Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-08-07
M0NA'S CHOICE
BY MRS. ALEXANDER.

II wonder il he composed il himself"
observed Mona, quietly.
MY Child, could you make uoyour mind
to marry this young nam? hay oticed
his admiration OF yC 39Nt ..,:s like IN
honest gentlemal. Let In1 have the COIN
fort of knowing that you have escaped the
Ills II poyerty.'i
ooh, grannie, it is n tremendous price to
pay for safety! Mr.. Waring may be a bet
ter man than | deserve; but | do not care
for him. lie seems to me an awkward big
boy-dull and uniformed"
II cave Il to yourself. ] am such a fail
ure, ] dare not urge my advice on any one.
was too urgent with your mother. DO as
You will, Mona.'
oh what ought | to dor" exclaimed
Mona. at is awful to think of spending
ones whole life with a man to whom you
are indifferent; IL is cruel to refuse the only
efficient help for you, dear granite"
Think of yourself-yourself only; rs for
me, /" her voice grew feeble, her words
i~narticulate, her head fell back, and to
Nona's dismay she became insensible.
All other considerations were forgotten
In the efforts to recover her. The faithful
Wehner went swiftly for the doctor, who
IuHDtlCd W blNt IciNEIleu lTOll Ills HlOTu-
Ing rounds and came at once.
Its a bad business these repeated at
tacks," he sad to Mona, after he had seen
his patient. Her nerves are all wrong.
Her mind must be kept at ease somehow.
Get her out of this!'
1--WE expect Sir Robert Everard the day
after tomorrow, and then We shall decide
what to do" faltered Mona.
Nnl -. A. l-.sa-
lady," returned the doctor, who knew Mrs
Newburgh well. "She will go off in one
of these attacks, or her mind will become
seriously impaired. A woman of her age
can hardly stand the shock of such a re-
verse. Keep her very quiet; she seems
drowsy-the best thing for her is n good
sleep; do not leave her; she must be
watched. l will look in this evening about
seven"
Mona's thoughts were sorely troubled as
she kept watch at her grandmother's bed.
side. She knew That her marriage with
Warrington even the prospect of il, would
be the best restorative for her only friend,
the woman who had been q mother to her,
who had saved and worked to amass the
means Of Independent existence for her,
who had loved her after her own hard but
tenacious fashion. She recalled, with a
swelling heart, her ~grandmother's watch
full economy, her self-denial in all things
necessary To herself. She did not doubt
than any niggardlineSs toward her grand
child was for her future good. How wise
and judicious she had been in her guidance
of their lives. If she had shown too strong
a tendency to marry her granddaughter as
soon rs possible 10 the highest bidder, she
only acted according to her li%ghts-to the
creed OF her world and her period. Was
1t well for Mona TO refuse the means of
giving her n longer and brighter spell of
life? Dare she incur the responsibility of
her possible DEATH What would she gain
what had she to hope for, III an unmar-
ried life, that she should reject this kind
natured man who only asked leave to de-
vote his fortune to her servlces? With the
tendency of youth to believe in the perpe-
tuity of the present, she thought that love
with her was over forever. She could
never believe anyone again. She was not
angry with Lisle, so much as disenchant-
ed; her anger was more against herself, for
her weakness and credulity.
A soft tap at the door attracted her at
tcntion; she rose and cautiously opened it.
Madame Debrisay is below, wanting to
speak with you, ma'am," said the woman
who had replaced both cook and house
maid.
81 should like TO see her; could you stay
for a little with Mrs. Newburgh while | &c
downstairs"
"Yes'm. | think Mr.. Wehner is just
come in. | will ask him to answer the
door, and come back directly"
Having given n few directions, Mona ran
downstairs lightly, well pleased to nave O
confidential talk with her visitor.
Mime. Debrisay had been her greatest
friend when she was at school in Paris.
There she had been the junior music mis-
tress, and Mona had been immensely at
tracted by the kindness md good-humor
Of the Woodworking teacher.
When Mona left, Nine. Debrisay moved
to London, and with Mrs. Newburgh's
help contrived TO make a good connection
as a music and singing mistress. She gave
Mona lessons, or rather assisted her in
practicing for an expensive master, ant
continued her warmest admirer and de
voted friend. Both Nine. Debrisay and
her late husband the captain, were British
subjects, being natives Of the Emerald
Isle, but she deemed it wise to pose as q
foreigner, with a view to obtaining a bet
ter position In her profession: and posses
ing dramatic instincts, she played her par
artistically, speaking English with a for
eign accent, and even brokenly ut times, a
proceeding she justified by asserting that
the late Debrisay and herself were redlll
French, being descended from the Hugue'
nots, who had fled from the prosecutions
of Louis the Fourteenth.
The small ~fireless dining-room looked sc
dismal and dark that chill November af
ternoon, that Mona called Wehner TO light
the gas, thatshe might see her friends face,
"Oh! me dear child" (soundedlike choild
her native accent came out when She
was much moved, 81 have only just com
back from the seaside, and heard SOM
bad news, so | ran round to get ut the truth
from yourself"
"You cannot have heard anything worse
than the truth, Deb" returned Mona
Poor grannie has lost everything.
scarcely know what is to become of u.s."
"Dieu deS Dieurl you don't say so
Don't tell me you have to face the black
death! for that's what poverty is. There
is 90 misfortune like it, and / know. Oh
my dear-my jewel, can you see no way
out Of it,"
"No; no way l should care to try"
"Ha! there is a blink Of hope somewhere
them How is your dear good grandmoth
err How will she ever bear going DOWN.
"She is very unwell and weak; | am quit,
frightened about her"
And no wonder"
Nine. Debri5ay united her veil, and 81
down with n Respondent air. She was
plump woman, under middle height, witt
dark eyes, iron-gray hair, II decided,
turned-up nose, n wide, smiling mouth
which was rarely quite closed over he
beautifully white teeth.
Tell mi all about everything"
And Mona explained as far as her i'm
perfect knowledge permitted.
Those promoters and scamps who &c
up taese companies to rob and plumber tn
world ought to be hung! | know the crue
way they work. You pay a few pounds OF
each share, and all goes swimmingly for
bit, and then you take more, and chuck
over the good income they bring in, neve
doubling that their value will double b
and by; then comes the crash, and you fin,
all you possess clawed up by those villain
and Pm afraid they will make a cleal
sweep of poor dear Mrs. Newburgh'
money, that she WAS so fond of. Not bu
I AInH H.