Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-11-19
much talking and laughing and CRYING.

1890" fA1 ~ ~
and a bit of ham fried, and the lump sugar
and sweet-cake put on the taple-all which
constituted the fatted calf that the poor
C~aerlyons had to offer to the returned
wanderer--and they were all seated at the
tea-table, Winnie next her father, and the
tears and excitement binding and oonfus-
ing her so that she did not know whether
she was eating or not.
Poor Lieutenant Caerlyon had been cry
Ing plentifully himself, but now lie rubbed
his eyes determinedly dry, and gazed at
his l~ong-absent daughter proudly.
Elizabeth, hasn't she grown IA nice
little womans" he asked, longing to say
more, but withheld as he had ever been,
from giving his child her need OF praise.
"She has grown downright elegant and
pretty" said Mrs. Caerlyon, with one Of
her short laughs; I'D never have known
her, think, only she came into the kitch-
en-. She's niser-looking to my mind than
Lady Mountrevor-grand as she is"
Winnie blushed d~eeply-one of her own
old vivid rosebud bushes.
"Oh, mammal"
elizabeth, my DEAR said Lieutenant
Caerlyon, laughing, that's too far. Lady
Mountrevor, Elizabeth But In his SO.
cret heart he had never felt so great a
glow of gratitude 10 his wife as no felt at
that instant,
"Is Lady Mountrevor here npw?'' Win.
ME asked, looking ZIP With d quick, keen
interest darkening her brilliant gray eyes.
eyes, she is answered Mrs. Caerlyon,
slightingly, and she further proceeded to
state, in the decisive off-hand way that
napY1a ocSnn,a urhan tIn,, ,,;.l a. ,-...,.
others of their democratic Indifference to
wealth and rank, and beauty and fashion,
that for her part she saw nothing particu-
lar in this grand Lady Mountrevor that
people made such a "to-do' about, as IL
she were n queen-a tall, stout, snowy
woman, dressed like a doll In n window,
with her white muslin dresses and lilac
ribbons, walking along the dusty roads in
summer, with a French nurse for her
child-her "bone" she believed they called
her. and why she isn't at home with
her husband, instead OF wandering about
the country, no one can make out" con
cluded Mrs. Caerlyon, with a sapicnt nod.
mot nnch love lost between them, sure
enough"
"Ah, | hope such is not the case said
Winnie, earnestly; and, in order to change
the subject-she knew 10 what lengths
making out cases was carried by the
maids and matrons of Tolgootn ana It's
vicinity in the old d~ays-she asked, DO
you ever see Madam Vivian, Mammaf'
YES, at church, sometimes" replied
Mrs. Caerlyon, with n fresh accession OF
the sighting tone; land she's getting a
real old woman, too, for ali her grand bon
nets and ribbons, and furs and things. |
saw her last Sunday, and she asked when
we had heard last from you. She's rs
proud and stiiT rs ever, poor old lady-shut
up there in Roseworthy for half the year
without q soul to talk to but that tawny-
faced old maid, T~rewhella!'
"Oh, Trewhella's not married yet, then?"
remarked Winnie, laughing.
Indeed she's not, nor never will be?"
returned the ~step-mothcr, "for all her
dressed-up impudence. Coming here in
her blue silks and gold chains, and run
ming there, about the mines, after my
cousin Thomas, no less! / wondered a
good many times why she seemed TO have
a spite against e, Winnie, long ago; and
that was one reason I'll lay any wager"
"She need not" said Winnie, in a lower
tone, a slight troubled flush rising over
her face. Thronging memories quickened
the beating of her heart, and her lips
a little rs she said, with an as
sumed air of gaiety, 1T was Susanna Ed
wards who should have been the object
her jealousy, If anyone was. She was
Mr.. Pascoe's sweetheart ten years ago,
and is his wife now. | think the real
of her dislike was jealousy of her
mistress favor. She needed not to have
troubled herself about that either-poor
'No, indeed" put in Mrs. Caerlyon,
with n sniff; 1--WE don't want Madam Wv
ian's, or Madam Anybody's favor, thank
goodness! We can pay our way honest,
and look to nobody for help or credits
mo one-no, indeedr' assented Lieu
tenant Caerlyon, doubtfully, looking from
his wife's to his daughters face, and
shifting restlessly in his seat; "we-we've
each other along, thank Heaven!"
Yes" said Mrs. Caerlyon, i~nterccpting
the glance, and no squeamish delicacy re-
straining her from interpreting it fully
Mrs. Caerlyon always spoke her mind
on all subjects-"if 'e all, as e grow
up, and be able to fill useful situations
with an obliquity of one directing the
general address into a particular one for
Matilda's ear-'are as good at re-
membering your father and mother as
your sister Winnie here, ell all do well,
and prosper, and live long in the land"
Mrs. Caeriyon concluded, with a sudden
grasp at a quotation of the fifth command.
ment.
The quick shy color burned in Winnie's
pure, delicate face at this praise of her
- it was so grateful, so
strange to her ears, poor girl! Aud the
grew deeper, under the embarrassing
weight of the communication she had to
make.
81 have done only what it was my duty
to do" she said, looking down nervously,
lingering her teaspoon; II don't de-
serve any thanks for that, mamma. What
| sent you | could well spare-poor
dear aunt Sarah was SO good to me-"
The grim eccentric old woman's gener.
Ous kindness and indulgence had indeed
won for her, for the first time in her life,
the grateful love and trust of a fresh fond
heart; and surely, in all her years
shrewd astuteness, she had never bar.
so wisely and well as when she
thus purchased that fond ilial care for
the evening of her life, and the loving re-
membrance Of her after death, which
stirred the true heart beneath the fresh
mourning dress of Winnie Caerlyon.
II did all could, of course, as was my
luty, resumed Winnie, speaking rather
,~remblingly, for fear she might seem proud
'r arrogant-poor frail pale-faced little
Voman!-"but / shall be able to do much
more for the future, dear father--a great
leal more, mamma" Winnie was she'd
ling tears of genuine pleasure and salts
action. Aunt Sarah left-left me all
vi her moneys" sobbed Winnie, quite
'reaking down. Hannah, her servant,
lad the house and furniture, and a hun
red dollars a year for her life; and I've
we a thou-thousand dollars a year! That
7 uhOnt two hun6ra1 pn,,nJe ,,o, lrou