Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-04-01
for, be everything to, sacrifice all he had
| in thu u,onld 1on ho.2

for, be everything to, sacrifice all he had
in the world for her?
"My darling" Mrs. Rivers said to June
that night, come and sit by me; 1 want
to talk to you. And try not to cry and
agitate yourself, because it will make it
so hard for me, and l ought to keep AS
quiet as possible. Tom is so good, SO true,
so devoted to you-oh, my darling, 1 think
I could die happy if l knew he was going,
to care for your future, that you were go
ing to be his wife,"
In June's heart for the last month all
thoughts of love, of passion, of romance,
have slumbered-slumbered as though
they were dead. She has no passion for
Dallas, no repugnance for Tom; nay, to
him all her feelings are changed; SHE
feels n trust in, an affection for him that
makes him dearer to her than any one
but that adored mother. Why put them
in n breath? She feels comparatively
nothing for any other being thar her
mother.
Marriage with Tom neither shocks nor
disgusts her; it seems to her that nothing
which shall happen to her after that
mother as gone from her will matter.
And she looks up with the calm, white,
face of II second %Iphigenia, and says,
quietly: !
81 will marry Tom, if you wish it,,
darling mother"
Mrs. Rivers died on Christmas morning.
the morning of the day when June was
to have given her answer to Tom.
That evening Tom spoke to his mother
on a subject which had occupied him for
several days past.
"Mother," he abruptly began. II have
a favor to ask of you"
Mrs. Ellesmerc knitted n little faster,
kept her eyes on her work md did not
reply. She was waiting, of course, for
her son to make his request known.
II want you,' Tom proceeded, having
given his mother an opportunity. of which
she did not avail herself, to express her
readiness to serve him, 81 want to ask
June to come here after the funeral.
They wish her to go to the rectory; but
-but-in her dreadful affection 1 think
Jack and Madgc would be too much for
her, however kindly they meant; and
herc-hcre-she could have her own
rooms and do just as she liked"
And Tom looked eagerly at his mother,
hanging upon her answer with the deep
est anxiety.
Mrs. Ellesmere was Il woman who, in
society. had immense tact, and generally
said and did the right thing by instinct.
She was in reality thoroughly selfish, alb
horred being put out of her way, and had
very little sympathy to bestow even on
those who stood most in need of it.
II do not quite see how such an mr.
rangement is possible" she answered in
Il cold, strained manner.
TOMS heart, so ready to expand, froze
up and contracted. He felt bitter against
his mother.
why not?' he asked, in so altered a
voice that it ought to nave warned her.
because" (still speaking in the same
collected, unsympathetic voice. "if she
were to come here now it would be tanta-
mount to publishing to the world that you
are going to marry her."
"And I am going to marry her, re-
turned Tom, stung out of his resolution
not to say a word to IL one which could
commit June's future. sit was Mrs. Riy-
ers' dying wish. and June promised her.
Though" already repentins his rash con-
f%ession, 81 do not wish it to be known
vet. for her sake"
And so, OF the afternoon of the funeral,
Mrs. Ellesmcre anne dow to the cottage
in her brougham and fetched June. She
kissed the girl with great kindness, held.
her hand in silence all the way home. and
led her at once to the rooms which had
been prepared for her, and which were
as pretty and cheerful as good taste could
make them.
1t was infinitely to Jnnc's benefit that
she took up her abode for the time at the
Hall: here there was nothing to Jar upon
1,,. ~a,.:%s,.~ rD,l;,.- ~. -
cousins came to see her. she could he
with Mrs. Ellesmcre when she pleased.
and, best of all, she could be alone when
she desired the solitude which grieved
hearts always court. But. strange to say
land yet not strange. for. in trouble, he
who sorrows with lis comforts us most).
it was i'll Toms company that she took
the most plcasure-Tom who used to bore
her. whom she used to find SO dull! In
the evening, while Mrs. Ellesmerc dozed
or worked, June would sit with her hand
in TOMS and they would whisper together
| about that dear one who was gone. or sit
quite. quite silent.
Toms dclicacy toward her was perfect:
never once did he enter the precincts of
her sitting room: never once, whatever he
may nave felt, did he offer in those first
weeks of grief to kiss her: never, by so
much as one word, did he remind her
hat he had any claim upon her, any
hopes for the future; she was free as air,
free to 10 what she would, except to SUI.
fer.
And so June grew to love him. Had he
been Macchiavelli, backed by n woman
of the world, lie could not nave adopted
better tactics to win her; but there was
no scheming or plotting in Tom; he was
only acting from the dictates Of his own
heart with the instincts of a true and
chivalrous gentleman.
ITO be continued.)
How Would He Spell It?
r. A. Barnet tells a good story at the