The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-03-12
VICTORY
BY BERTHA M. CLAY.

BY BERTHA M. CLAY.
Il am writing to him to Tell him that I
hope he will remain with us for a month;
and during that time 1 hope, / fervently
hope, he may fall in love with MY niece.
She is beautiful enough. Pardon me again
Miss Hastings, but has she ever spoken to
you of love or lovers?
mo. She is in that respect, as in many
others, quite unlike the generality of girls.
lhaee never heard an allusion to such mat
tiers from her %iips-neyer once"
This fact seemed to Sir Oswald stranger
than any other; he had an idea that girls de-
voted the greater part OF their thoughts to
such subjects.
"Do you think" he inquired, ..thas she
cared for any one i'll Parls-anyo of those men,
for instance, whom she used to meet at her
father's2"
NO" replied Miss Hastings; 81 do not
think SO. She is strangely backward in all
such respects, although she was brought up
entirely among gentlemen"
"Among-pardon me, my dear madame,
not gentlemel-mcmbers, we will say, of a
gentlcmanly profession
Sir Oswald took from his gold Snuff-b0x a
pinch of most Acknowledgement snuff, and
looked as though he thought the very exist
cnce of such people a mistake.
ANY little influence that you may possess
over my niece, Miss Hastings, will you kind
ly use in Captain Langton's favor? or course,
Ii anything should come of my plan-as l
feryently hope there may-I shall ~stlpulate
that the engagement last two years. During
that time l shall trust to the influence Of love
to change my niecc's character"
1t was only a fresh complication-one from
which Miss Hastings did not expect much.
That same day, during dinner, Sir Oswald
told his niece Of the expected arrival of Cap
tain Langton.
II have seen SO few English gentlemen"
she remarked, that he will be a subject of
some curiosity to me-"
You will md him-that is, if he resem-
bles his father-a higl-bred, noble gentle
man. y said Sir Oswald, complacentIy.
rs he cleyer?!' she asked. "NNhat does
he dop'
IDOL" repeated Sir Oswald. II do not I'M
delstand YOU"
Does he paint pictures or write books?'
Heaven torbid!' cried Sir Oswald, proud
ly. He is a gentleman"
Her face flushed hotly for some minutes,
alsl then the flush died away, leaving her
paler than ever.
II consider artists and writer's gentlemen"
she Observation-Disclosures OF a far higher
stamp than those to whom fortune has given
money and nature has denied brains"
Another time n sharp argument would have
re5ulted from the throwing down of such a
gauntlet. Sir Oswald had something else in
view, so he allowed the speech to pass.
VIZ will ha n Vrnof plnoeuro far ,pa 10 cna
my old friends son again" he said. II hope,
Pauline, you will help me to make his visit 6
pleasant one"
What can l doY' she asked, brusquely.
What a question: laughed Sir Oswald,
"Say rather, what can you not do? Talk TO
MIN, sing to him. Your voice is magnificent,
and would give any one the greatest pleas
ure. You can ride out with him."
"lf he isa clever, sensible man, lean do
all that you mention; ii not, l shall not troub-
lie myself about him. Inever could endure
either tircsome or stupid people,"
MY young friend is not likely to prove
either" said Sir Oswald, angrily; and Miss
Hastings wondered in her heart what the re.
suit of it all would be.
That same evening Miss Darrell talked of
Captain Langton, weaving many bright fan
cies concerning him.
81 suppose" she said, that it is not al
ways the most favorable specimens of the
English who visit Paris. We used to sec
such dr0ll caricatures. / like a gond carica-
ture above all things-do you, Miss Hast
ingsa"
"Whcn it is good, and pains no one" was
the sensible reply.
Thegirl turned away with a,little impa.
tient sigh.
Your ideas are all colorless," she said,
sharply. Yin England it seems to me that
everybody is alike. You have no indiyidu-
atty, no character"
"If character means, in your sense of the
word, ill-nature, SO much the better" rejoin-
ed Miss Hastings. "All goodhearted people
strive to save each other from pain.n
81 wonder" said Pauline, thoughtfu!ly,
"if l shall like Captain Langton! We have
been living here quietly enough; but l feel
as though some great change were coming.
You have no doubt experienced that peculiar
sensation which come over one just before
a heavy thunderstorm? Illave that strange,
half-rlervous, haif-restless sensation now.'
You will try to be amlable, Pauline" pu.
in the governess, quietly. '.You see that Sir
Oswald evidently thinks a great deal of this
young friend of his. You will try not to
shock your uncle in any waY-not to violate
those little conyentionalities that he respects
10 much"
II will do my best; but l must be myself
always myself. l cannot assume a false
character"
'Then let it be your better self,' said the
governess, gently; and for one minute Pau.
line Darrell was touched.