Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-02-25
Learning
"a Lesson.
CAN get along with him, Tn very

Nobody could get along with him!
-shorused the three other Miss Dark
ridges in unison.
Uncle Black was the parsonage OF
whom they spoke-a Grabbed, ill-tem-
pered, little old man-who lived in a
superb old country seat among the
sCatskills.
He had money to leave, but his n;eccs
and nephews secretly believed that it
would be deal easier to 60 to Califor-
aous places. and dig fortunes out. mug
get by nugget, than to stay at home and
earn them by making themselves &C.
~ecptable to an old gentleman who had
rs many angles as rose diamond, and
rs many prickly spikes Of temper as a
porcupine.
Naomi Darkridge had tried it first.
Naomi was a soft-voiced, slender girl.
with a head which reminded one of a
d-ooping lily.
mo one can help loving Naomi"
said Mrs. Darkridge, as she kissed her
daughter good-by.
But in three weeks Naomi came back.
half frightened out Of her wits.
HE scolds SO dreadfully," said Ma
tpmi. "And he looked at me as the wolf
must have looked at Little Red Riding
Hood. Oh, mamma, 1 couldn't stay
there, not if I was to be made richer
chan Mrs. Burdett-Coutts herself"
Magdalena Darkridge went next; but
Magdalena. although a fine, tall girl,
with spirit Of her own. was cowed by
EV-ncle Blacks savage eyes in less than
y week.
nd sooner sweep crossings for liv-
Sng," said she. ethan be Uncle Blacks
heiress.'
And SO she came4lomc without loss of
Teime.
Rhoda Darkridge. in nowise abashed
10y the successive failures of her sis
;sers, was the third one to try Black
Grange and its possibilities. But she
also succumbed before the terrible
,Ecourge of Uncle Racks savage tongue.
"It's scold, snarl. snarl. scoid, from
.morning till night" said Rhoda. as in
tshree days time she tearfully related
her experience to her parents. ooh,
you don't know-nobody can know
sNhat dreadful man Uncle Black isl"
ous 1duS CiiC Olu SCdAp. SdlO MI.
narkridge. who was of free-and-easy
mature. and thought his girls great
IDEAL too sweet and nice to be snarled at
by any rich old miser. "Let him alone.
gMy daughters need not so begging for
,lany mans money"
But here Joscelind, the Youngest.
Tfallest and prettiest of the four girls,
spoke up:
''I'll got" said She
''You don't know what you are un-
fdertaking," said Naomi, with shud-
+<lcr. ...,.
He'd wear out stone," said Magda-
lena.
Hes ghoul!" shuddcred Rhoda.
II can get along with him. am very
sure" said Joscelind, brightly.
=. And she packed up her little trunk
land went to Black Grange.
It was sunset-a red. flaming sun
set, like one of Gifford's pictures-whcn
ssshe came up the tcrraccd flight Of steps
Ahat led to the house. Everything
FLUSHED blood-red in the deep light. and
Joscelind could see how lovely was the
scenery; how substantial this old gray
house, with it's square towers and semi
ts:ircular, colonnaded porch. Uncle
Black stood on the steps.
$50 you are Joscelnd?" said he, sur
~rying her with little twinkling eyes.
pike glass beads.
''Yes. am Joscelind," said the bright
checked girl, giving him a kiss.
you're late!" said Uncle Black.
lam late" said Joscelind. II thought
-she old beast Of a stage never would
ihave got here. The horses fairly crept
and the roads were horrid."
: cts a dreadful warm day" growled
tEncle Black.
''I',n almost roasted" sighed Joscc-
aind.
The whole summer has been intol-
eraloly warm said the old gentleman
1--WE might as well be in the tropics
n MI be done with it. ;" retorted j oscelinG,
ahinging off her shawl and tanning her
sci vehemently
Uncle Black gave her the keys that
might. just as he had three times before
given them to her three sisters.
| II shall expect you to take charge of
i he whole establishment" said he
asThe servants are miserable"
NO more than one might expect"
interrupted Joscelind with depre-
fca tory motion Of the hand. Servants
are mere frauds nowadays"
"And nothing goes right about the
place" 1
Nothing ever does!" said Josce,ind. !
Uncle Black eyed her queer!y. This |
was quite different from the dete rmined |
and systematic good spir-
its of her three sisters.
AT breakfast next morning Uncle
Black began to scold as usual.
"Fish again!" said ne. This makes
our mornings this week we've had
lsh."
Il detest fish," said Joscelind, push
ng away her plate with a grimace.
%And the rolls heavy again." growled
Tncle Black, breaking one open.
-.Please give me the plate, Uncle