Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-03-12
VICTORY
BY BERTHA NJ. CLAY.

Il unl NllliilS 10 MN 10 tcii MN lidl Il
hope he will remain with MS for a month;
and during that time | hope, l fervently
nope, he may fall IN love with my niece.
She is beautiful enough. Pardon me again
Miss Hastings, but has she ever spoken to
you of love or loyersp
mo. She Is in that respect, as in many
pthers, quite unlike the generality of girls.
| have never heard an allusion to such mat
tiers from her lips-neyer once"
This fact seemed to Sir Oswald stranger
Man any other: he had an idea that girls de-
voted the greater part of their thoughts TO
such subjects.
do you think he inquired. that she
cared for any one in Paris-any OF those men,
for instance, whom she used to meet at her
father's?'
NO" replied Miss Hastings; IL do not
think SO. She is strangely backward in all
such respecGs, although she was brought up
entirely among gentlemen"
"Among-pardon me, my dear madame,
not gentlemen-members, we will say, of a
g%entleman!y profession"
Sir Oswald took from his gold snuft-boX a
pinch of most delicately- favored snuff, and
looked as though he thought the very exist
ence of such people a mistake.
ANY little influence that you may possess
over my niece, Miss Hastings, will you kind
ly use in Captain Langton's favorP or course,
If anything should come Of my pIan-aS
f~ervently hope there may--I shall stipulste
that the engagement last two years. During
that time | shall trust TO the influence of love
10 change my niece's character"
1t was only a fresh cotnplicstion-one from
which Miss Hastings did not expect much.
That same day, during dinner. Sir Oswald
told his niece of the expected arrival of Cap
tain Langton.
Il have seen so few English gentlemen
she remarked, that he will be a subject of
some curiosity TO me-"
"You will find him-that is, If he resem-
bles his father-a high-bred, noble gentle
man. said Sir Oswald, complacently.
SIS he c~leyer?' she asked. What does
be do?'
Dor repeated Sir Oswald. II do notun-
derstand you"
Does he paint pictures or write books?'
Heaven forbid! ' cried Sir Oswald, proud
ly, "He Is gentleman"
Her face flushed holly for some minutes,
and then the flush died away, leaving her
paler than ever.
4 NullNluti ~ lloA1 hllN NllltlN k'llAlNilClls
she retorted- gentlemen of a far higher
stamp than those TO whom fortune has given
money and nature has denied brains"
Another time a sharp argument would have
resulted from the throwing down of such a
gauntlet. Sir Oswald had something else in
view, so he allowed the speech TO pass.
at will be a great pleasure for me to see
my old friends son again" he said. ii hope,
Pauline, you will help me TO make his visit Q
pleasant one"
What can / do?' she asked, brusquely.
What a question: laughed Sir Oswald,
"Say rather, what can you not do? Talk 10
him, sing to him. Your voice is magnificent,
and would give any one the greatest pleas
IRE. You can ride out with him."
"lf he is a clever, sensible man, / can do
all that you mention; If not, / shall not troub'
lie myself about him. never could endure
either tiresome or stupid people"
MY young friend is not likely TO prove
either said Sir Oswald, angrlly; and Miss
Hastings wondered in her heart what the re-
suit of it all would be.
That same evening Miss Darrell talked OF
Captain Langton, weaving many bright fan
cies concerning him.
IL suppose she said, that IL is not al
Eagfthsm8St 5fayqrapIe. sReeipsgi % ies
such droll caricatures. l like a good carica,
ture above all things-do you, Miss Hast
ings?"
when it is good, and pains no one" was
the sensible reply,
The girl turned away with a little impa.
tient sigh.
Your ideas are all colorless," she said
sharply. I'm England it seems to me that
everybody is alike. You have no individu.
atty, no character"
IF character means, in your sense of the
word Immature, so much the better" rejoin'
ed Miss Hastings. "All goodhearted people
strive to save each other from pain"
~ wonder" said Pauline, thoughtfully,
'if | shall like Captain Langtonl We have
been living here quietly enough; but l fee.
as though some great change were coming,
You have no doubt experienced that peculiar
sensation which comes over one Just before
a heavy thunderstorm | have that strange,
half-nervous, half-restless sensation now"
you will try TO be amiable, Pauline" put
In the governess, quietly. you see that Sin
Oswald evidently thinks a great deal of thi.
young friend of his. You will try not 10
shock your uncle in any way-not TO violate
those little conventionalities that he respects
go much"
II will do my best; but | must be myself
always myself. l cannot assume a false
character"
"Then let it be your better SELF" said the
goyerness, gently; and for one minute Pau.
line Darrell was touched.