Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-12-05
Roger Vapbrusb's Wife. {:
BY ADELINE SERGEANT. Z


dbhliAb me-
WON'T
what does Yon father want you 70
do?" said Lancelot, quickly.
He looked at the little girl but could
see little of her except a name Of
golden hair, which hung in long waves
over her shoulder and pair OF
pre:ty. slender hands, pressed to her
face. Her hat and frock were OF
shabby black ana betrayed the signs CT
poverty more surely than even her
fathers faded garments.
At this question the man displayed
uneasiness.
Madeline" he said, Il forbid you to
answer remarks addressed to you by
strangers. Get up at once and come
away with me. | bid you good-morn-
ing, sir. The matter ends here
Excuse me-" said Lancelot, firmly.
@The matter does not end here. |
know the sort of wrench you gave the
childs arm just now; I've seen 1t done
at school Her arm is black and blue
by this time. | am sure Of that.
What IL to prevent me from giving
you In charge for cruelty to her?
believe you would get month for it
and she would probably be looked
after and sent to school, instead of
having nothing to eat all day, as
heard you say just now and handing
her over to worse punishment from
some Mrs. Jelby.
There were not many boys OF mis- age
who would have been capable of such
a speech, but as it happened Lancelot
had some natural facility of tongue
and was moreover the nephew Of a
philanthropist, from whom he had
caught up little technical talk con-
corning various societies for the pre-
yention of cruelty to children or ami
mails. He fired off this volley with
considerable effect. The shabby man
turned white and then green; he
rubbed his hands together, then
clasped them and whined;
Sir, you would not do a poor man
such an injury. assure you ! am
kindness itself to little Madeline-my
dead wife's only child, sir, and the APP
pie of my eye. If ] spoke sharply It
was in a moment of irritation. You do
not know what 1t is to have no food
to eat, not a penny in your pocket and
enough to make any man speak
sharply" he said, wiping tear out of
his eye with a much-worn crimson silk
handkerchief; "but my Maddy knows
that never meant to be unks-i do
you not, Maddy? Won't you speak a
word for your father, dear child?"
Lancelot was hardly keen enough to
distinguish the yindictiveness of tone
that underlay the last few words. He
locked at Madeline. who slowly with
drew her hands from her face and
showed him one of the most pathetic
little countenanees that he had ever
seen.
In spite OF the tears that she had
shed she was exceedingly pretty. Her
face was pale and refined, with deli
cately cut features; the outlines of her
cheek, the curves of her grieying
mouth, were peculiarly beautiful, al
though the beauty was of a kind
which grows upon an observer and is
not always visible at first sight. Her
eyes were Of violet gray, singularly
pure in coloring. with long dark lashes
and Of an exquisite expression. But
TO l4ancelot, who vas not trained to an
appreciation of feminine beauty, the
chief thing remarkable in her face was
it's sweetness There was sorrow,
there was regret, but ther, was
neither anger nor resentment. She an
swered almost at once in tones of pc
culiarly musical quality:
"Oh, no, father did not mean to be
unkind.n
Lancelot hesitated moment and
would perhaps have passed on had he
not at this moment become conscious
that the father was making come ugly
tontortions of face, behind his back,
evidently intended to express to Made
line his desire that she should defend
him further Madeline set her little
mouth and was silent and Lancelot,
turning round hastily, gave the man
look which seemed to reduce him to
submission.
"l'll tell YOU what you can dc, said
the lad sharply. you can walk the
length Of the pier and back again, II
you please, while speak to your little
siii sha'nt do her any harm, he
added with a short laugh, as he saw
the doubling expression on the fathers
face, and | shall not do you any
harm either, but | should like a word
or two with her before say good-by.
The man stared as II lie did not UNI
derstani this type Of schoolboy.
l.lncclot had hean nsed. All his life, To
take 4 foremost place, lie was the heir
70 4 tnc estate, tile darling cf his re-
aions, the most popular boy in
school and he was accustomed with
all his pleasantness of manner to bear
down opposition Ii seemed quite nat
urol TO him hot he should tell this