Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-09-16

eye 1 got, anu wen l DrlnY your ulu,
ner / let you know all l fine out"
When Venus left the cabin. Astrea
fell into deep and distressing thought.
All her hopes Of escape had been
based upon the event OF her landing in
the crowded city, and seeing people to
whom she could appeal.
But now, IL she were landed In the
wilderness!
Exhausted by distracted thought. AS
trea at length threw herself upon her
berth, and turned her face to the little
window at the back of it to catch a
breath Of fresh air. The little window
was open, but a slight muslin curtain
drawn before it concealed the occu-
pant of the berth from the eyes of any
person outside on the starboard side Of
the lower deck.
While the captive lay thus she heard
the splash of oars, and looking out be-
tween the corners of the curtain and
the side of the window, she saw a boat
come up to the side OF the ship, and
the captain, accompanied by n strang-
er. leave the boat and come on deck.
They walked arm-in-arm up and
down the side of the deck, conversing
In a low tone. The words were, how
ever, audible to the acute ears of her
who was certainly the most interested
in the purport of their conversation.
They seemed to be continuing a sub
ject which they had commenced some
time previous: and that subject was
that of the captive, now the unseen
and unsupported listener.
"GoOd-looking. You sayw inquired
the voice of the stranger.
"Beautiful-that is, according to
your idea of beauty? l do not affect
these dark charmers myself! This one
is of middle size. exquisitely proper
toned: form full, but slender and cup
pie; limbs rounded, but tapering and
graceful; head small and elegant; fea-
lures regular; complexion clear. pale
olive; hair and eyebrows raven black;
eyes large, dark-blue, fringed with
long, heavy black lashes. How do you
like the portrait?" asked the captain.
Il would rather see the GIRL" re Piled
the stranger.
True; what is the use of my pre-
Senting her picture when I can present
herself? But before / show her to you
l must confess to you that. pearl OF
beauty as she is. she has one defect"
'She is sickly? If so, l will have
nothing to do with her: the other one
pinned away and died; now I will have
no more of that nonsense; so if the girl
is sickly. our negotiations ear proceed
no further" said the stranger, in a
tone of annoyance.
'She is not sickly. Her health. her
bodily health, L mean, is uncommonly
strong"
"GCod! then 1t Is some moral defect;
an inclination to steal, or firt. or lie:
neither Of which l care for, because
either of them 1 can cure her of with Il
very little trouble"
Her defect Is no more a moral than
a physical one; in fact. is mental"
"Ah! she is a fool; beauties fire.
quently are So: for Nature, impartial
i'm her gifts. seldom bestows any great
degree Of genius and beauty on the
same individual. Be easy: / 10 not
value the girl the less for being a
ninny."
There, again. you are widely mis-
taken; the girl is as remarkable for her
intelligence as for her good looks"
We'll. then. what in the fiend's
name is the matter with herT"
You have heard of monomania's? a
species of mental arrangement. in
which the victim is insane upon only
n suBject?"
Certainly"
''Zora has such n malady, With n
mind ~singularly strong and clear upon
all other subjects, she is decidedly
cracked on one. In a word. she mag
ines herself to be somebody else
"a worry c0nmpn naSa I'm n,npnpnonfa '
/ had n wench ono who imagined her
self the governors wife. But who does
your girl fancy herself to be-"
"Why Mrs. Fulke Greville. formerly
Mademoiselle Astrea De Glacie. who
was the belle Of Washington last sea-
son."
II recollect her; I was i'm Washington
last winter. and saw her at the thea
ter-a beautiful blonde"
"Yes: radiantly fair"
"A star! remember her well. And
remember how appropriate I thought
her fantastical name, sAstrea.'"
"fou made her acquaintance. per-
haps; you ~cOnversed with her?" in
CURED the captain, with visible uneasi-
ness fearing. most likely, that, dis
.uised as Astrea was, her name and
tone OF voice might betray her to one
who had known her formerly.
mot l." replied the stranger. 81
e very little into ladies' society.
n saw the reigning belle only at the
heater. where she was pointed out to
me; and afterward at the Capitol and
at the Presidents levee. But what
could have put it into the head of your
girl to fancy herself that lady?'
"Oh. who knows? She probably
heard a great deal Of Mademoiselle De
Glacie, especially about the time of
her marriage with Colonel Greville.
which was very much talked of: and
at that particular crisis my girl Fora
had a brain fever. and dreamed of
nothing but the beautiful bride. the
iCea became fixed. 1t will wear off i'm
time" answered the captain, with an
air of Indifference.
"Oh. doubtless! And now. IL Won
please, we Will take a look at the girl.
| have every confidence in your rcport.
captain. but | never conclude n pur-
cllase without seeing my bargain"
"Oh, certainly; come with me. then"
answered the captain. and the voices
passed ont of hearing.
How rapidly one can think in ex-
49, 49,