or drawn upward
80 " NoiASo hhC bldh by SUlu6 QUO IN Il
stinct she felt that it was the solitary
forge of the young inventor, and pictured
him standing before it with his alb
stracted hazel eyes and face more be-
grimed in the moonlight than ever.
When did he wash himself? Perhaps
not until Sunday. How lonely it must
be out there! She slightly shivered and
turned from the window. AS she did
20 it seemed to her that something
knocked against her door from without.
Opening it quickly she was almost GER
ain that the sound of rustling skirt re-
.reated along the passage. 1t was very
perhaps she had disturbed the
house by shutting her window. No
loub1 it was the motherly interest of
Mrs. Randolph that impelled her to
oftly come and look after her. And for
'nce her simple surmises were correct
For not only the inspecting eyes of her
hostess, but the amatory glances Of the
youthful Emile had been fastened upon
Ter window until the light disappeared.
md even the Holy Mission Church of
San Jose had assured itself of the dear
hild's safety with large and supple
ar at her keYhole.
ITO RE CONTINUED(