Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-20
PHEMIE.

~ . Nv uSo tAyAdSj Suiu lSlIlC
Mother hates me, and everything l do
is wrong"
Your mother can't help it, Phe-
mic, said DR.. Jasper He was the new
medical man, in huge favor with Mrs
Albatross, Phemie's mother
Your mother is highly strung-quite
a woman of genius, and allowances
must be made for her temperament, my
dear young lady Temperament rules
erything.
Indeed, Mrs. Albatross' temperament
seemed to rule DR.. Jasper, the parson,
the squire, the parish, but it did not
rule Phemie.
Look here, said the girl-she was
just past 20-"you and mother are al
ways croaking about me, know, but
you do nothing to help me- At least l
think you would, but you're afraid
Your mother used to take an inter
est in you, but you did not meet her
half way Is not that sol"
mo- it isn't When I was 16, she
had fad of dressing me up in last GEN.
fury costume and making a doll Of me
hot my style at adjust to show off
her own cleverness and queerness at my
expense. She said was ugly and only
dressing could make me fit to be seen. I"
"Well?" said DR.. Jasper who was a
rising young medioo Of 80, as he looked
gravely and judicially at the pretty
much tried girl, who only half believed
in his good will.
"Well," said Picnic, "every one
laughed, and I showed mother would
not stand it. -
"And then?''
''Then she packed me off to school.
The mistress said was sort of dazed
for time, as if I had been ill treated
and so had-and quite neglected, but
they were kind to me there, and l was
very happy for more than year, except
in the holidays, which were always obi
GUS. Then you came along And
Phemie paused and stole a doubtful
glance at the doctor
what them" said the doctor, like a
person coldly inquiring for ordinary in
formation, yet with a certain little
twinkle in his eye which did not escape
the aggrieved Phemie.
"Then," said the girl, II thought
you were my friend at first, but don't
now At least'--
At this moment Mrs. Albatross en-
tered, and, turning sharply on Phemie
said with a snap, II suppose you
haven t fed the fowls or sorted the lin
en- or done anything but idle away your
time, as usual?"
II was called when DR.. Jasper came
because you could not be found.''
I'm sick Of your excuses. DR.. Jas
per does not want to see you. Then,
in quite an altered tone, as Phemie
shrunk away out Of the room: "Do
you mind coming up to my sitting
roomp want to have talk with you
about those changes at the infirmary. l
am sure you will agree with me and
you will be most useful. We can't al
low things to 60 on" etc.
Dr. Jasper always did agree with
Mrs Albatross, but somehow he mold
ed her, and she usually came round to
his opinion. He listened and she talked.
He could wait, and when he had taken
her bearings-without ever interrupt
ing or oontradictihg listened and
he talked, and not then, but next time,
she echoed his opinions and fancied
they were all her own.
1T ia such comfort to find sensi-
BILE man to talk tn in stupid place like
this. said she, laying her arm con-
fidingly upon the Doctors as he sat
smiling and agreeing with her.
Mrs Albatross had worried one hus-
band into the grave-she was too clever
for him-but her intellectual vivaoity
and enterprise made her
an interesting companion. She was
only little past 40, and very we'll pre-
served, and she meant to marry DR.
Jasper.
Whether II was hypnotism or will
power the doctor came again and again
and would not send in his bill, and the
DOCTORS bill never was paid. He paid
himself.
Don't speak to me, said Picnic |
az she met the doctor coming
down stairs after long confab with
her mother Mothers about She's
out all tomorrow afternoon. I've got to
paint the doors And Jasper passed
out with a sympathetic smile. She
knew he would call and advise her |
about painting the doors He did call.