The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-12-26
THE STORY.

THE STORY.
l..
Not far from the source of the famous riy-
Ell which rises in the mountains between
Loeb katrine and Loeb Lomond, and divides
the highlands and the lowlands of Scotland,
travellers arrive at the venerable gray walls
OF Mount Morven, and, after consulting their
guide-books, ask permission to see the house.
What would be called, in 4 modern place
OF residence, the first floor is reserved for the
occupation of the family. The great hall OF
entrance, and its quaint old fireplace, the an
cIent rooms on the same level opening out of
1t, are freely shown to strangers. Cultivated
travellers express various opinions relating to
the family portraits and the deliberately ear
we'd ceilings. The uninstructed public de-
clineS to trouble itself with criticism. 1t
looks up at the towers and the loopholes, the
battlements and the rusty old guns, which
still bear witness to the perils of past times
when the place was q fortresS-it enters the
gloomy hall, walks through the stone-paved
rooms, stares at the faded pictures, and Won
ders at the lofty chimney-pieccs hopelessly
out of reach. Sometimes it sits on chairs,
which are as cold and hasd as iron, or timid-
ly feels the legs of immovable tables which
might be legs of elephants so far as size is
concerned. When these marvels have been
duly admired, and the guide-books are shut
up, the emancipated tourists. emerging into
Highland air, all find the same social problem
presented by avisit to mount Morven: "How
can the family live in such Il place as that!?'
III these strangers on their travels had been
permitted to assemble the first floor, and had
been invited (for example) to say goodnight
TO Mrs. Linley's pretty little daughter, they
would have seen the stone walls of Kitty's
bed-chamber snugly covered with velvet
hanglngs which kept out the cold; they
would have trod on Il doubly-laid carpet,
which set the chilly influences of the pave
ment beneath 1t at defiance, they would have
looked at a bright little bed. of the last new
pattern, worthy of n child's deeply delicious
sleep; and they would only have discovered
that the room was 800 years old when they
had drawn aside the window curtains, and
had revealed the adamantine solidity of the
outer walls. Or, if they had been allowed to
pursue their Investigations u little farther,
and had found their way into Mrs. Linley's
sitting-room, here again q transformation
scene would have revealed more modern
luxury presented in the perfection which i'm
plies restraint within the limits of good taste,
But on this occasion, instead of seeing the
mented him, with tears of sincere sorrow,
when he dice after two years of married life,
was a mystery which puzzled her nearest and
dearest friends. And why, when she indulg-
cd (a little too frequently in rccollections of
her married life, she persisted i'll putting OBJ
scure MIR. Prcsty on a level with distinguish
ed MI. Ornond, was 4 secret which this re-
markable woman had never been known to
reveal. Presented by their widow with the
Strictest impartiaiity to the general view, the
characters of these two husbands combined,
by force of contrast, the ideal of manly per-
lection. That is to say, the vices of Mr.. Or
mond We're the virtues of Mr.. Presty, and the
vices of Mr.. Presty were the virtues OF Mr..
Ornond.
Returning to the sitting-room after bidding
Kitty goodnight, Mrs. Linley discovered the
old lady asleep, and saw that the book on her
mothers lap was sliding off. Before she
could check the downward movement the
book fell on the floor, and Mrs. Presty woke.
"Oh, mamma, | am SO sorry! l was just
too late to catch it,"
1T doesn't matter, my dear. ] dare say
should go to sleep again il went on with
my novel"
rs it really as dull as that?"
Dull" Mrs. Presty repeated. you are
evidently not aware of what the new school
of novel-writing is doing. The new school
provides the public with soothing fiction"
Are you speaking seriously, mammal"
seriously, Catherinc-and gratefully
head of a lively little child on the pillow,
side by side with the head of her doll, they
would have encountered an elderly lady OF
considerable size, fast asleep and snoring in
a vast armchair with a book on herlap. The
married men among the tourists would have
recognized a mother-in-law, and would have
set an excellent example to the rcst-tlat is
to say, the example of leaving the room.
The lady composed under the soporiiic in.
tluence of literature was a person of impor
lance in the house-holding rank as Mrs
Linley's mother, and being otherwise notice
able for having married two husbands ant
survived them both.
The first of these gentlemen, the Rt.-Hon
Joseph Ormond, had been a member of par
lia...ent and had taken office under govern
mem. Mrs. Linley was his one surviving
child. He died at an advanced age, leaving
his handsome widow young enough, as sht
was always ready TO mention, to be hi
daugilter) well provided for, and an objec
Of matrimonial, aspiration to single gentle
hHUii IN ttNlli,lCu SlLc III ~ NUllIdi, SCI Ul "
money. After hesitating for some little tim,
Mrs. Onnond accepted the proposal of the
ugiicst and dullest man among the ranks OF
her admirers. Why she became the wife OF
Mr.. Presty (known in commercial circles a
a merchant enriched by the sale of vinegar,
she was never able to explain. Why she Ia
These new writer's are so good to old wo
men. No story to excite our poor nerves; III
improper characters to cheat us ont of OH
s%ympathies; no dramatic situations to fright
en- MS; exquisite management of details Ca
tile reviews say, and a mastery anatomy o
human motives which, l know what l mean
my dear, but can't explain it."
II think understand, mamma A mas
terly anatomy of human motives which is il
itself a motive of human sleep. No; l won
borrow your novel just ow. | don't wan
10 go to sleep; l am thinking of Herbert ii
London"
Mrs. Prcsty consulted her watch.
your husband is no longer in London,
she announced; 'he has begun his iourne,
home. Give me the railway guide and II
tell yon when he'll be here tomorrow. Ycl
may trust me, Catherine, to make no mis-
take. Mr.. Presty's wonderful knowledge o
figures has been of the greatest use to me il
later life. Thanks to his instructions, / an
the only person in the house who can crap
pie with the intricacies of our railway sys
ten. Your poor father, MI. Ormond, neve
could understand timetables, and never at
tempted to conceal his deficiencies. He hat
zone of the vanity harmless vanity, pei
haps) which led poor Mr.. Presty to expires
positive opinions on matters of which Ii
knew nothing, such MS pictures and music
What do you want, Malcom?"
The servant to whom this question was I'D