Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-01-25

And then Mrs. Boddington paused,
and changed her phrase. Il believe you
have been seeing a good deal of my
brother Robert lately, Mrs. LillyT'
Bell would have given all she had in
the world at that moment to prevent
the hot red blood coloring her face as II.
did with a rush. But the deep blush
was beyond her control. She answer
ed, however. with straightforward
simplicity. Il see Mr.. Warren nearly
every morning. Quite every morning,
l may say" .... p
All! you meet him on the roadf"
II overtake him when he is returning
from his morning walk. May l inquire
why you say this?'
Bell was beginning 10 feel a little
combative. There was @ solemn judi
cial air about Mrs. Boddington which
irritated her.
"Oh, yes; 1 mean to explain 1t to you
very clearly, If you will wait a little.
You are not aware, suppose, that Mr..
Warren has been in the habit Of Drib-
ing my children not to give you any
trouble in the schOolroomY'
Certainly not" answered Bell, o
mildly. For she felt that here Mrs.
Boddington was on strong ground, and
had a right to be judicial and solemn.
II assure you i had no idea of 1t until
Jenny said that word yesterday. /
think she unconsciously exaggerated
and miSrepresented the matter a little.
Mr.. Warren probably said, If you are a
good girl at your lessons / will give
you a doll'-or something to hat eff
ect."
"Oh, dear, no! Jenny was perfectly
accurate, / have no doubt. Mr.. War
rem bribed the children not to tease
Mrs. Lilly These were his words.
Now, l must say 1 do 2ot think that a
good kind Of training for young minds.
They ought to obey for very different
reasons than brides"
I'm very sorry" murmured Mrs.
Jack, humhly. She did not know what
else to say.
We'll, it is not altogether your fault"
returned Mrs. Boddington, graciously.
Tits not my fault at all! retorted
Bell, with some heat. And then she
was conscious that she cut n rather ri
diculors figure with her sudden change
Of tone. Mrs. Boddington opened her
china-blue eyes in lazy surprise. She
could not follow the rapid current of
Mrs. Jacks emotions.
II naturally understand my brothers
character a great deal better than you
do" she proceeded, after looking at
Mrs. Jack for a minute or so in silence.
And think 1t my duty to say a word
of warning to you OH the subject. My
brother Robert is a most excellent
creature-everything that is kind and
nice. and / am very fond of him; but
he has a dreadful habit suppose he
got ii In India, where it is the custom
to flirt a good deal, I'm told-of paying
attentions to ladies without meaning
anything by them Now, / fancy he
has been paying a good deal Of atten-
ton to you" q
Bells cheeks were In a permanent
condition of heat and redness by this
time, and the little dog's-eared exer-
else books Quivered in her trembling
hands, but she spoke up bravely and
unhcsltatingly In answer to this har-
angue.
Yes, he has paid me a great many
attentions" she said, fixing her bright
eyes on Mrs. Boddington's. Chat lady
declared afterward that Mrs. Jack had
glared at her like a tigress.) And /
don't believe that he meant nothing by
them"
"Oh, my dear woman, You have been
caught like many another. If you knew
Robert as well as / do"
Il believe he meant nothing by
them" repeated Mrs. Jack in a louder
key. II believe no meant them to
show kindness and benevolence, and
the consideration Of Il t,7Ie-hearted gen
tleman for my inexperience and unpro-
tectedness. / believe he meant to con-
vince me that my poverty, and the need
l have to earn some money, were no
degradation in his eyes. l believe he
meant that / should not be exposed to
distress and disregard and annoyance
Sc long as was as / was employed IN
der his roof. That is what ] believe
his attentions meant, Mrs. Boddington.
And | appreciate them, and am grateful
for them from the bottom Of my
hearth
You are terribly excitable." rejoin-
ed Mrs. Boddington, calmly. Neverthe-
less she was secretly a little nettled.
She had attained her object OF rousing
the governeSS spirit, IL was true; but
she did not quite like the governess to
take so high a tone.
Il consider your warning altogether
offensive" said Bell. "And l confess
that it irritated me. But, II you ten
thac your words were not intended
extensively, l an willing to look over
them"
This would never do!
II meant. of course. to speak TO you
in a friendly spirit, Mrs. Lilly" said her
employer. with a considerable access of
condescension in her manner. Il really
feel for you. In your position and 50
eytremely-so very so very far from
staid or prudent rs You seem to DE, l
thought a few words from q person
who knows the world better than you
can be supposed to know it might be of
use to you. But / am afraid you are
n Of those people who resent any
thing like advice as affront"
II hope not" said Bell, a little self
distrustfully. Mrs. Lilly had so often
said the same kind Of thing to her that.
on hearing it repeated by this stranger,
Bell. in her slngle-mindedness, began to
fear that she might have been unreason-
able and oy~er-Seusitiyc. "But 7 don't