The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-11-26
prevents me from attempting such feats
NJ a xnScieosrG


prevents me from attempting such feats
of exeTcise..s
4 ,s.Yes. your style OF ostume prevents
you,,'s the younger lady issented. with
grave, scrutinfzing glance at the snowy
hair. tho slightls-bowed figure, the soft
languia hands buried in the warm Grim.
son folds of the shawl. hen the wealth.
er gets fine, you must come upto Tregar.
then and see my improvements.
Madam Vivian shiyered again-affected.
ly this time.
.sThank you, my dcar--I can hardly
fancy that wretched old ruin a n inviting
place to explore i'll such weather rs this.
Iisten!.p She pointed one finger ut the
cnrtatned window, and shrugged her
shoulders, as sold people do to convince
young people of their ignorance and Sim
plicity on most discussed subjects.
"Ycs, it rains q little, y the younger lady
said, imperturbably; but it will not rain
for three weeks, ] trust. Tregarthen will
be ready for its master then
Really exclaimed Madam, beginning
to turn the diamond rings or her dimpled
fingers, and smiling q little obviously; II
fancied that the house was u hopeless
ruin, and that it would require at least
half q years rebuilding and renoyating.
Perhaps in yonr opinion itwould, Mad.
am her companion rejoined, coolly and
indifferently as before. u think it is safe
ly habitable now, at lenst.n
"Oh, l dare say You have worked won
ders, my dear" said Madam, graciously,
aud smiling still. "but it is of no use hop
ing to make that most restless person,
Captain Tredennick, settle down in the
home OF his fathers, as lie should have
done long ago-ah, twenty years ago."
went on Madam Vivian, more peeyishly
than she had yet spoken-"twenty years
Ego. instead of going into the NaVy-the
Merchant Navy, too-the first of his name
who ever did so! He should have looked
after his property, married some suitable
girl with money and of good birth, and
had q name and n place in the county, in
stead of being - - . Nraif or a stray
than anything else
The old discord, freshly touched, Jared
yet as it had Jared these many years.
perhaps that most restless person,
Captain Trcdcnnick, enjoys life" the
lady suggested, coldly. BE 1t a waif or
stray, or whatever else the puissnnt pc.
tentates of the Cornish aristocracy choose
TO call him, he is to be enyied in that case,'
II don't believe he enjoys it one bit
more than men who marry and settle
down properly" retorted Madam Vivian,
sharply. People are never one whit hap.
pier, for being allowed to follow their own.
unconventional ideas aud whimsical.
fancies unopposed and untrammeled. !
thought Stephen looked exceedingly old
and weatherbeaten, quite u staid, solid,
elderly a with frizzled hair, when he
was here last-old enough for fifty instead
of forty.n
And i" said the younger lady, a pleas
ant, affectionate smile lighting up her
cold, proud. unfathomable eyes, Thought
he looked just as kind and pleasant and
generous as ever
i do not gainsay my nephew's excellent
qualities of head and heart in the least, /
assure you" explained Madam, stifiy; II
regretted his prematurcly-aged appear.
ance, and his lack of all ear home ties.
1t grieves mo to think that I shall never
see Stephen T~redennick's children.n
How can you tell, Madam" questioned
her companion, with n quizzical smile.
stephen Tredennick may be bringing u
wife home nthe ChittOOra at this moment"
"Some one to make him miserable, then,
if he is, said Madam, sardonically. Men
of his age are always taken in by the first
designing girls that get a chance of be-
witching them. / have often told him
that expected to see some pallid, lazy
young Apglo-1ndian or brown-skfnned
Hindoo brought home to me as Mrs.
Stephen Trcdennick.n
#"C'cSt poSsibleio assented the younger
lady, laughing. stephen Tredennick al
ways had peculiar tastes about feminine
charms; still, it would supply the dismal
vacancy in Tregarthen House, Madam, if
the yellow. young A~nglo-Indian. or the
swarthy Hindoo maid were installed there
as mistress.p
Madam yivian's chiseled lips frightened
after the old naughty fashion.
II should not consider the vacancy Of
the mistress of Tregarthen's plnce filled If
Stephen Tredennick were unhappy enough
to be deluded into n low marriage,n she
said, icily; land, so far from having a
niece to acknowledge. l should from thnt
time cease to have a nephew"
The proud old lady stitied the pang In
her heart which her own words had occa-
stoned, and sat composedly turning her
rings, and warming her daintily-slippereG
feet, as il she did not know that the loss
of him who had been for more than thirty
years MS a son to her would send her gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave.
Poor Stephen" commiserated the
younger lady, mockingly; "he had better
not meddle with matrimony then, as he is
sure to do something as odd and uncon.
vcntional as most of his simple, chivalrous.
kindly deeds-poor old fellow"
II nm sure my nephew will never marry
anyone whom 1 should be ashamed to
own,n said Madam, holly.
And am equally sure Of the same
thing" returned the other lady, mp
eddy.
Madam was silent. She was getting the
worst of the discussion-she always did
with this opponent-and sat for n long
time buried in her downy chair and her
crimson shawl, gazing dreamily and sadly
I Mt the bright fire. Playing with diamond
rings, and toasting gold-buckled shoes.
however easy and interesting an employ.
ment, is apt to pail and become weari.
some. Many other e~mployments, occupa.
lions, and interests had palled and become
wearisome to Madam Vivian of late years.
Handsome, proud, and stately us she YVES,
she was an old woman, and growing q
feeble and helpless one. A lifetime spent
in the socieEy of downy chairs, Indian
oI1Nis, dliQ OlallOnu rings. Ouuly enough,
is not always conducive to heightened
years of strength and activity. Madam's
time had begun to hang heavily on her
hands, and the shadow Of the vampire.
wings of enf,tt to darken the atmosphere
of the green drawing-room, In spite Of
tinted wax-lights and the blazing warmth
of radiant fires.
Wa it u premonition, in this silent
evening hour, which brought her lonely
life, advancing age, lack of relatives and
devoted friends, sadly to her mind, max
ing her delicate hands tremble n~ervously,
and reminding her of ebbing strength and
vigor-making her feel, as she had often
felt of late, but more keenly tonight than
eyer, that she was but an old, widowed,
childish woman, and that she would glad.
ly barter all the triumphs OF her youthful
belle-ship, her middle-aged fascination and
cleverness, her position, her pride, hel
name, to possess one real heart-satisfying
atfection-al her own-to cherish and
take pride in as other women dido child,
agrandchild even? Poor Madam Vivian
Drearier and drearier grew the old iady's
sad thoughts, whilst that cold, stately,