The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-09-23
'eT pom my word it's too bad"'
exclaimed Mr.. Mainwaring,
~ as having wished everybody

DO mp ASAS
good-morning he sat down to the break
fast table, and proceeded, before com
mencing that meal, to glance through
his letters according to custom. III
really is too bad!" he repeated, Grim
soning with indignation, and giving an
angry stamp of his foot, in so doing
treading on the foot Of Jumbo, his
wife's pet pug, and causing that much
pampered animal to give utterance to
q loud yell, and retreat further under
the table to the shelter Of his mistress
%petticoats.
MY dear" said Mrs. Mainwaring,
pausing in the act Of pouring out the
squire's coffee, what is the matter
now? Nothing wrong with Sunbeam's
little foal, l trust"
mo, thanks, my dear, not so bad as
that" answered her husband, but
quite bad enough, in all conscience.
It's that dreadful fellow Wilder, at the
Lea farm, again. 1 wish to goodness
he had never come neal the place, with
all my heart"
"Horrid man." agreed Mrs. Mainwar-
1hSs l. al L oO"I AN SiSHS 100000
What has he done now, dear?"
"Done?" exclaimed her husband.
"Why stuck up barbed wire all over
his farm, to be sure, and refuses to re-
move it on any pretense whatever, so
Higgins writes me word.
Here we have the hounds coming
here on Thursday, and they find in
Ninhfinno1n u-pn6 nc fhnu q 10 nprfnnf-
ly certain to do, for / know for a fact
there are two or three foxes there, they
are equally certain to run right across
his land, and a pretty kettle Of fish
will be the result.
Half the hounds MANNED, and men
and horses tumbling about in every di-
rection."
"Oh. / can't Dear the thoughts Of it"
Il shall simply have to ask Hartopp
not to draw there, and a pretty fool 1
shall look. 1 really don't know what
to do about it."
"Why not go and see the man your
self, and try and bring him to reason?'
suggested his wife. Surely, my dear,
he would listen to you"
LlSlSh " ulC. SJdCuldlcu Liz
squire. "Not he. Besides, 1 know per-
fectly well what would be the result.
He would meet my arguments with
some of his republican sentiments, and
[ should lose my temper and make a
fool of myself"
Well" sighed his wife, cts q very
great pity, I'm sure. l only wish l
1ynn-- r-lo+ no host 10 bp Innn DIT
never mind now, DEAR" she added,
soothingly, get on with your breakfast,
and hen afterward you can speak to
Higgins again on the subject, and per-
haps you will be able to devise some
plan between you for bringing this
horrid man Wilder to reason
"And, pray, who may this horrid
man Wilder be-" inquired a young and
very pretty girl, who at this juncture
entered the room and sat herself down
at the breakfast table, after kissing
both Mr.. Mainwaring and his wife low
ingly and wishing them "good-morn-
ing"
The squire looked affectionately into
the fair questioner's face ere he an
swered her.
Don't ask me, Gladys" said he
Iaughingly; don't ask If you love me.
He has already spoiled my breakfast
for me, and 1 feel perfectly certain
that were 1 to tell you all about him he
would spoil yours, and that would be a
great pity, eh, my pretty niece"
ut would, indeed" retorted the girl,
"for L nave such an appetite as never
was. Joking apart, though. 1 am real
~ curious, Uncle William" she con-
tinued, 80 l will compromise with you
eat my breakfast first and you shall
tell me afterward. Don't you think
that a very fair arrangement, sir?"
The squire agreed at ono to the
terms, as, indeed, he would have to
anything proposed by his favorite
uiece.
The only child Of his one sister, late
iy dead, Gladys Onslow had taken up
her permanent abode at Charlton Tow
ers only three weeks ago. during which
short period she had managed to con-
vert every individual member of the
establishment into being her devoted
slave, including her uncle and aunt,
who. childless as they were. quite look
ed upon her as their daughter.
AS for the squire, he was perfectly
helpless without her, and Miss Gladys
was his constant companion wherever
he went.
He declared she was a better judge
OF stock than his bailif himself, and as
for her knowledge of horsefesh, who
was there about the place who could
compete with her? And how b rode
too! Many and many a time, when c-
companying his niece in her rides, did
her uncle regret that his salad days
Were over. and that he was no long-r
able % pilot her owe this place and