The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-07-29
: NAB.
Story of a Love Thrice Offered
and Twice Rejected.
(From the Argosy.]
CHAPTER II.

CHATTER IL.
-Four years had passed.
A very silent family sat Mt tho break
fast table this August morning; the
head Of the family had descended in an
irritable mood; and his womcn-folk. OBJ
serving the Fuckers on his brow, wnre
nervously anxious to avoid calling his
attention 10 themselves.
'rhc coffee is cold, Mabel. It's
strange that we never have decent cup
of coffee in this housc!'
For nearly four years our cousin Ma
bel had been our stcp-father's wife; he
had long ago ceased to smile at her be-
nignly, and ceased to cxtol her virtues
The toast is tough" he grumblcd
my dear, will you be good enough to
give little thought TO these domestic
duties? There is one of your children
crying is that Sydney again?"
II think so, dear" was tho gentle,
nervous reply.
~ thought I forbade him to cry"
Eyes, but--but, you forget, Adrian.
Hes such baby-too young to under
stand"
mot too young to be ruined by in
diligence. After breakfast you can go
TO tho nursery and send Sydney into the
study To me-"
adrian, you are so severe with him"
'On the contrary, Mabel am most
gentle. But one can not too early teach
ones children to understand the incy-
table consequences of their own actions
When Sydney disturbs our comfort by
lsrVinn n a fpf1i III nd
VIC disturb his idea of comfort by seat
ing him without his toys for two or
three hours, with his face toward the
wall in the corner OF my study"
but"
Enough on tho subject, Mabel. PRAY
do not become argumentativc. my dear"
A painful silence cnsucd-a silence SO
heavy and painful that Alice, my
youngest sister, boldly broke it.
Nab, do you know that Ned Barnet's
going abroad? lie is. heard it,"
Alice suffered for her bodncss our
'trpfalher looked slowly in her direc-
ion.
When was that frock OF yours clean,
Alice?'
Yesterday, papa"
$50 ! imagined, my dear" was the
mild voiced reply. mo wonder thu. bills
from the laundress are cxtorfionate.
You will wear 10 moro washing frucks
Ibis summer. After brcakfast You can
take off that dirty dress and put on the
black serge you were wearing in the
winter. You will wear nothing else I'M
til give you permission"
Papa, there's the Barnets' garden
party to-day"
you can wear your black serge-or
remain at hon."
lie rose as he spoke, carefully brush
ing n spcck of dust from his sleeve lie
had successfully depressed the spirits of
us all. and his own temper bad grown
almost placid; the creascs in his brow
had smoothcd themselves out, and he
went slowly and contentedly away to ad-
minister rcproof to his three ycar-old
son in the study.
went out Of doors into the garden
and there, half an hour later, Alice
joined me. Sho was pretty, graceful
giil of sixteen. She came walking
slowly toward mo with very woe-bc-
gone counlcnancc. Tho serge dress was
badly nado and too small for her; the
was coarse and thick; it was
a last winters frock--and last winter
Alice had worn her skirts short, and
lately she had tasted the dignity of
skirts that reached her ankles
Look at me, Nab" she cried, the
tears in her eyes, her voice indignant,
yet pitiful, NAB, tell me truthfully, do
l look absurd?"
Tho dress is hideous, but you look !
pretty in spite of it," said lovingly.
Dear old Nab! Oh, Nab, wish the |
tables could be turned for bit and we