Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-02-03


pursuit in life--cleanliness and order; and
she brushed and busted, polished and
rubbed, everything that she could get
hold Of.
When she could find nothing else 10
clean, this singular woman took out her
rings and her chaius. rubbed down her
canoes, and loosened her jewels from
their settings. At Oakland, che amused
herself by picking up the twigs in the av-
enue, by digging out the moss between
the stones with the point Of her umbrella,
and would have liked to dust the very
leaves on the trees.
Mr.. Speed had no attachment for Oak
lands, and only Annie loved the beautiful
park. She knew every corner, and hal
her favorite walk. her own tree, under the
shade Of which she read or worked. She
spent the whole day out Of doors, and only
went into the house when summoned by a
bell to her meals. In the folds OF her
dress fingered the freshness Of the sum
mers day, and her soft limpid eyes seemed
10 have borrowed their clcarness from the
peaceful lake near which she had wan
dered in solitude.
The beauty Of the place elevated her
thoughts above the vulgar routine Of the
day. Her grandfather might fret and
fume before her for hours together; he
might tell her anecdotes Of the duplicity
and Incidence of the servants and the
tradespeople; her mother might enuIner-
ate her griefs, and complain OF the raw
ages made by moths and mice, by dust
and dampness; but Annie remembered
not a syllable. An hour by the riverside.
or rapid walk on the turf. and her mind
was again calm. aud her temper unruffied.
Her grandfather regarded her as a
creature entirely out Of place in his fami-
ly. When q mere child. she annoyed him
by certain steadfast look in her big gray
eyes, and by n way she had Of settling
every subject with the question, lis it
rightf'
.shc Is Just like her father he said 10
himself one day; Just as proud and ec-
centric as he is"
Little Chipp' was very much more TO
his taste. In her he recognized kindred
soul-a nature as ambitious ard unscrupu-
lous as his own. The young girl Hattered
him in a hundred different ways. Her
frank alteration for his wealth, her out
spoken longings for riches were constant
delight TO him. She amused the old man,
too, by certain slang phrases, reserved for
his hearing alone, and which acquired adj
ditional piquancy heard from her dainty
lips.
When Sylvia arrived. after long alb
sence from Oaklands, with her fresh and
simple costumes, her hair dressed in the
extreme of fashion. her pretty figure and
winning face, she was great success.
Old Mr.. Gray was astonished to see this
tall young girl, instead of the child he ex-
rected. and thought her infinitely more
attractive than Annie. Sylvia had both
grace and style; but she lacked the calm
and beauty Of her friend, the purity of ex-
preston, the sweetness and repose Of
manner that characterized Annie.
Sylvia's charm, like her dress, was Of
inferior quality; the material was often
imitation, always cheap, but made up in
the newest style.
The girl was radiant IA she drove up
the avenue. She had been in dream of
delight all the morning. She took in each
luxurious detail. The liveried servant
who opened the carriage door, the glitter
Of the dinner-table, with its silver and
glass. the hot-house flowers. even Mrs.
Speeds indolent way of giving orders to
the obsequious maid, delighted her.
Yesi this was living. indeed! This was
the existence for which she was made!
In day or two she almost forgot that she
was stranger. and looked on all this
luxury as her own. Suddenly, 10 arouse
her from her dream. came a letter from
Frank that recalled her TO the reality If
her position. and to the fact that she was
about to marry poor man, who would in
stall her in dark and dreary home.
Should she break off her engagement
She could do 80, Of course: but might
she not regret the step afterwards
That small head contained many re-
markable ideas. Sometimes she looked
meditatively at Grandpapa Gray, who in
her honor, had abandoned n certain old
vest and CATERS. All! II he wer, only
twenty years youngerr' she snia 40 her
self But this notion Of becoming Mrs.
Gray did not last long. A new person and
. new hope entered upon the scene.
Since Sylvia's arrival, George Speed,
who before had visited Oakland only on
Sundays, had taken to coming down very
often to dinner.
He was tall slender young man, DIS
tinguished in appearance and manne. $;
an orphan, he had been brought up by Mr..
Speed. his uncle, who intended that he
should be his successor in business, and
marry Annie. This future, so carefully
arranged for him, deprived him Of all
ambition. From the first he disliked the
manufactory; as TO his cousin, there ex-
listed between them certain intimacy,
arising from common tastes and interests,
TO say nothing Of early companionship.
But there was no love-on his side, at all
events.
With Sylvia he felt at once timid and
anxious; anxious to produce good i'm
preston, and too timid to succeed. She
was exactly the person, with her studied
graces, 10 please O nature like his; and
it was not long before she understood the
cards she held in her hand.
When the two young girls sat on the
bank Of the river. il was always Sylvia
who listened for the whistle Of the coming
train, and Georges first look was for her
who remained little in the background,
but who, by her studied attitude and con-
spicuous costume. seemed IN demand ~.
tention. There was no word Of love be-
tween the two. but every smile and glance
were full of silent avowals and,encourage-
ment.
One heavy, lowering evening-the sky
was full Of rain, and the heat very OPP
pressive-the two friends left the table
as soon as dinner was over, and paced up
and down the avenue. George joined
them, and the three chstted on different
subjects. By-and-by Mrs. Speed called
Annie, and George and Sylvia were left
alone. They continued TO walk in the
darkness, their only guide being the white
gravel Of the path. They were silent.
A damp, soft wind blew in their faces.
The little lake rippled and dashed in tiny
waves against the stone arches OF the
bridge. The acacias and lines filed the
air with their perfume. and their blossoms
fell like an odorous cloud around them.
The air was full Of electricity; they felt it,
too, within themselves, and their eyes
CLEANED like the lightning on the distant
horizon.
.Look at those lovely glow-worms"
cried the young girl, embarrassed by the
long silence. :.
Ali over the lawn glitiered the small
greenish lights. She stopped down to
look at one.
He came and knelt at her side; close to-
gether they bent over the turf. How
lovely she was in that strange refection
which glimmered on her ripping hair'
He threw one arm around her. aud. sue
uenIy Ieeiing tnat sne yiciaeu 40 n.e rn'-
brace, he pressed a long kiss ON her lips