The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1897-11-18
PHEMIE.

tits no use trying, said Phemle
Mother hates me, and everything do
is wrong. "
Your mother can't help it, Phe-
mic, " said DR. Jasper He was the new
medical man, in huge favor with Mrs
Albatross, Phemie's mother.
Your mother is highly strung-quite
a woman of genius, and allowances
must be made for her temperament, my
dear young lady Temperament rules
everything :"
Indeed, Mrs. Albatross' temperament
seemed to rule DR. Jasper, the parson,
the squire, the parish, but it did not
rule Phemie.
LOOK here, " said the girl-she was
just past 2O-''you and mother are al
ways croaking about me, l know, but
you do nothing to help me- At least
think you would, but you re afraid
Your mother used to take an inter
est i'll you, but you did not meet her
half way Is not that soF''
mo, it isn't. When l was Is, she
had fad of dressing me up in last cen
tury costume and making a doll of me
not my style at ADJUST to show off
her own clevarness and queerness at my
expense She said was ugly and only
dressing could make me fit to be seen
"WelI?'' said DR. Jasper, who was a
rising young medico of 30, as he looked
gravely and judicially at the pretty
much trieu girl, who ouly half believed
in his good will
WELL" said Phemie, every one
laughed, and showed mother would
not stand it. -
"And then?'
''Then she packed me off to school
The mistress said | was sort of dazed
for time, as if had been i'll treated
and so l had-and quite neglected, but
they were kind to me there, and | was
very happy for more than year, except
in the holidays, which were always obi
GUS Then you came along And
Phemie paused and stole doubtful
glance at the doctor
What then?' said the doctor, like a
person coldly inquiriug for ordinary in
formation, yet with certain little
twinkle in his eye W hich did not escape
the aggrieved Picnic.
''Then, said the girl, II thought
you were my friend at first, but / don Z
now At LEAST
At this moment Mrs Albatross en-,
tered, and, turning sharply on Phemie,
said with snap, II suppose you
haven't fed the fowls or sorted the lin
Ell or done anything but idle away your
time, as usual?'
II was called when DR.. Jasper came
because you could not be found.
"I'm sick of your excuses. DR. Jas
per does not want to SEE you. Then,
in quite all altered tone, as Picnic
shrunk away out of the room: "Qc
you mind coming up to my sitting
room? l want to have q talk with you
about those changes at the lnfirmary
am sure you will agree with me anC
you will be most useful We can't al
low things to go on, " etc.
DIR Jasper always did agree will
Mrs Albatross, but somehow he mold
ed her, and she usually came round tt
his opinion He listened and she talked
He could wait and when he had takel
her bearings-without ever interrupt
ing or eontradicting listened anC
he talked, and not then, but next time
she echoed his opinions and fancieC
they were all her own.
g 1t is such comfort to find sensi
BILE man to talk to in stupid place lik'
this, said she, laying her arm con
fidingly upon the doctors as he sa
smiling and agreeing with her.
Mrs Albatross had worried one hus
band into the grave-she was too cleve
for him-but her intellectual vivacity
imagination and enterprise made he
an interesting companion. She wa
only a little past 40. and very we'll pre-
served. and she meant to marry Dr.
Jasper
Whether it was hypnotism or will
power the doctor came again and agail
and would not send in his bill. and tn
DOCTORS bill never was paid He pai'
himself