Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-09-24
CHAPTER X.

"What a Sulky sort o way that there
maid do go on with to be sure" Mr.. Pas.
coe remarked, with a dissatisfied scowl in
the direction Of the wearer of the prin,
dress who was sitting outside the window
in the soft summe twilight, with little.
peevish, whimpering, clinging Louie ia
her arms as usual.
"Ah!' responded Mrs. Caerlyon, with 9
toss of her head, tits because she's not of
to her grand company every evening as
she used to do
cay" Mr.. Pascoe said, with q deeper
scowl; "'twas high time to stop that there
running halter grand ladies and grand
gentlemen-high time, Lezabeth!'
"Well," explained Mrs. Caerlyon, short
ly, as there seemed to be a certain amount
Of blame charged to her in her worthy
cousins accents, "'twas Madam stopped
it herself-all you'd have said for a
twelvemonth wouldn't have made her
leave else
and you'd ave hallowed her to stay,
would 'e?" Mr.. Pascoe demanded, in a
higher key, ~transposing aspirates abund-
antly in his vehemence. You'd ave hal
lowed that maid to go on making of her.
self a country talk, with her visits to Rose
'''''J WV ~ NoiiilhS Oil III til DICdh
with strange ~sea-captains, and getting
grand presents from 'em, would 'e-would
e? Then tell 'e, 'Lezabeth, you might
pretty soon ave keeped Ger maid shut up
at home, for she couldn't show her face
abroad!'
What dye mean by that, cousin Thorn.
as!' asked Mrs. Caerlyon, angrily. 'The
maid haven't lost her good name--have
she-that We should speak like thatf"
She's not thought none the better of,
l can tell 'en' Mr.. Pascoe retorted with q
nod of assurance, his foxy face hardening
into II splendid smile. Miss Winifred is
lone the better for her grand friends and
her grand presents-I heard many q one
making remark bout it,"
''They were talking greatly of that fine
fur jacket the Captain gave her, l know"
said the step-mother, her better feelings
OF justice and common sense conten ding
with her jealousy OF Lady Winifred'--as
she had taken to calling her when in spec
ial moods of ill-temper--and her provincial
keen-edged delight in scandal of whatever
nature. II heard aunt Mary and cousin
Anna Maria Carthew going on about IL in
a great way, saying that he must mean
something by it-that he wouldn't 90 give
a t~wenty-guinea jacket to a girl unless he
meant to go farther; but 'tisn't likely, !
think, though Winifred's a genteel-looking
sort Of girl when she's dressed out"
II Mrs. Caerlyon meant this as a polite
speech, implying that Mr.. Pascoe had bet.
ter make sure of Winifred whilst he could
his tardy proceedings in this matter be-
ing a vexation Of spirit to her, now es.
pecially since Winifred's salary was lost
she signally failed. Mr.. Thomas Pascoe,
having a secret consciousness that. rs n
rival to Captain Tredennick, he would not
figure very nobly, and possessing likewise
a great amount of Uriah Keeps peculiar
description of "'umbleness," was stunc
into a dangerous state of defiance of "cous.
in 'Lczabeth" and everybody else.
"No, 'tesn't ~likely-'tesn't very likely.n
he said, sneering in an ugly fashion that
distorted his thin lips and long sharp nos
trils-" 'tesn't very likely that T~redennick
o. Tregarthcn's coming to ask e for your
daughter; and yen wait a pretty good
time, 'Lezabeth, before hanybody will