Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-12-02

with a gray head ana ns,u'lin hirSI
shaven face. AS his aheesser. elem
eyes fell upon his eldest oasNent.looklr5
said, with n smile. uaughfcr n
Don't 20 into the cnrJo,,
!ou VIII interrupt a most .sudy. B
ana important tete-a.tntn rnterestin1
Is there with Elsie. He oase'ShsLeo5
see me, and. having obtairunse over n
sent, is clinching the afrnir my ton]
YOU guess what that mo-, VI eoursJ
great relief to me. Ind. II Il \
neen worrying myself with has}
,na. ne came TO see Won ~ sle idel
spare You, my darling" ha ~ cfn1
lic bent to kiss the girl, addeI, n
Ill. marriage is a mere lot,o al'l asfftte
Is your mother? The news Whepv
her, for she has been NJ VA Pleas
cerned at the contempIafad mhuch Con.
right. hand as | have, ''ss Of bel
Mother is in the dinin,
dith answered. with a smila ~ Ju.
her Il greater pang than hoa na. cost
guessed at, and passed on lather
kitchen. w into the
for 4 moment she stood nv =.
with deadened senses: hu,' 'ue liable
after She had conquered her : minute
anu was Dnsying herself in ,rer,s,ss
the invalid's luncheon. Wphaeparlne
took 1t into the dining rooro sha She
her rather and mother ,alk,n" iotnd
parently the highest spirits. y ap
latter said. more cheerfulIv ans ,,a III
than she had spoken to her AZ .lnay
in many weeks: laughter
Your father has brought 600,
hasn't he, Judy: Fancy orr H r,.s
Elsie a married womanY / ,aa lItls
ly realize it. can you? II il 'lee
match, although / do not onnrs Vo
so great n difference in agn o.e q
will be glad-you might dron p h
line. Judy" "p uef Z
Mol think / will let Elsia tou
good news herself; She viii !. uli pe'
DO So" Judy answered. quietly y
But Mrs. Hatfield retorted sha,,,-
Il hope you r not jealous ~ ~
sisters good fortune. judith, !, Va y
very absurd. if you are, beeanson1, y
not likely that you. at you noe oo,,s
make such a marriage as Elsie Wiz y
in the first bloom of youth"
Judith was too used 10 tbis L,,a !,
speech TO answer in any other fashioa
than with a quiet laugh: but as -.
Quilted the room, Mr.. Hatfield said
sharply:
u think that was uncaIled for ama
lin: Judith has no need 10 be iaalo,,
of her sisters. pretty as they arc :
you must confess. If You will only 70
fleet. Which OF your other daughter,
could take her place."
THAT Is all very well-we could M,
do without her. certainly-but the val
10 we set upon her would stand ber =
very little stead IL il were a opestior
of marriage"
Mr.. Hatfield shrugged his shoulders
without replying, for he seldom arguef
with his wife.
Out in the hall Judy came face ID
face with Elsie and her lover. tho
former flushed and smiliig, while
Claude looked years younger in thi,
first stage of triumphant happiness
He had his arm around her, and had
apparently been kissing her, for Esie
withdrew herself h~urriedly, and. run
mig past Judith, went into the draw
Ing Dom.
Claude looked after her with a hap
by smile: then he turned to Judith.
Judy he said may car you
Judy now, may | not?-congratuIatt
ne Elsie loves me, Tell me that Vol
hope we shall be happy"
II need not say | hope--l am sure Of
IT," she replied. earnestly. Il congrat
ulate. you with all my heart"
THANK you. Ii is an additional
pleasure that | shall be enabled Il
claim u sisterly relation with you
Judy. 1t win be my own fault If | an
not happy
Yes" agreed Judy, frankly, "and
hope you will remember that. Are vol
going 70 see father and mother-thel
are in here
He smiled nj her, but. as the ligA'
fell upon Judith's pale face as sA
turned to open the dining room door
Claule's smile faded and a cloud de
seconded upon his spirits that ne re
membered long after.
.sYou are not well-you WORK voc
hard he remarked. his sympathy u
touch with her, though he did 40
guess ut her secret.
II am quite well. but have q neau
ache" she explained. !.
Look here, Judy. ! am no going Y
wait many weeks for Elsie, so promls
me that directly we are settied !
Northwold you win come ana sA'
with u.s."
THANK you--r shah he delisn'fu,
she replied. with a readiness that SUI
prised herself.
Judy hesitated n moment before S y
summoned up sufficient resolution !
gu i'm and congratulate her sister WnS ~
she found standing by the open "n
dow. 80.
Il have come to wish you JOY hS''
You are happy. dear" ,.n.s
Oh. very, very happy. indeed .n an.
Judy. How could l be other"lss.
Elsie asked. fiurriedIy. "What W pop
and m sayy'
sTo BE Continued9