Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-08

turtle and venison," said the young host.
ess.
perhaps not; no knows the barrenness
OF the land" answered Roderick, sharply
very sharply for him. "But other folks
DO not know and need not. Your mag
niicent visitors, for instance. I hope you
did not let them penetrate beyond the
drawing-room, or invite them to stay to
tea, lest they might quote the famous
lines,
Love in n hut with water and crust,
1s-Love. forgive us!-cinders, ashes,
DUST"
II think you may well ask Love to for
give you, DEAR" Silence answered., not
echoing the laugh. which was scarcely
a merry laugh. Eyes, 1 offered them tea,
for 1 liked them, and I wanted them to
stay till you came home, thinking you
would like them, too. They did stay, as
long as they possibly could. and we had
n pleasant Xix, and Janet was baking,
SO 1 gave them some hot scenes, and"
What charming hospitality! 1t must
have reminded them of Caleb Balder-
stones. Why, my dear wife, we shall
soon have to set up q Caleb Balderstone.
since Blackhall has grown into a sort of
Wolf's Hope. Silence, my darling"-tak-
ing her face between his hands md try
ing hard to curb his excessive irritation
you are the sweetest and simplest of
women; but-you must not invite people
here again. Not people such as these.
They would only 90 home and laugh at
us. i don't care for myself; l can dine off
porridge and sult-it would not harm me
but L can not bear the world to know
it. We must put the best on the outside"
She looked up, more than surprised
startled. Evidently there was something
in the woman's nnturc-largcr or smaller,
who shall decide?-which could not UNI
derstand the man ut all.
"Never mind, however, for this once.
Well hire a tly-a carriage and pair per-
haps, in noble cmulation-return these
visits, and any others with which the
gentry of the neighborhood,' as old Black
called them, may condescend to honor us
and so end it all. To keep up acquaint-
ance with them is, rs I said, simply i'm
possible"
why impossible"
"Can you not see? Birds of n feather
must flock togethcr-it is natural law.
These people are the 'magnates of the
dimes of Blackhall. Besides, did you tell
"sS JtAcS N SohS AS ihlkOSSli
one, to do it-thnt 1 am also foreman of
the cotton MILF"
Again she looked Mt him in quiet sur
prise. He seemed so very unlike him
self. "If 1 had told them, would it have
mattered very much?"
"Certainly MOTTO mo. But 1 think it
wou'd to them. Dear, Il man is always
despised for being poor; and[I will not
be despised. I can live upon bread and
water, dress in fustian-or rags, if nee
essary; but my wife will prevent that"
added he, tenderly. "Only our poverty
must not betray itself. If we appear in
the world ut all, it must be as Mr.. and
Mrs. Jardinc of Blackhall. Whatever we
suffer, let us die and make no sign Or,
even to go n little further, let us initiate
that very reserved gentleman of whom
his valet said, Masters dead, sir but he
doesn't wish it to be generally Known"
Silence did not laugh at the stale joke.
which indicated n long undcrcurrcnt of
bitter thought now yelling up to the sur
face: but she attempted no remonstrance.
My friend'-the old tender ''mon ami"
do not be angry with me. / liked
these people because ] thought you would
like them, too, and that 81 little society
would be good for you; but since it can
not be"
"Since it cannot be- he repeated. de-
cisively, w will not trouble ourselves
about it, or them. Doubtless our neigh
bors will trouble themselves very little
about us-a at least, as soon as they know
all the facts concerning u.,wh.ch of cou. Sc
they very soon will. Never mind, my
wife. kiss me md be happy! W. are
happy, are We not? Let the world go it's
way-who cares?"
But it was evident that lie did care:
and when after Il week or two he found
he had been mistaken, and people did
trouble themselves about the young
Jardincs. inasmuch that by and by, citll-
or from friend!incss, respect, or curiosity,
they had called at Observation-Disclosures
pleased or vcxed, Roderick was certain
ly interested.
"NNell, and who has bccn here to-day?"
was always his first question on coming
up from the mill; sometimes adding, with
II bitter earnest underlying the jest, that
No hoped That she had told all her grand
%-eighbors that her husband was tout ut
work. his work as foreman of the mill.
Yes. 1 thought you wished everybody
to know? 1t could not matter, you being
Il gentleman and q Jardine. You once
said So"
And L say so still, in my best mo-
ments; but in my worst Well, I sup
! pose VIC men are great cowards-moral
towards. No matter, l am glad the MUIR
der's out. You did it for the best. my
wife; and it is the best, for they will
never come again, depend upon it,"
But, strange to say, they did; and Mt
last it became absolutely necessary to
return these friendly visits.
II will beg Il holiday from my mastcr''
poor Roderick! he sometimes took n
savage pleasure in the word-''we will
hire The village fly and go in state; APP
pearins for once as respectable people
Mr.. and Mrs. Jardine. of Blackhall."
Il think we are respectable people,"
the wife answered.; she had learned not
to he hurt Mt these accidental bitter
ncsses. "We are well-born, wcll-bred;
we live in orr own pretty house; we pay
our debts: and we stint nobody-cNccpt
ourselves. perhaps
Herself she might have said. for her
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