The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-12-19

rightful owners. In now appealing to these
gentlemen lie stipulated that the claim should
be set forth in writing. addressed to him I'M
der initials at a postotfice in London. III the
lost property was identified to his ~satisfac-
ton lie would mect-at Il specified place, and
OF a certain day and hour-a person accrcd-
tied by the firm, and would personally re-
store the diamonds, without claiming Tor
consenting to receive) Il reward. Tie con-
di;ions being complied with, this remarkable
interview took place: the writer of the letter,
described as an iniirin old man very poorly
dressed, fulfilled his engagement, took his
receipt, and walked away without even wait
ing to be thanked. 1t is only All act of justice
to add that the diamonds Were afterwards
counted, and not one OF them WAS missing"
Miserable, deseryediy miserable, married
pair! The. stolen fortune, on which they
had counted, had slipped through their fin
gers. The ber,hs i'll the steamer for New
York had been taken and paid for. james
had married Il oma with nothing besides
herself to bcstow OH lin, except III incum-
brance in the shape of ii boy.
Late on the fatal wedding day his first
idea, wien he was himself again after the
discovery in the summar-houSe, was to get
back his passage money, to abandon his wife
and his step-son, and escape to America in a
French steamer. He went to the office of
the English company and offered the places
which he had taken for sale. The season of
the year was against him; the passenger
traffic to America was at its lowest ebb, and
profits depended on tleigEtS alone. If he
still contemplated deserving his wife he must
also submit to sacrifice his money. The 9TH
er alternative was tas he expressed it to him
salt\ IN shaw hic ,,unp,,vn,tI, f,,. he II,
and to turn his family to some good account
in New York" He had not quite decided
what to do when he got home again on the
evening of his marriage.
AT that critical moment in her life the
bride was equal 30 the demand on her re-
sources.
Ii she were foolish enough TO allow james
TO act on his natural impulses there were
probably two prospects before her. In one
state of his temper lie might knock her
down. In another state of his temper he
might leave her behind Him. Her only hope
OF protecting herself, in either case. vas
to anne the bridegroom. In his absence she
wisely armed herself with the most irrcsist-
bic destinations OF her sex. Never yet had
he seen her dressed as she was dressed when
he came home. Never yet had her magniii-
cent eyes looked at him AS they looked now.
Emotions for which lie was not prepared
ovcrcamc this much-injured man: he stared
at the bride in helpless surprise. That III
estimable III OF weakness WAS all Mrs.
Bellbridge asked for. Bewiidcrrd by his
own transformation. james found himself
reading the newspaper the next morning
sentlmcntally, with his arm round his wifc's
waist.
BY Il refinement of cruelty. not one word
had been said to prepare little sgd for the
dreaiy change that VAS now close al hand i'll
her young life. The poor child had seen the
preparations for departure, and had tried to
initiate her mother in packing up. She had
collected her few morSClS OF dnrned and rag
ged clothing, and had gone upstairs 10 put
them in one Of the dilapidated old trunks in
the garnet playground. when the servant was
sent to bring her back 10 the s%itting-ioom.
There, cnthroned in an easy chair, sat II
strange lady; and there, hiding behind the
chair in undisgtiised dislike of the visitor,
was her little brother Roicrick. 5. ii looked
timidly at her mother: and Eer mother said:
Here is your aunt"
The personal appearance of Miss Wigger
might have suggested a modest distrust of
his W abilities to Lavatar, when that self
sufficient man wrote his famous work on
phySiognomy. Whatever betrayal of her in
herself her face might have presented, i'll
the distant time when she was young, was
now completely 0verlaid by Il surface of fab
by fat, which, assisted by green spoctacles,
kept the virtues Cor viccs) OF this wOnlan's
nature 4 profound secret until she opened
her lips. When She used her voice she let
out the truth. Nobody could hear her speak
and doubt for a moment that she was an in
veteIately ill-natuued woman.
Make your curtsey, chiId.' said Miss
Wigger. Nature had so toned her voice as to
make it worthy of the terrors OF her face.
But for her petticoats, it would have been
certainly taken for the voice of a man.
The child obeyed, trembling.
you are to 90 away with me, the school
mistress proceeded, 'and to be taught to
make yourself useful under my roof"
sgd seemed to be incapable of understand
ing the fate that was in store for her. She
sheltered herself bell. nd her mcrciless moth
er. I'm going away with you, mamma
she said-"with you and Rick
Her mother took her by the shoulders and
pushed her across the room to her aunt.
The child looked at the formidable female
creature with the mans voice and the green
spectacles.
You belong to me- said Miss Wigger, by
way OF encouragement 'and | have come tc
take You away AT those dreadful words
terror shook little sgd from head TO foot
She fell on her knees with a cry of misery
that might have melted the heart of Il savage
"Oh, mamma, mamma, don't leave me be
hind! What have | done to deserve it? Oh,
pray, pray pray have somc pity on me!'
Her mother was as selfish and as cruel a
woman as ever lived. But even her hare
heart felt family the influence OF the mos
intimate and the most sacred of all human
relationships. IIer lorid checks turned pale
She hesitatcd.
Miss Wigger marked Through her Owl
green medium) that moment of maternal in
decision, and saw that it was time to assert
her experience as an instructieSs of youth.
leave it to me-" she said to her sister
You never did know and you never vii
know how to manage Children
She advanced. The child threw hc:Sel
shrieking on the floor. Miss Wiggcr's lon!
arms caught her upheld her-shook her
BE quiet, you imp!' Ii was needless to tel
her to be quiet. Syd's little curly head sanl
on the scliooimistreSs's shoulder. She wa
carried into exile without "a word OF Il cry
she had tainted.
10.-IIe School.
Times march moves slowly, where wear!
lives languish in dull places.
Dating from one unkept and unacinowl
edged birthday to another, Sydney WeSter
field had attained the sixth year of her mar
tyrdom at school. In that long interval II,