Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-07-01
CHAPTER III.

storicd brown-stone building. with rows
Of ~plate-glass windows. wrought iron
balconies. and all other external signs
of wealth, taste and refinement. The
gaslight over the transom above the
street door revealed a stately entrance.
And TO the right Of this, through the
half-cloSed shutters Of two lofty win
dows. the glow of light through gold
colored curtains showed the warmth
and comfort of the drawing room.
BY the time the boy had made these
observations through the window of
the carriage. the door was opened and
the steps let dowu.
The old clergyman alighted and
stood blocking the way. until the pro-
fessor and the schoolmaster handed
out the boy. keeping hold of him, lest
he should bolt again. The carriage
vas paid and dismissed, and while it
rolled away. the boy was led between
the clergyman and the professor, the
scboolmaster following up the marble
steps to the stately portals.
"Oh, see here, now! | say! this is
getting beyond a joke. You know. Let
me go, GOVERNOR cried the boy, ap-
parently frightened by the grandeur
around him.
But at this moment the door was
opened by a footman in livery, who.
seeing the party, exclaimed. quite in
voluntarily:
Master Fulke! and in that dress.
oh. / beg your pardon, Mr.. Dornton.
but it was such an astonishment.'
Il can quite understand that. Benja-
min. Let your mistress know that we
have brought Master Greville home,
and are waiting TO see her"
Yes, sir! Sit down, sir" And the
footman offered chairs in the spacious
entrance hall while he opened the door
On the right. and entered a parlor TO
do his errand.
You see, ven Benjamin recognized
you. sir, In your Disguise said Mr..
Dornton.
"Yes! he Is another lunatic! Now l
tell you all what, You've been and
caught the wrong fish! and you'd bet
ter throw me back i'll the water again!
/ am not n troIt, my masters-I am
nothing but q dog-ilsh," said the boy.
BE silent, sir, and respect at least
your mothers house!' said the clergy
mar
And If you do not. 1t will certainly
be the worse for YOU" continued the
professor.
Your only chance for escaping con
dign punishment Is putting yourself
upon your best behavior" added the
bchoOlmaste-.
VERY well, I've warned you all!
You are keeping a freedom boy
against his will 1t is kidnapping! lit
is false Imprisonment! 1t is felony!
And I'm. bowed IL III stand it,
pafa,N nttho,. ~ ltc aonfotss ra,xlI a.
swer his speech the footman reap
peared and reported:
Mrs. Greville begs that you will
walk in the parlor, and sue will be
with You in a moment"
Ii was but the ordinary sitting room
of a woman of moderate fortune and
cultivated tastes, yet, to the unaccus-
toned eye of the fish boy ii seemed a
miracle of luxury and elcgance-a
scene OF fairy-land and enchantment.
In gazing around. he forgot for a mo-
ment his " personal fears and cares:
and while he was wondering what
could possibly be the contents Of such
very elegant books, and where such
lovely flowers could have grown, and
how people dared to walk en- such
a splendid carpet. or sit down on such
GADtA oOiaSr In nVVi OlfCAiNu ~ A
lady entered.
A queen she seemed, tall and nobly
formed. with a stately and graceful
mien, a proud head that sat rather
back upon her shoulders, giving her a
natural air of haughtiness. fine Gree
ian features. and n marble-like COM
p~lexion. large, full, clear blue eyes,
and auburn hair, inclined TO red, bright
as sunshine, that dropped in glitterlng
ringlets upon her fair. round, we'll
trrned neck and bosom. A blue MORE
dress fell in ample folds. and flowed In
undulating grace around this queenly
figure.
She advanced up the room, bowling
in turn to her visitors. until her eye
fell upon the awe-stricken visage of
the poor ragamufin. when all her dig
nified self-possession gave way, and.
with a smothered cry. she fastened to-
ward him, clasped him in her arms and
burst into q passion of tears-genuine
tears that welled up from the bottom
of her heart-plentiful tears, that fell
In showers over the fish boy. This
ragged form was embraced by her fair
arms. his rough head pillowed upon
her soft bosom. and yelled by her
splendid ringlets. and his sunburned
face covered by her warm kisses,
while. with loving inconsistency she
poured upon him epithets Of endear-
ment and words of %reproach.
oh, Fulke, my dear boy. how could
YOU be so very wicked! oh. my dar-
ling, what n figure you have made OF
yourselfl How could you break my
poor heart SO? But IL I forgive you
this time. you will never go away
again, will you, dear? No, / am sure
you will not. 1t was only a freak-a
lark, as you wild boys call 1t! And my
son Cid not remember that what was
sport to him, was death to his poor
mother" etc, etc. she continued.
thrugh at least an hour of sobs and
tears and caresses.
Another lunatic." thought the fish
boy; but my eye! what a nice mad
woman this one is, to be sure; / don't
object to her one bit. only l should
like to know what all the row Is
about
At length. when this lady, much to
the detriment of her elegant toilet.
over the fish boy to her hearts con
tent, she suddenly ceased. stood up,
resumed her queenly dignity, and
furno1 RI has visitors. catd.