Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-09-18

a real lady" put In Nine. Debrisay,
emphat.cally.
'They dinna always hang together, re-
turned their new acquaintance.
"She was very, very good TO me-" said
Mona.
ANY way, you've had n wise-like up
bringing. You are not ashamed OF your
uncle Sandy, though he Is a plain bodiei"
Ashamed No, indeed"
"Now"-be called 1t "noor-"tell me
how ye come TO be here with this leddy' !
thought the Honorable Mrs. Newburgh"-
with somewhat sarcastic stress Oh ''the
Honorablc"-"was TO leave 0 a fortin' -
ALAS! my lear sir, my dear young
friends story has been a real tragedy" be.
gan Mime. Dsbrisay, who proceeded, with
suitable modulations Of voice, TO "recite"
the tale Of Mrs. Newburgh's losses, and
Mona's consequent poverty-of the neces.
sity for her laboring in order TO live. and
being reduced TO her present position.
Reduced, ye ca it," he said. "It's nc
reducing for an honest lassie to earn her
bread, which Is mair honorable than
the honors Of the peerage! So you live
here, my dearie! All, there's a good drap
Of Craig bluid In yer veins, or you would
not have set up for yourself, like a wise
lassie. IL we a keep a roof like this over
your head, you n be doing 50 bad"
perhaps" said Nine. Debrisay, insinu.
atingly, perhaps your uncle would stay
and share our modest midday repast. We
have but a little cold roast beef, a salad,
and 'Ometctte a. fines hcrbCs,' but at lea-t
II will avert the pangs Of hunger"
"R0dst beef, did you say'' asked Mr..
Craig, anxiously. IL Gamma digest boileii
But you're varra good, and / shall be happy
To join you. | am varra frail. | workli
nnrd n my youth under n hne man, hiv.
Kenneth Maceachern, Of Maceachern &
L~eslie's, the great jute manufacturers. He
retired, but he just missed the occupation,
and went off like a puff Of wind. kept II
on, and saved a bit, and my old master re-
membered me in his will, so, n | found
my health failing, and new men coming
into the firm, ] thought ! would rest and
try TO recover. / took a cottage an q bit
farm AVA in the west, but | got rheumatics,
and grew worse, 50 / cam up TO try a great
London doctor, and was recommended TO
yon place in Camden Town. The sou Of
one OF our clerks lodges there: but he is out
n day, and suspect a the night, too. I
am just wearyiu' OF; but | am not half
cured yet. ! wonder now II this place is
much further from Harley street,
BY no means, my dear sir" cried Nine.
Deorisay. 1T is a shorter and a pleasauter
drive. presume you are consulting The
famous Doctor S~waithem,"
That's the Il He is awfu' costly
What matter! SO long az you can regain
your precious health. think you would
n this neighborhood more |salubrlous,
and in every way preferable"
Here Nine. Debrisay slipped quietly from
the make some addition TO din
ner, Mona did not doubt.
Tell me, - said Uncle SanGy-the hoarse
whisper in which he usually spoke inteusi-
fied-"tell me, what does she make YOU
pay her for living here"
"She does not charge ne anything. I
pay my share Of our food and fre-that is
all"
"Ah! and she is no Of your blood'"
NO; ! came to know her seven or eight
years ago, as | told you.'
at Is just wonderful" he calculated,
and sat silent for some time. with a curl
Gus, half-satisied, half-mocking smile in
his face.
Then the prim figure Of Jane appeared.
and she proceeded TO lay the cloth.
The dinner was very successful. Uncle
Sandy was exceeding communicative "a 10
what he might and might not eat. Atfirst
he said he would take nothing but cold
water To drink; hen he fancied there was
a slight taste-he could not exactly define
what-in the water, and when he per.
celsed this. he had atwsvs ss.~~ ~
THE next time | come TO see ye,' he aid.
with An air Of great generosity, I'm bring
you a bottle of real good stu1-it's far
wholesomer than brandy" He seemed to
enjoy his repast, and afterward made
many inquiries into Nine. Debrisay's his
tory. He was also profoundly interested
in the prices current of all articles OF con
sumption in London. Then, noticing the
piano, he begged his niece to sing him a
song. She complied. Before she was half
through II he stopped her by observing that
he had an M ear for music, but
that il must be Scotch music. So Mona
changed her tune TO oh! vert hot in the
cauld blast" which gave him great de-
light. He nodded his head and tapped the
carpet with his stick in time to the music,
and declared with feeble energy, that there
were no songs like Scotch songs-no in
telligence comparable to that of Scotsmen
no church system like that OF Scotland.
Then he looked at his watch. and said he
was sorry. but he must leave them; that II
was the only cheerful afternoon he had
spent since he came to London, and ex-
pressed his resolution TO look for lodgings
in their neighborhood.
pray, let me get you a cab" said Mona.
"You will be so very tired walking all the
way to the station q second time"
'1Hoot, foot! / am stronger since lately,
and money Is not so plentiful as TO let me
hire cabs everywhere go. Nav, nawi I'll
just walk TO the station. / have my ticket
to Cover street, and I will get on fine from
that for tippence. Goodbye. my lassie.
I'll no. forget how ye helpit your uncle.
Goodbye to you, mem. May be you'll help
me to find q respectable lodging. l can't
come again till the day after tomorrow,
for / have to see the doctor; but IL it is any
way fine, I'll not fail you"
Mona went out to open the garden gate
for him, and watched him hobbling down
the road for a moment or two, and then
returned to Nine. Debrisay.
"what an extraordinary encounterl''
cried Mona, throwing herself into a corner
of the sofa, and laughing unrestrainedly.
81 imagine Uncle Sandy is a character,
and / really Am sorry for his Ill health and
loneliness; but / am afraid he will be rather
a bore IL he settles near us. He seems to
have fascinated you, Dear Deb"
Poo creature. I did feel for him, and
I think he is naturally a very superior man.
But, Mona, me child, it's for your sake ]
spoke. Now Providence has thrown him
in your way, I don't want you to lose your
hold on him. Keep him by you, dear, and
he will leave you all his money. No one
al provide much for old age by teaching.
and you must think of the future. ma belle.
"You wicked, grasping Dsbg" she ex-
claimed. You want to turn me into q
legacy hunterl assure you I will be kind
and attentive to my poor fathers brother.
whether he has q cottage or a castle. He
will probably not stay here long, and we
may as well make him happy. He must
have had o dull life. It must be very hard
to feel life slipping away before you have
known enjoyment"
"Ah, my dear; don't you be downcast-
times will mend"
A few more days brought them to An.
gust. The last lesson had been given, and
both Mona and Nine. Debrisay were look
tpO fopUarH tn q roat xvoll a~rn>I shan N