Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-09-24
insulting advice, and prying surveillance

insulting advice, and prying surveillance
never for one moment made that lonely,
friendless, sad-hearted girl untrue to her.
~self--untrue to her hearts passionate de-
votion. She never once took refuge I'm the
usual feminine cowardice of the assevera-
ton, What do / care for him3 He is
nothing to mel" The steadfast truth Of
her noble womanly nature never once
ton which ranked in the very depths OF
her innocent virgin soul, Her lips grew
white and dry with agony, but they never
uttered the lie, 81 do not love him. when
they flung the name of her fine gentle
manlover," T~redennick of Tregarthen, at
her, to try to overwhelm her with helpless
confusion and shame.
From the tried shield Of Ninnie's brave
spirit the darts fell powerless that would
have stung a fierce, impatient spirit into
desperation, or moulded q feebler, more
selfish one to fearful, complaining obedi-
ence, when she was openly warned that
she had better give no further occasion Of
offence to her family; that, her conduct
having been f~aulty-or at least such that
gossip could find fault with il, the two
not being by any means a matter one and
indivisible-she would do well TO endeavor
speedily to set it as well as herself right in
the estimation of the Susanna Edwardses
u cousin Anna Marias" of the neigh
borhood, ond that il behooved her partic-
ularly to take care that her relatives sus-
tanned no loss in either %pecuniary matters
or credit on her account. worthy young
man, In his great ~magnanimity, was will
ing to marry her, and make her n respec-
able matron, with n decent home Of her
cwn-a house with a spare bed room, and
n best parlor with haircloth sofa!-that is,
provided she showed herself sensible OF
his goodness, gratefully obedient and
humble-minded enough to meet his gra-
cious advances half way. In this name
she might to some extent atone for her
former love of eXtravagant fine ladies, and
for running after" fine gentlemen, who
gave her t~wenty-guinea presents.
"'Twas scandalous!' Mr.. Pascoe deli
cately affirmed; but neither his magma
nimity nor his indignation cowed or intlu-
cnced Winifred. Beyond briefly inform
ing him that she would much prefer be-
ing flung over Tregarthen Head. or down
one of Tolgooth's mine-shafts, to spending
her life with him, even if he were the
Duke of Cornwall himself, she made no
response TO his advances.
So her ~step-mother had angrily seen day
by day TINT her scheme for lifting n double
burden Off the household expenses and the
entire future provision of Sarah Matilda
was falling TO the ground. 1t had fallen
altogether nowhere was no use in con-
tending with an obstinate girl any longer,
Mrs. Caerlyon said in veXed decision; she
was worth her keep too, decidedly, and
there were more to be blamed in the mat
ter than Winifred.
II don't wonder at the maid one bit"
she sald, late that same evening, giving
Mr.. Pascoe n final 'piece Of her mind"
II never saw a young man keeping COM
pany with n girl in such a fashion. 'Tisn't
any wonder she can't abear thes light of vel
Ge never asked her to go out for n bit of
q days p~leasuring, and spent your money
free as another young man would, or Of
fered her rs much rs n yard of ribbon for
a present. Girls can't bear n man that's
mean when he's courting-and that's just
the truth of II, Thomas!'
CONTINUED next weekly