Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-03-07
Mrs. .Bo7b-
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER,


excitement.
/ don't think that so much interest
would have beeu taken in Mr.. and Mrs.
Markham IL they had taken auy other
house than the Manor Lodge. But the
Manor Lodge was Interesting enough in
Itself 10 shed a halo OF romance over any
one connected with n. aud the fact that
these Australians had bought IL aud We're
actually going to live ia il, was enough 10
make ali the neighborhoOd eager TO max
their acquaintance.
The Manor Lodge stood about a mile
from the city on the left bank Of the river
which runs through its midst. II was a
large house standing two stories high,
built OF white brick aud having very wide
caves. The lower windows were all
French casements aud were shaded by
wide %verandas, over which there climbed
IN wild and INTENDED %profusion roses and
houey-suckle. ivy aud wisteria.
The gardens had once been beautiful,
with wide pathways, a terrace overlooking
the small park. a fountain and several
marble statues standing here and there.
There were two couserVatories built
against the house and TWO large wineries,
which had been kept in fair order 10y an
Did gardener who had been put into the
place as a caretaker bv way OF giving him
al easy berth. This old man had after
his first week or 50 given up trying TO do
the work of three active men and so keep
tire garden in order, aud had quietly
clipped into troubling himself about moth
Ing but the grapes aud peaches of which
Mr.. Bellairs expected an occasional basket
TO be sent for his table.
But very soon under the Markham rule,
the whole place began TO assume "A differ
ent a~ppearance-the roofs and ~chilnneys
were thoroughly overhauled, the old win
dows were mended with new ones. the
white walls were cleaned down. the yeran-
aaS repaired. end the various creepers
were IN the hands OF a skilled gardener
soou reduced 10 order aud ~neutness. The
fountain was cleaned out and set playing
again. aud one morning Mrs. Markham
brought a big bow ia which were eight
or ten gold fish which sle turned into the
fountain in the large conservatory, watch
ing their movements with the curiosity Of
q child.
The very statues were cleaned OF the
green moss and growth which is the out
come OF ages OF neglect and now they
shone forth orce more ia all their beauty,
once more Venus and Apollo enjoyed the
heauty of comparatively smooth lawns
aud weh-clipped hedges and quantity
shaped yew-trees, though not so smooth or
trim as they would be after n year or two
OF the new order.
More than once Mr. Trafferd aud Julia
happened to pass by the Manor Lodge and
saw all the signs of life aud wealth about
the place. II think We will 20 and call on
Mrs. Markham next week. julia Mrs.
Trafford remarked
They could not from the road see a sign
Of the house for the avenue made a wide
curve from the gate aud was lined on
either side by Il dense hedge OF Portuguese
laurel. but they bad good and substantial
evidence OF the way in which the place
was being NJ ed up for "a large covered
cart with open ends passed through the
gates Just as they reached them aud this
art was filled to Overlooking with a yari-
,ty of tall palms, aioes, cacti aud tree
terms. IL think we Will call next week,
Julia said Mrs. Traffnrd A. they walked
on towards the town.
So the following week Mrs. Trafford
and Julia took an open fy and went 20
Brentwood, the pretty house, half villa,
lalf mansion, which the Markham's had
taken until the Manor Lodge should be
ready for them. Yes. Mrs. Markham
was at home, and they were shown in
10 the pretty drawiug.room where, in
spite OF its being as vet but early autumn,
4 bright nre was hurn!ng III the po'isneu
CRATE.
AS the door closed behind the powdered
'ootman, Mrs. Trafford looked at her
daughter and raised her eyebrows; they
both knew Brentwood for the Marcus Or
tords had lived there from the time they
were married until the Black Horse had
left Blankhampton, and they there
fore knew to a nicely what the natural
condition Of the house was. Between our
selves 1t was very different TO that in which
they nOw found IL.
In two minutes Mrs. Markham came in,
n pretty. elegant woman, wearing a simple
tea-gown of dark-blue silk, a thing that
had cost n deal Of money and yet WAS not
too fine for ordinary use. IL am so glad
TO see yon," she cried. holding out both
her hands TO Mrs. Trafford, "the more so
because we brought a letter of introduce
ton to You and were waiting till we got
a little more settled to send 1t to you.
Ii is so kind OF yop to have come so soon."
Mrs. Trafford was enchanted with her
new friend-"That IS very nice TO have
mutual friends-may ask whof'
"Oh. yes-it was Colonel ~Clarke-you
know Colonel Clarke. at least he knows
y0u. He said hs was an old friend OF
yours
Yes said Mrs. Tratford doubtfully.
She did not happen TO remember a Colonel
Clarke and she did not like to say 80.
Stay, though" Mrs. Markham went on
in her soft sweet voice. 81 believe | am
wrong, II was Coles-Colonel Coles. How
stupid OF me to mistake. | get so mixed
among names. ldon't often forget a voice
or a face, but the names do bother me ter
ribly sometimes"
'Oh, Colonel Coles. Yes, he was n great
friend of ours. SO you know him! Is he
10 charming old mani"
Eyes, very charming. Bob and l are
equally fond Of him." Mrs. Markham re-
piled. ''Of course, we really don't know
many people in England, for | was born
In Australia and never left ID until less
tudu u year ukt IL sScius oU'h " 'A~
world when YOU leave your wi corner
aud travel over the parts OF IL that YOU
don't know, but really it IS only a little
world after all, for when we left Aus
tralia, my husband Insisted m stopping
ut Calcutta and going overland TO Som
bay, because he wanted 10 see something
of India. Whilst we were up-couutry,
and You may believe We Were not long
there. we met Colonel Coles. He was din-
ing with us one evening and we were
talking OF our plans aud he said that he
would give us a letter 10 a Mrs. Trafford,
whom we ought TO know il there was the
remotest chance OF our pitching our tent
anywhere neal Blankhanpton. or course,
we accepted il gladly, although We had
then no more intention of settling at
Blankhampton than at any other place.
aud then after all, oddly enough, here we
are"
And here we are. more oddly STILL"
cried Mrs. Trafford. gaily.
In half an hour they were quite Ia the
position Of old friends, and at last Mrs.
Trafford aud Julia looked at one another
as q sort of signal that IL was time for
them to 90.
mo, don't look at your daughter In
that way said Mrs. Markham, smiling,
because | hear the tea coming aud also l
saw Bob and my brother pass the window
a ago. You really must not 20
till you have seen them"
Nothing 10th Mrs. Trafford let herself
slip back on to the settee again and Julia