Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-07-14
Won by w aiting.
EDNA LYALL

any so much, and she was as eager
as the boys were to try her hand at
letting off squibs or crackers, while
Kathie soon lost her fear and pleaded
for a Catherine wheel to do all
herself" Then after a shower OF
brilliant. many-colored snakes, AID
an elaborate device, the assembly
broke up, the villagers going home
with msty cheers, in which Harry
and Fred could not resist joining IN
spite Of their mothers laughing re-
monstrance.
Afterward, there was a rush to
Aunt Fanny's" room, and raptur-
/ Gus account of all that had been done,
/ Frances listening with the greatest
1 interest. and quite entering into 1t
all, though Esperance was surely
/ the sharp contraction of her fore
head every now and then that she
was in great pain
In a few minutes, however, Lady
Worthngton came in and put an
end to the chatter with Now,
children, go to bed; | am sure you
are all tired"
Not a bit, mamma" said the boys.
But they were obedient enough, In
spite of their uproarious wildness,
/ and went off at once
After they were gone, Lady Wor-
thington, Frances, and Esperance
sat over the fire, talking, till Frances,
thinking That three was no company,
wished them goodnight, and left her
sister to win Esperance's love in a
tete-a-tete.
And very well she succeeded Any
experience OF real motherly tenderness
was entirely new to the poor child,
and she was soon clinging TO Lady
Worthngton with all the ardor Of
newly awakened love. and talking al
most more freely than she had with
Frances. They did not touch on Es-
perances present life at all, but Lady
Worthngton, with the greatest tact,
spoke of her mother, recalling two
or three incidents In her life, which
her little daughter listened to eagerly,
and then going on to tell of her brief
visit to the Chateau de Mabillon,
when Gaspard was a baby, making
Esperance smile by her decriptions,
though It is true the tears were not
far off, and came down in showers
when the conversation turned to the
troubles in the siege. Yet it was a
comfort to her to talk, particularly to
one who had known her father in
however slight degree; and when
Lady WorthingtOn learned that she
had never spoken to her cousins, or
to any one except Claude Magnay, on
the subject, she knew that 1t would be
a real kindness not TO shun the topic,
feeling sure that it must be'bad for
one so unreserved by nature, to be
shut into herself by the mistaken
kindness OF others
SO Esperance disburdened her
heart, and was warmed and cheered
and finally tucked up in bed by the
motherly Lady Worthington who
had found protegee quite after her
own heart.
When she went down to her hus-
not resist giving vent to her feelings
about the Collinsons, and Rilchester
people in general, who by their
senseless want Of tact and sympathy,
had given the poor child such a bad
idea Of English people.
Your patriotic soul is grisved, Ell,
Kate?" said Sir Henry smiling,
We'll, | really don't think 1t is
fair, The dean is kind-hearted
man at least you are always saying
so, but why does he not see to this
child2 They will ruin her soon, If
he does not descend from his celes-
tial heights"
Don't speak evil of dlgnitaries,
nay dear"
~ cant help It, | never did like
Dean ColIinson, and | never shall
In this as in everything else. he
seems TO me blindly selfish. | can't
see why any man, however clever he
may be, should receive an enormous
salary for doing nothing in the
world except looking through his
own telescope"
shocking! shocking!" said Sir
Henry. but he laughed, nevertheless
/ Wen, Kate, you are wonderful
woman and in time | dare say You
will reform Rilchester. but l very
much doubt II you will sever the dean
and his hobby or rouse him to a
sense OF his duties
And even hopeful aud enterprls-
ing Lady Worthington fully &C.
quiesCed
CHAPTER Xxx.
. Oh! We who sunk In beds Of down,
+ Feel not a want bu, what yourselves
create.
. blink for a moment on his wretched
fate
Whom friends and fortune quite dis
own
Burns.
Esperance went back TO Rilchester
really the better for her visit ~ the