Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-12-26
:: Roger Vapbrueb's Wife. !
BY ADELINE SERGEANT.

BY ADELINE SERGEANT.


, perception of something new and
strange in the generals face. The old
man looked--at last-as If he loved
her; and Madeline never forgot the
discovery Of that love.
Lady Esler's Remonstrance.
The sight of his gifts and the story
of the whole afternoon filed the Des-
pard household with wonderment-al-
most with awe. Madeline remem-
bered afterward--for events of these
few days always stood out with
strange freshness. and vividness in her
mind-that her father and his wife
exchanged curious glances above her
head when she timidly displayed the
pretty things that the general had be-
slowed on her: and that Mr. Despard
shrugged his shoulders and threw out
his hands with the gesture of one who
throws up losing game.
Il have done my best" he said,
turning away. 1T was hardly worth
the trouble after ALL"
That's just like you" said his wife.
You want everything at once. What
! think of is the time to come. You
won't forget us, Madeline, when you
get among all those fine folk, will you?
You'll remember who brought you up
and kept you all these years, as a
good little girl ought to do?"
"0f course. l shall" said Madeline,
shrinking instinctively from the
wheedling manner which Mrs. Des-
pard put on for the occasion. "And
shall see you often, shall l not? /
shall come back for the holidays.
Again Mr.. and Mrs. Despard ex-
changed look.
Unless your fine relations want you
to stay with them, you know" said
Mrs. Despard, at last.
But that will be only sometimes"
said Despard. "Of course, our humble
home will always be open to our dear
child-our beloved Madeline"
The air of rhetorical flourish with
which he spoke did not please Made
line, but she did not quite know why,
for 1t would have seemed to her like
gross disloyalty to attribute want OF
affection to her father, except when
circumstances absolutely compelled
her to do SO.
But the next few weeks were passed
in whirl of business, for the general
had issued commands that Madeline
should be ready to 60 to the school
that he had chosen in a weeks time.
He had ordered a complete outfit for
her, including dresses and hats which
made Mrs. Despard actually weep with
envy. ut would just suit Jenny.
What pity that's too big for her.
Well, Madeline, must say that you're
a lucky girl-and remember that all
your luck comes from your father and
me" a remark which Madeline failed
to understand, because it seemed to
her that her luck" came through her
relationship to Gen. Armstrong.
Comments like these rather de-
stroyed her pleasure in the pretty
things that her grandfather had
bought for her; especially as she was
restrained by his express command
from giving away nall OF them TO
Jenny and her stepmother; but she
could not help feeling half-fearful
satisfaction in the consciousness that
she was not going to school in the
character OF a poor girl, sent out OF
charity, but as the granddaughter of a
distinguished general, who had pro-
vided her with nice frocks and neat
boots and gloves like those of other
girls. To be like other girls" had
long been Madeline's suppressed am
bition and even at 13 years old she
was not free from an innocent desire
for the pleasanter side of life. 1t was
a real delight to her to think that
after the summer holidays she would
be at Miss Joyce's school.