Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-30

dean even had for once objected to
his favorite daughters proceedings.
"Out Of respect to your grandma
ther, my dear, either you or Bertha
should have remained; to leave your
cousin, mere child, and a perfect
stranger, was really a mistake"
Ceramic will never understand Es-
perance with that ridiculous accent,
which l am sure is all affectation, "
observed Mrs. Mortlake. Besides,
it is awkward to be without her here,
there is no one to see to Bella when
she is down stairs
"Christabel wants to turn me into
the nursery maid" said Bertha,
laughing; 'but neither Bella nor I
approve"
Il don't know what you mean, -
said Mrs. Mortlake, with an offended
air. 'Esperance has no idea Of man
aging the child; she merely does
what I tell her"
That is to say, she is your
white slave;' of course you miss
her,
"Oh, if you use slang expressions
we will drop the argument at once,
please" said Mrs. Mortlake; feeling
that she was being worsted, and
leaving the room after one final
thrust-"Your old fault Of laziness is
coming out more strongly than ever;
you can neither do things yourself,
or see others do them"
Whereupon the door was closed
sharply, while the dean looked sur
prised, Cornelia annoyed, and Bertha
sublimely Indifferent.
L do not understand it, said the
dean, half nervously. cit seems to
me a great pity that Bertha does not
go more to the Priory. However, you
must settle it among yourselves, my
dears, only pray have no more dis
putings.' And then, having delivered
his conscience to his family, the dean
left matters terrestrial to their own
course, and became engrossed with a
disquisition on the Moons of Jupi-
teri o.. .- Ars ,... 49,.
At eleven o'clock on Friday, Els
perance walked in from the Priory
carrying her Latin primer, Wittich"s
German Tales, and a book of physical
geography. To tell the truth, she had
scarcely opened them for the last two
days, and, though anxious to make up
for lost time, she walked into Riches
ter to the tune of "di-es, dies, o.
en- etc, her thoughts we're generally
hn ffth Iao1oncio,a
did not make much impression on
her memory. -.
The walk took rather longer than
she had anticipated, and, conscious
of unpunctualty, she "tolled" the
front-door bell with some apprehen-
sion. The door was opened more
quickly than usual but Esperance's
quick eye detected the surly, ill-used
expression on the face of the foot
man, and was certain that Mrs. Mort
lake was in one of her fault-f1nding
humors; these invariably affected the
temper Of the whole household, and
more especially of the servants.
She opened the dining-room door
with still greater anxiety, and found
Mrs. Mortlake and Bertha hard at
work writing essays for the "True
Blue Society,"" particular hobby of
Mrs. Mortlakes. Her essay was gen.
orally put off till the latest possible
day, and then became a household
nuisance, so that Esperance had
learned to dread the sight of blue
foolscap, and to connect it with in
cessant seedlings and general misery.
Bertha had unwillingly been induced
to join the society, and she, too, was
writing for dear life, with a quicker
in her forehead and bored express
sion.
Don't speak; we are so busy" said
Mrs. Mortlake, barely looking up:
and what you've done with the quill
pens I can't imagine; Cornelia de-
clares you had them last"
81 don't remember having them, 81
said Esperance, thinking of various
seedlings for writing with a pin-like
pen.
of course not; you never do remem-
Der anything that is not convenient
7,
Esperance began to open the draw
ers Of a cabinet rather hopeless1y
and, after a few minutes search
found the missing pens among Bella's
toys. She put them down beside
her cousin without speaking, and was
moving away, when Mrs Mortlake
pushed them from her again, saying
in har
"Oh, it's no use now; how can ]
change my pen in the middle Of this:
Couldn't your common sense tell
you that?"
Esperance shrugged her shoulders
and took back the pen-box; but her
common sense did tell her it would be
best to leave the room quickly, and,
without another word, she ran away
1t was certainly a cherries well
come for her, poor child. Already
the quiet serenity which she had
gained at the Priory had changed tc
the Mariana" expression, and if
was with heavy heart that she en-
tered Cornelia's sanctum with her
burden Of untouched Iesson-books.
Good-morning, Esperance. Why are
you so 1ate?"
am very sorry, but 1 scarcely
allowed the time necessary for sc
long walk said Esperance, who
Invariably spoke bad English when
dispirited.
Don't let it happen again, then,
| and let us lose no time now-your
Latin first"