Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-04-07

all my companions, and be obliged TO
live until | am OF Z in the house of a
musty, crusty old man OF whom |
know n~othing-not TO speak OF his two
daughters, whom, 1 am sure, shall
dislike. The prospect Is terrible.
MIR. Thunder is your second cousin,
my dear child, and was appointed your
guardian when your father died-ten
years ago. As you have never seen
him, Pansy," urged the elder lady,
packing a small luncheon basket for
the young traveller. 'you may inc he
Improves on acquaintance
"He cannot well be more uncongenial
than l have pictured him, certainly
said Pansy Vereker. ruefully. Il am
sure that, IL there was any good In any
of them. they would have written TO or
showed some interest In me during all
these years. AS IL Is, | have learned TO
regard this as my home. and you, dear
Miss Fenwick, as almost my second
mother"
And Pansy embraced the good lady,
and they mingled their tears, for the
parting was inevitable, and might, as
far as either of them see, be forever.
Riverside was a low, irregular white
stone building, surrounded by a large,
well matured fruit and flower garden.
1t stood upon rising ground, about
fifty yards from the river, and was sit
nate al I'wickenham.
Pansy had grown to love every inch
of the place during the ten years she
had been under Miss Eenwick's care.
Her life at Riverside had been nm
eventful, and full of happiness and
quiet pleasures. In short, she knew
10 other home, having never once
spent the holidays, even, elsewhere
since she had entered the house-a
small, shy maiden of about seven
years.
"And your cousins, the Misses Thun-
der" asked Miss Fenwick. "how old
r they, do you thinky'
II seem to have heard. though when
or where l can't remember, that my
cousin has been married twice.
Whether these girls are the daughters
OF the first or second Mrs. Thunder
do not know" said Pansy. And
Thunder, too! What an extremely dis
quieting, unpleasant name. Black
Tarn Grange does not sound inspiring,
either, does ityv
Miss Fenwick admitted that the
name vas not enlivening.
Dear Miss Fenwick. you are SO
good. l am afraid that lie l had my
will, / should tire even your hospitali-
ty out, for / should like to live at Riv-
ersfde always. When l come of age,
which win not be for nearly four years
though, / shall ask you to let me take
up my abode permanently with you.
We will enjoy ourselves, for | shall
have lots of money to spend, and moth
ing to do with my time. You shall
give up the school, and when we are
rot living at Twickenham, we will
travel together, and see the world In
our w jolly, Independent way. How
much money did papa leave me, dear
Miss Fenwick? 1 have forgotten, If l
yer knew"
'Your father left one hundred thou
sand pounds, my dear child said the
good lady, gravely and that has been
accommodating In the funds for ten
years; SO you will be a very great
heiress, my little Paasy. / pray and
trust that you may have the foresight
to choose wisely, for you will have
many suitors, child. and you are too in
experienced to discriminate"
II shall eve marry" laughed Pan
sy, because i am so handicapped by
my fortune that l shall suspect the
motives of all my admirers, and give
them the credit. Unfortunately. for
fortuDe-hunting."
'The brougham Is waiting, dear"
exclaimed Miss Fenwick, consulting
her watch, land l am sorry to say you
have not too much time. Goodbye,
dear child, goodbye. Write to me.
that l may know you have arrived
safely at your destination" And. with
another kiss and reluctant pressure Of
the hand, Pansy entered the carriage,
and was driven away.
She glanced back when the gates
were past, to look lovingly and for the
last time for many a long day at the
old-fashi0ned house which had so
many pleasant associations for her.
Her tears fell fast, for she felt so utter
ly friendless and alone: and the flu
ture looked dark and unpropitious, de-
spite the wealth which would ensure
Tor her n fair share of the worlds con
sideration. A long journey lay before
her, for Black Tarn Grange was situate
IL an obscure little village In Cornwall.
Her guardian had written:
II will meet you at Waterloo on
Tuesday next. Do not keep me wait
ing, as my time is of consequence We
shall travel as far al Exeter ON that
day, and from thence on to Craig
eerie."
Pansy's tears continued to fall thick
and fast, as the train sped onward
past orchards and market gardens, and
where already the spring flowers were
showing, though 1t was early in
March. AS the familiar landmarks
dew past, and she neared London, her
fears Increased ten-fold.
How could she tell what sort of peo-
pie she was going 10 live amongst?
They might be wors than uncongenial
-boorish; indeed, from the tenor of
her guardians letter, she could see that
he had 10 friendly feelings for her
that had he studied to write a cold, re-
pressiye letter, he could not have sue
ceeded better.
She was glad when the short Jour
ney was over and she alighted on the
Platform at Waterloo. In accord
aLce with Fergus Thunder's expressed
wish, Miss Fenwick had already dis
patched Pansy's trunks. so there was
no necessity for her TO carry anything
more cumbersome than q handbag. She
went straight TO the general waiting
IT. --A - -