The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-02-03
Through Santa ClalaW Wheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTE

rehct OF tho late Scipion L'Hommadieu,
devoted herself to bringing up her chill
dren after the EXTREMIST Of French
methods and in resurrecting u "de" from
her own family to give distinct and
aristocratic character to their name
The de Fontages L'Hommadieus"
were, however, only known to their
neighbors after the western fashion, by
their stepfather's name, when they We're
known ut all, which was seldom. For
the boy was unpleasantly conceited as
precocious wording and the girl as I'M
pleasantly complacent in her role Of in
genue. The household was completely
dominated by Mrs. Randolph. A pune
tilious Catholic. she attended all the
functions Of the adjacent mission. and
the shadow Of black soutane at twi-
light gliding through the wild cat fields
behind the rancho had often been mis-
taken for a. coyote. The peace loving
major did not object to piety which.
while it left his own conscience free.
impaired respectable religious air to
his household and kept him from the
equally distasteful approaches Of the
Puritanism Of his neighbors, and was
blissfully unconscious that he was
strengthening the antagonistic foreign
element in his family with an alien
church.
Meantime, as the repaired buggy was
slowly making its way toward his house.
Maj Randolph entered his wife's boudoir
with letter which the San Francisco
post had Just brought him. A look Of
embarrassment on his good humored face
Strengthened the hard lines Of hers, she
felt some momentary weakness of her
natural enemy and prepared to give
battle.
I'm afraid here's something Of a
muddle. Josephine" he began with a
deprecating smile; Mallory. who was
coming down here with his daughter,
you know
This is the first intimation have
had that anything has been settled
upon" interrupted the lady with ap-
palhng elaboration.
However. my dear. You know told
YOU last week that he thought Of bring
ing her here while he went south on
business. You know. being a widower,
he has no one to leave her with"
And | suppose it is the American
fashion to intrust ones daughters to anv
old boon companiong'
"Nalloryi is an old friend" intsrrupted
the major impatiently. He knows I'm
married, and although he has never seen
YOU he is quite willing to leave his
daughter here"
THANK you~
Come. YOU know what mean. The
man naturally believes that my wife
will be proper chaperon for his daugh-
ter. But that is not the present ques-
ton. He intended 10 call here: | ex-
pected to take YOU over to San Jose to
see her and all that You know. but the
fact Of it is-that is-it seems from this
letter that-he's been called away sooner
than he expected, and acknowledging
it, The girl is actually on her way here
now"
''Alone|
Il suppose 50. You know one thinks
nothing Of that here"
or any other propriety for that mat
ter.
FOR heaven SAKE Josephine. don
De ridiculous! VI course II $ stupid hef
coming IN this way ana Mallory ousn
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