The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-04-18
MRS. BOB.
By JOHN STRANGE WINTER.

CAN tell you now Syupatnctlc MIS-.
Tratford has BEEN, Lady Lucifer snid to
her husband while she still fingered in his
dressing-rooln. Most women would be
uncommonly glad when another woman
had lost all her diamonds, but she is just
as sorry and feeling about it rs if she had
lost them herself"
"Ies-very nice woman" said Lucifer,
struggling with his tie.
"Those Maule4erers may turn up their
stupid noses ut her as much as ever they
like" her ladyship went ou, las much rs
ever they like. Its SO silly. they always
pretend they won't know her on Ii nc
count. Such nonsense; why, she's just rs
good as they are, or If not quite SO we'll
born, Il great deal plcasanter to know.
At all events Colonel Urquhart didn't
want to marry one of them, or Colonel
anybody else, either
At this point Lord Lucifer ruined his
fourth tie. '.D--n the thing" he burst
out-then looked at his wife. Really,
Violet darling, 1 beg your pardon, but it
is awfully a~ggravating. I've no time to
lose and my fingers seem all thumbs to.
night. 'Pon my word" he ended, "Ishall
give up wearing these ties altogether. l
shall take to those things that hitch on
behind"
81 should ifI were you" said her lady
ship, calmly: they would be less trouble
and You could get them tied a great deal
better for you, Instead of wasting half n
dozen ties for one evening you would hitch
one on as you call it and you would look
better turned ont altogether"
Lord Lucifer nearly exploded; why, the
idea was preposterous, aud he had only
cY1rnncta1 II Ia fIa vnr,nr,t;nr Of tlo
moment, expecting MS q matter of course
that his wife would at once utterly re
pudiate the bare idea of his ever desrad-
ing himself by wearing Il tie that was
ready made and would hitch on behind,
repudiate it with Indignation and scorn.
In his disgust Mt her reply, he took up a
fresh tie and adjusted it into as neat and
exquisite n bow rs was ever turned out
the result, his wrath died out and he
was his own good-humored self once
again.
"Ah! well, well. / think l need not
take to made-up things while | can tie u
handiwork proudly. but, vi, hadn't
you better be going? It's getting awfully
late"
LES, pltU 1 Kill uuilc ltiluS. Slt I'LL
swered. a.
She had been getting into her gloves as
she talked and now began to button the
second one. 81 shall introduce the Maui
everers to her tonight she said, going on
with their original conversation.
ooh! are they coming?'
"Why, yes. One couldn't leave them
out, you know; and of course skittish
H.. 1;l,a tlN, a ..-,lI -
miss a C rnce of q dance. Is it likely?"
"Mrs. Tratford won't thank you.o
mo. perhaps not; but she will bear it to
oblise me, Know"
Thus charitably determined. Lady Luci-
fer wer5 down TO dinner, nor did she
when her opportunity came, show that she
had forgotten her intentions. For when
she found herself neal to the Maulevercrs
and by n happy chance to Mrs. Trafford,
she said suddenly, ooh! by-the-bye. Miss
Mrs. Trafford. You are n~eighbors aud
ought to know one another"
Miss Mauleverer, thus cornered, had no
choice but to give Mrs. Trafford her ~stifrest
bow (and oh! it was stlff-a poker wasn't
In it with that act of courtesy aud speak
q word to her.
Mrs. Trafford, secure in her position rs
the mother-in-law of her dear children's
husbands and in the fact that Julia was
at that very moment gliding by them in
Stephen Towards arms, was not very
cordial, not indeed more than barely
civil, ana when Lady Lucifer perceived
as much she was SO overlooking with
joy that she could have taken the little
widow right into her arms aud Rugged
her.
Miss Maulevercr had not expected this
move, she had expected her TO be more
gushing. more overwhelmed with the hon
or thus put upon her. In truth she was
SO taken aback by the quiet dignity OF
Mrs. Trafford's demennor that she caught
herself saying something about the bad
ness of the roads between Matcham mt
Blanklampton. Now this was Mrs. Traf
ford's chance, nor did she lose it.
Really" she said, sYeetly, ''are the
roads very bad?'
OH! very bad" answered the spinstel
In Il superior tone. Then | suppose yol
came by train-it is Il long drive from
Blankhampton."
Move are staying In the house." he
turned Mrs. Trafford, very quietly.
After this the s~pinster jndiciously melt
ed away, and Mrs. Trafford was left il
~undoubted possession of the field. Lady
Lucifer, who had been ut hand all the
time though she had apparently been talk
ing to other people, had not missed
word, and MS Mrs. Iraiford moved away
nfter an instnnt's pause in quite a differ
ent direction to Miss Mauleyerer, sh,
caught her hand for Il moment as sh,
passed. Mrs. Tratlord turned and smile
ut her in return but spoke not "A word
Indeed there was no need of words TO
without them each understood the othe
perfectly-it was a harmony withou
words.
Aud during all this time Julia was i
Elysiuml She had q fresh white gown or
and carried u beautiful posy of whit,
flowers tied with long white ribbol
streamers, which had been sent up to he
room with Mr.. Stephen Towards compli
ments. Size had his initials S. II. Sc
down on her programme against NOR
dances thnn I think it would be quit
honorable of me to mention, and she ha
heard someone say rs she passed-"Wh
is the charming girl with the tall fai
man" so what more could be wanted t
fill the cup of her happiness until it ovel
Eoweds Well, to be strictly accurate
, only one thing, and that she knew no,
would sooner or later, probably be
fore many days had gone by.