Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-04-04
init OF argument.

herself. and her thoughts included her
niece. Madge, as one Of her children just
as much as her own daughter, Laura
Immediately after lunch they went of
TO the dress-maker n held a consultation
with her. II will have something quite
inexpensive, mother" said Julia, as she
went IL a get something very smart
In soft silk or cashmere, and you must
have four tea-gown Of a rich material"
II suppose I must, y said Mrs. Trafford
doubtfully.
She was a very unselish little woman.
and would have gone cheerfully to pay
her grand visit without so much as a new
pair Of gloves In order that one Of her
girls might be freshly dressed and well
finished of in all the little details Of her
costume. But Julia wa unselish, too,
and Julia Insisted upon the material for
the tea-gown being Of a rich and suitable
kind, and arranged fully with the dress
maker that the trimmings should be
neither poor nor skimped. oh. yes; they
were good girls, not a doubt about iti
Well, on the appointed day Mrs. Trafford
and Julia set of for Mstcham, a matter
Of ten miles or so by rail and three or four
beyond hat by road. They were very
happy. the mother and daughter; the
mother because she was going to stay a
week at one of the smartest houses In the
county, the daughter because he would be
therei
They had seen a good deal Of him dur.
ing the time between the little afternoon
gathering after the service at the Parish
aud the day On which they found them
selves Mt the station for Matcham, but
though they had got on like-like "a house
on fire Julia would have said, neither
Mrs. Trafford nor Julia herself was pre-.
pared TO find stephen Howard awaiting
them on the grayeiled platform OF the ut,
tie country station.
'Oh. Mr.. Howardr' exclaimed Julia, as
she caught sight of him.
Are you come to meet usi" cried Mrs
Trafford, as she gave him her hand &c
alight.
Why, Of course" he answered. 1--WE
were all doing nothing-some OF Us think
Ing about tennis, and others not thinking
about anything at all. l found M way
out to the stables TO hnd something there
to think about, aud l happened 20 see the
break coming OF for you-so | came with
H."
That was very nice Of you," said Julia,
sweetly.
How Julia was altered! BY the time
they drove in at the big gates at Match
am. with the family device hewn in stone
on either side, al imp rampant carrying
n pitchfork. she was looking quite pretty
and when Lady Lucifer came out into the
beautiful old oak hall to welcome them,
she found herself saying In her own heart
that really Stephen Howard whom. up to
that day, she had firmly believed was tax
ing leave OF his senses knew very well
what he was about, and that little Miss
Trafford was growing quite pretty.
The Lucifers were among the few peo-
ole possessing "a large aud lovely hall whc
did not regularly use IL as a sitting room.
Ii had been SO used ia the time OF the
lords mother. but the present mistress
OF the house said II was a detestable
custom and used o suite OF rooms instead
"a morning-room out Of which was her
boudoir and out Of which again was the
library.
Come into the library" she said, hos.
pitably, you cannot be dusty with such q
short journey. Tea is in full swing and
Mr.. Darlington has promised Us a banjo
performance presently"
; Mrs. Trafford went with Lady Luci.
fer into the pleasantly warm and well
lighted library, and Julia followed less
quickly with stephen Howard, who had
not met her for three days aud was quite
overjoyed To see her again. Nearly all the
guests were there, and they seemed quite
a crowd of people. Mrs. Markham smiled
and made room for Mrs. Trafford beside
her.
Come aud sit by me, Mrs. TrafYord.
\ ddssas sas rss551u.rffaapa Ss5Ss iige-. Ar Sgsfnie
ton is really quite u genius at 1t. l tell
him he ought to go about the streets and
sing all the time. He would make quits
q fortune"
She was a very gay little woman, and
came out as Mrs. Trafford had not thought
Ii possible for her to do. OF course IL W "a
gaiety OF a very gentle order, for Mrs.
Bob. rs everyone In the house seemed
TO call her, was the least noisy person pos
sible.
You know there are to be great doings
here this week." she said TO Mrs. Traf.
ford, "a lot OF people to dinner tonight
a big lunch at Sir Simon D'Angler's to-
morrow. A ball here in the evening. A
ball at Plackington the next night and Sc
on all the week. feel like a schoolgirl
just coming out"
And you will look like it," said Mrs.
Tratford. smiling.
well, | hope So" aid Mrs. Bob, sim
ply; II have got some OF the loveliest
dresses you ever saw, and I've been hard
at work all the morning cisaning my dia-
mouds."
ALI you like to do them yourself" said
Mrs. Trafford.
''Oh, no.: | don't" rejoined Mrs. Bob.
quickly. but I am here without a maid,
l have the best maid in all the world, but
yesterday morning she had a telegram TO
say that her mother was dying and she
must go at once IL she wanted to see her
alive again, 80, of course, she had to fly
of and leave me to get on As best / could
Aud the very last thing she said was,
oh, ma'am, IL I'd only taken your dia,
monds In to be cleaned at a jewellers
instead Of doing them myself But
Mrs. Bot added-"when you are strange
TO q place you don't care to trust your
diamonds to anybody but yourself, dc
your"
Mrs. Trafford laughed merrily. ~
don't know. | am sure. haven't got a
diamonds except one or two little orna-
ments that would be quite safe with any
body"
Well, I have some rather nice dia,
monds." said Mrs. Bob. modestly-and
added with a meaning look. You see J
haven't any daughters, Mrs. Trafford."
"And you would like childrent' Mrs
Trafford asked.
The other caught her breath in a SHARP
sigh that was almost a sob. "Oh! If yor
knew how l long to have q lear little
child Of my own-of my very own
had one once" she went on sadly, ''bui
she only lived a fortnight had no Joy
OF her. Aud how gladly would give IN,
diamonds. my everything except Bob, to
have a little child to love. could not tell
you. II is a great want In ones life to be
childiess."
Perhaps by aud by" Mrs. Trafford
began.
IL fear motif is more than eight years
since my little babe was taken. All. well,
try to believe II Is for the best-I try 10
believe it,"
Mrs. TrafYord's kindly heart ached for
the poor soul who had lost her one little
all and had found that diamonds did
not help to All the void which the babe OF
q fortnight old had left behind 1t. She
was 30 sorry for her-and the conversation
OF ten minutes had made her understand
what had seemed before to be so strange,
had explained away the sadness iu the
fair face, and the shadow which seemed