The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-02-26

10 say nothing or ri.s~ip. dancing ano
shooting TO equal perfection.
Naturally the good folk whose ideal
Of young womaSly perfection was Miss
Winfield looked half askanee at poor
Rob. 1t was the shooting which most
condemned her, albeit the root of her
reprehensiblo proficiency was the wish
TO keep her father supplied with game
when he craved it. There were frequent
intervals when he relished nothing else.
Mrs.. Winfield In such case would have
appealed successfully TO the chivalry Of
her neighbors. Rob took up her fathers
without whining or moaning over the
necessity which laid them upon her
shoulders.
Long before she came to 10 she was q
parsonage noted, gossiped over-if the
truth must be told often belied-
throughout the length and breadth Of
Walnut Greek. She was so bravely, so
unconventionallyt truthful at all points
save one--it was not strange the air was
filed with tales Of her social daring
For example, she said openly she loved
to dance. best Of all to waltz. "when
she had Jack Talbot for O partner {"
Mrs. Winfield found that speech simply
shameless Dear Alice never went be-
yond the basket eotillon and had scru-
Piles even as to that. Waltsl Not shell
She had bean too well brought up and
knew too entirely what modest girl
owed TO herself and society.
Yet-such is the depravity of the bu.
man mind, even in Walnut Creek
there were not wanting people who said
that Miss Winfold's scruples were a fine
thing for her possible partner. she was
so springless and wooden they must
needs have carried her. Then, too, con-
trast with Rob might evoke comment to
ruffle even her amiability. Things were
best as they were. Jack and Rob might
dance their fill together and be none the
worse Of it when he was safely married
to Alice Winfold.
Rob went to much less than half the
merrymakipgs. Though she was Ger
tainly more in need of friendly counte-
nance than was Walnut Creeks Para
gon, in some way nobody took account
of the fact. The reason was perhaps
that she was too fine OF fiber to bewail
her unprotectedness in the right quar-
ter. Her few outings were all in the
shadow Of Nam Liza's ample person.
Perhaps their very rarity gave Rob's
pleasure keener edge
Usually upon such occasions she
danced the night away with Jack-Jack,
whose height and step suited hers to a
nicely; who was, after her father, her
very best friend. OF course she liked
him more than any other of the boys,
more than all Of them indeed, and why
should she not say SO, especially when
it made Mrs Winfield look so angry and
horrifledp 1t was the highest posi- BILE
tribute to her undeniable charm that, in
the face of frankness SO desperate, she
never lacked partner for the numbers
that Jack was constr Lined to share with
Miss Winfield.
1t set the dullest tingling to have her
f1oSeing beside him, her eyes Srry, her
cheeks the clearest rose, her 1.-the slen-
derness vital, vibrant, swaying respon-
sive to the music, as the wind harp to
the wind. Besides. there was distino-
ton in taking her out She had the
courage of her antipathies no less than
her convictions. Quick and full Of ready
courtesy as she was, there were times
when subterfuge was vain. Then, sooner
than take hands with one who repealed
her fine, subtle instincts, she lifted her
eyes and said clearly, with no trace of
shy confusion: Excuse me, please. I
think my father would not like to have
me dance with you, and know should
not like it myself"
Poor, misguided child! wonder she
is so unmannerly. Her mother was a
lady if ever there was one," good Mrs.
Talbot said when such speeches, distort-
ed and magnified a hundredfold, came
to her ears. ave must remember,
though, Rob has almost brought herself
up and judge her as kindly as possible.
1t is dreadful to be motherless.
"Ah, yes!" Mrs. Winfield sighed in
answer. "Mayby that does have a little
ter do with it. But, Mrs Talbot, be-
lieve people act like they were born ter.
I know eff Alice had lost me years ago
an bad grown up with jest nobody but
brother ter look after her she never
never in the world-would have been q
Rob McGregor. Do you know some
times when / think Of her-Alice, I
meant git down an ask the Lord ter
keep me from idolatry-ter make me
jest humbly thankful over havin had
such daughter given me-"
"H-m-ml wonder what Miss Alice
prays over having such q motherp Jack
said irreverently when he heard Of the
good woman's prisons. Jack liked Misc
Winfield so sincerely he had much ado
to keep from hating her mother. In
fact. he quite agreed with Rob. She
said upon the rare times that she named
the mother and daughter, laughing a
little and with dancing eyes: "Oh,
Jack, do be good to poor stubby Alicel
There is not mite of harm in her. In
deed she is rather nice And think what
she must endure in being her mothers
Rob. had q habit Of regarding all