Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-05-02

Yes" he said, IL am going 10 get II la
the morning"
diamonds, OF course?'
"Yes-she chose diamonds"
"Ah,-her taste agrees with mine. Was
II not lucky that Violet Lucifer insisted
on my wearing that butterfly on that par
ticular evening", ] really do look upon
that IA a special providence. | should
have been sorry TO part with ii. ! could
never have happened to meet with a big
ruby OF the right color again, could l?'
Not very easily" he replied.
"Oh! here's Bob. Bob" cried the little
lady, steve has gone and done it,
Done itp What, you mean the little
widows daughter? Well. my boz, ! hope
IL will he all right, that do and he came
across the room and gripped Stephens
hand hard. II hope you'll be happy, old
chap, aud the little woman. too"
Thank you, Bob" said stephen. heart
lily.
Then she's TO know nothing," Bob
went on, presently.
Absolutely nothing" Stephen answer
ed.
And II she finds out?' the other in
quired.
"She will not nnd out" Stephen said.
promptly.
All the better rejoiued Bob Mark
ham. with decision. well, Mamie. I
suppose You'll g in and talk the whole
business over tomorrow with Mrs. Traf-
fords Yes. We'll, you can give the bride
a handsome present from us both and
don't stint the price Of it,
Every well" she returned.
Thus the announcement OF Stephen
Towards engagement TO Julia was made
TO his own people, and the following day
Mrs. Bob got into her NictoIia and drove
to No. : to express to Mrs. Trafford aud
Julia the delight that the news had given
her.
Dear Mrs. Trafford, I am SO glad. Sc
very. very glad. " she exclaimed, quite
rushing into Mrs. Trafford's arms: "Steph-
en- is such n dear boz. and he Will make
her such a good husband. And we have
been so anxious hat he should marry
and he has been SO long in finding the
right one, but now that he has found her
I cannot tell you 10Y very, very glad !
aa;."
And | am glad. too said Mrs. Trat
ford, g%iaciously. She felt that she was in
the position Of the approached instead *
the approaching and that IL became her to
he gracious but not gushing. Tim had
been when Mrs. Trafford would have
gushed n good deal over Stephen Howard
To his sister, but Mrs. Trafford was u wo-
man on whom the lessons Of time aud
experience were not thrown away, indeed
she profted by every lesson she had ever
had.
IL think they will be very happy" Mrs.
Bob went on; They are so suited 10 each
other aud Stevie is perfectly devoted TO
her. He has been down this morning, of
course. At least, - with gay little laugh,
''he disappeared very early from cur hori-
zon."
Yes, he was here rather early" Mrs.
Trafford answered, and | think they are
not far away now. Julia said they would
be here at tea time"
Then IL you will ask me | will wait and
see her. | mays Obi then shall | send
the carriage homer They can come back
At half past six. Yes, | must 40 then.
We are dining ut the Bishops
50 Mrs. Bob took off her seal.skin coat
aud settled down for a long chat with
Mrs. Trafford on the subject which was
just uppermost in the minds OF both Of
them.
IL suppose they have not decided where
To live or anything yet Mrs. Bot went
on. do ! mind where' No. not bit: It
sail pretty near together in England. |
rather think Steve has q fancy for u house
In town, rs headquarters you know. but
OF course, he will have 10 hear what the
lady has 10 say about H."
Il think Julia would prefer that" Mrs.
WseYTcffP' -'BhSs.theb y. has steyie saiI any
thing TO you about settlements"
NO. not yet. have hardly seen him
this morning. " Mrs. T'rafford answered.
"He talks Of settling twenty thousand
on her, for her own use, of course. And
For the rest, well Steyie has been very
lucky in his business affairs. He cannot
have less than four Thousand a year"
81 did not know that Stephen had any
profession, " Mrs. TrafYord said, in sur
prise.
No profession, dear Mrs. Trafford. but
he has a good deal Of property which all
takes a good deal OF looking after. Steyie
has never trusted his affairs TO other peo-
pie. which ! call very wise: when | spoke
of his being lucky In business affairs I
meant in ways connected with his proper
ty. For instance, he sold our fathers
estate in Queensland for far more than
we ever expected 1t would make. Aud
then he does a good deal of chopping aud
changing with his shares and things-Ohi
| can't tell you, but he has always had
luck aud he has a long head. too
Well, as Mrs. Tratford said. that was
her last day Of peace. Everybody was
pressing for u short engagement and n
speedy marriage. The Markhams urged
it. stephen Howard prayed for il, Julia
shyly said that she wished il.
In vain did Mrs. Trafford suggest three
mouths as a fitting and suitable time, In
vain equally did she sue for at least half
that perlod-they were four TO one and
they all talked at her with such earnest
ness that at last she gave a somewhat re-
luctant consent To an engagement of only
a months duration. But as she said il
was a time that she felt a litt@e ashamed
OF, she felt she should have to explain to
all the town the reason for SO short an
engagement, which was very awkward as
she had no adequate reason TO give.
They had had a jubilaut telegram of
cougratulstion during the course OF the
morning from Laura Staunton, aud a let.
ter followed which said that they were
coming straight TO Blankhampton on the
first of November, aud added that she,
lAtuy SttuuAou, Wds siulpiy uNilS 10 see
Julia's choice.
And on November the first, the Staun.
tons arrived in time for dinner, Laura In
a great state OF excitement and full OF
fondest congratulations. "Aud he is real
~ very nice. Juliag' she asked. having
invaded the sacred recesses OF her sisters
bedroom"
There he is" answered Julia. holding
odt a large cabinet photograph OF Stephen.
"Ohl my dear, he is spleudidiy hand.
some" Laura cried, with genuine admir-
alton; '.if he is half AS nice as he looks,
you are a lncky girl. Really, julia, has II
ever struck you lately, that we three girls
have been extraordinarily lucky,"
"Yes. And we have 10 thank mother
! for a good deal" answered Julia, gravely.
Yes. Mother has always been very
good to us. She is so judicious. Why, II
IL hadn't been for her. we might have
come TO Blankhampton like the Morning
ton Browns n here we might have stuck
Just "a they have done. don't know that
we are as good-looking as the Morning
ton-Browns take us both all round"
oh! yes, we are" Julia returned. cool
~. They are not much 10 look at when
you take Tina's yellow hair away. The
other one Is a trump. You know il doesn't
do TO be a trump, though you can be as
ugly "a Won lkep !