The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-05-02
you going to town to.morrow,n

1es, ny the maA-l shall be early
enough"
Yes, and you will be able to buy her an
engagement ring If you haven't done SO
already"
Yes" he said, II am going to get it in
h morning."
diamonds, OF coursee"
"Yes-she chose diamonds"
"Ah!-her taste agrees with mine. Was
1t not lucky that Violet I.ucifer insisted
on my wearing that butterfly on that par
ticular EVENING" I really do look upon
that as n special providence. l should
have been sorry to part with it. l could
never a v happened to meet with a big
ruby of the right color again, could IL"
Not very easily." he replied. 8
"Oh! here's Bob. Bob" cried the little
lady, Steve has gone aud done it,"
Done it? What. yon mean the little
widows danghters Well, my boy, ! hope
it will be all right, that l do" and he came
across the room and gripped Stephens
hand hard. ~ hope you'll be happy, old
chap, and the little woman, too"
"TEank you, Bob" said Stephen, healt-
lily.
Then she's to know nothingy" Bob
went on, presently.
Absolutely nothing" Stephen answer
ed.
And If she finds out?" the other In
CURED.
She will not find out" Stephen said.
promptly.
"All the BETTER rejoined Bob Mark
ham, with decision. well, Mamie, l
suppose you'll go in and talk the whole
business over tomorrow with Mrs. Traf-
fordf Yes. Well, you cal give the bride
a handsome present from us both and
don't stint the price of it,"
VERY well.'' she returned.
Thus the announcement of Stephen
to his w people, aud the following day
to No. Z to express to Mrs. Tratford aud
her.
Dear Mrs. Trafford, l am SO glad, so
very, very glad" she exclaimed, quite
rushing into Mrs. Trafford's arms; .Stcph.
en- is such a dear boy, II he will make
her such u good husband. And we have
been SO anxious that he should marry
and he has been SO long in finding the
right one, but now that he has found her
l cannot tell you how very. very glad ]
am"
And l am glad, too" said Mrs. Traf.
ford, gr~aclcusly. She felt that she was in
the position OF the approached instead of
the approaching aud that 1t became her to
be gracious but not gushing. Time had
been when Mrs. Trafford would have
gushed n good deal over Stephen Howard
to his sister, but Mrs. Trafford was q wo-
man on whom the lessons of time and
experience were not thrown away; indeed
she profted by every lesson she had ever
had.
II think they will be very happy" Mrs.
Boil went on; they are so suited to each
other and Stevie is perfectly devoted to
her. He has been down this morning, of
course. AT least" with n gay little laugh,
she disappeared very early from our horl-
zon."
yes, he was here rather early" Mrs.
Trafford answered, land l think they are
not far away now. Julia said they would
be here at tea-time."
"Tlen if you will ask me l will wait aud
see her. may? Oil then shall l send
the carriage home? They can come back
at half past six. Yes, l must go then.
we are ululHb NG tue D!SnOp s.
So Mrs. Bob took Off her seal-skin coat
and settled down for a long chat with
Mrs. Trafford on the subject which was
just uppermost in the minds Of both OF
them.
II suppose they have not decided where
to live or anything yet" Mrs. Bob went
on. DO l mind where, No, not bit: it
isall pretty near together in England. l
rather think Steve has II fancy for a house
In town, as headquarters you know, but,
of course he will have to hear what the
lady has to say about it's
II think Julia would prefer that" Mrs.
Traffori said.
"Ali, yes! OF course, they will be very
we'll off. By-the-by, has Stevie said any
thing to you about settlemcntss"
mo, not yet. Ihave hardly seen him
this morning" Mrs. Trafford answered.
HE talks of settling twenty thousand
on her, for her own use, of course. And
for the rest, we'll Stevie has been very
lucky in his business affairs. He cannot
have less than four thousand a year"
II did not know that Stephen had any
profession" Mrs. Trafrord said, in sur
prise.
mo profession, dear Mrs. Trnfford, but
he has a good deal of property which all
takes u good deal of looking after. Stevie
has never trusted his affairs to other peo-
pie, which l call very wise: when l 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 thar
we ever expected 1t would make. And
then he does a good deal of c%hoppIng and
changing with his shares and things-Oh!
l can tell you, but he has always had
luck and he has n long head, too"
Well, as Mrs. Tratford said, that was
her last day of peace. Everybody was
pressing for a short engagement and a
speedy marriage. The Markhams urged
it. Stephen Howard prayed for 1t. Julia
shyly said that she Wished it.
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 period-they were four to one and
they oil talked at her with such earnest
ness that at last she gave n somewhat re-
luctant consent to an engagement of only
n months duration. But as she said it
was a time that she felt u little ashamed
of, she felt she should have to explain to
oil the town the reason for so shOr M
engagement, which was very awkward as
she had no adequate reason to give.
They had had a jubilant telegram OF
cougratulntion during the course of the
morning from Laura Stuunton, and a let
ter followed which said that they were
coming straight TO Blankhampton GU the
first OF November, md added that she,
Lady S%taunton, was simply dying to sec
Julia's choice.
Aud on November the first, the Staun.
tons arrived In time for dinner, Laura in
a great state of excitement aud full OF
fondest congratulations. "And he is real.
ly very nice, Julia2" she asked, having
invaded the sacred recesses of her sisters
BEDROOM" .
There he is" answered Julia, holding
out a large cabinet photographer Stephen.
ooh! my dear, he Is splendidly hand
some." Laura cried, with genuine admir-
alton; IF he is half rs nice as he looks,
you are n lucky girl. Really, julia. has II
ever struck you lately, that we three girls
have been extraordinarily luckyt"
Eyes. And we have to thank mother
for Il good DEAL" answered julia, gravely.
"Yes. Mother has always been very
good to US. S e is SO judicious. Why, II
1t hadn't been for her, we might have