Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-12-02
off his engagement with her, ana behaved
as no man of honor could possibly behaye.D %

Il
| AMI ln0tler must nave Deen quite beau
| tiful at that tme must she notT' says Moni-
| ca, rising 10 her knees, I'm her excitement
and staring with widely-opened eyes of
purest amazement from one aunt to the
other.
Beautiful, as the blushing morn," says
Miss Priscilla, quoting from some ancient
birthday-book. But, you see, even her
beauty was powerless to save her from in
suit From what we could learn, he abso-
lutely refused to fulfill his marriagecontract
with her. He was false to the oath he had
sworn over our fathers dying bed.''
Nothing can exceed the scorn and solemni-
ty of Miss Prisclla's manner as she says all
this.
"And what did mother do?'' asks Monica,
curiously.
"What could she do, poor child? have
no doubt twent nigh to breaking her heart"
"Her heart?" says Monica.
"She suffered acutely. That we could see,
or rather we had to guess it, as for days she
kept her own chamber and would see no
one, going out only when Ii was quite dusk
for solitary ramble. All! when sorrow
afllcts the soul, there is no balm SO great as
solitude. Your poor mother took the whole
affair dreadfully to heart"
you mean that she really frctted9 asks
! NlOiltd, ollll III illt Sullit way, VIII
her eyes fixed on her aunt There is, i'm
deed, 50 much unstudied surprise in her
manner as might have produced q CORE.
spending amount in the Misses Blake, rad
they noticed Ii.
yes my dear Of course. Dear, dear,
dear what sad thingit all was Well, now
you understand all that IL Is needful you
should, Monica" says Miss Penelope, with
glance at her sister, who really seems quite
overcome. $50 we will say no more about
e. Only you can see for yourself how i'm
possible it is for any of our blood to be on
friendly terms with Desmond"
"They may not all be like that Mr.. Des-
mond," says Monica, timldly, coloring to
her brow.
"Yes, yes. Like father, like son; you
know the o,d adage; and a nephew is as
close a relation almost. We can know no
one at Coole.'
81 would almost rather see you dead than
Intimate with one of the namc,' says Miss
Priscilla, with sudden harshncSs.
Il don't think we told Monica about the
other guests at Aghyohilbcg" says Miss
Penelope, hastily; with the kindly intention
OF changing the conversation. "A very pret-
ty woman came there about week before
your arrival, child, and Is 90 remain, be-
ilCNC, lOl SOlllS Jllllc. IoIlc II ~ WluOW, anu
young nd-by the bye, | wonder if she can
be any relation TO your friends in the South
of France"
"Why?'
"lier name is Bohun, and
Not Olga Bohun?' says Monica, ,sprlnging
to her feet. "A widow, you say, and young.
Oh! Funtie, If she only might bc Olgar
well, certainly she has a Eeathenish-I
mean, a Russian--name like that" says
Miss Priscilla. "She is q very little woman,
with merry eyes, and she laughs always,
and she has the prettest the most courte-
ous manners. Quite relief found her.
after the inanitieS Of Bella Fitzgerald"
'She is even smaller than ! am. Yes, and
her eyes do laughw says Monica, delight
making her cheeks warm. "She is the pret-
tiest thing. All! how happy shall be if /
may see her sometime?w
you shall see her just as often as ever
you and she wlsh," say the two old maids
IN breath, glad in the thought that they
can make her home at Moyne happy to her.
II hope UCu like her." says Monica, glanc-
ing from one to the other of them.
Yes. / thought her quite fascinating"
says Miss Penelope. Some people say she
is rather-rat fast, | believe is the word
they use nowadays" getting the word out
with difficulty, as though afraid it may go
off and do somebody an injury. "But for
my part, don't believe word of it. She
is quite natural, and most pleasing in man
ner, especially to those who are older than
herself A great charm in these times, my
dear, when aga is deSpised."
Plainly, the little widow at Aghyohillbeg
has been playing off her sweetest graceS up
OH the two Misses Blake.
IL dare say Monica will like young Ro-
nayne," says Miss Priscilla. "He is quite
nice, that lad. But l hope, Monica, that,
even If circumstances should throw YOU to-
gether, you will take no notice of young Mr..
Desmond. / would not exchange word
with him if a queens diadem were offered
me as a bribe."
"You might speak to him without know
ing him." says Monica, bushing again that
nervous crimson of while ago.
impossible, my deal. Instinct, sharpen
ed by hatred, would tell me when one Of the
race was near me-"
We'll, as it is your first party here, dear
child, hope you will enjoy it," says Miss
Penelope, quickly, as though again anxious
to throw oil on the waters by changing the
conversation. 1T is a charming place, and
its mistress If little rough, is at least
kindly"
curtains that have hidden her for the past
hour, comes slowly to the front. Her face,
her very attitude, is martial. She is plainly
in battle-aTay. Pausing before Miss Pris-
ella, she directs her first fire upon her.
"Am not asked at alp" she says, in q
terrible tone, that contrasts painfully with
the ominous silence she has maintained ever
since the invitation was brought by Mrs.
OCOnnOrS groom.
my dear child, you must remember you
are only fourteen" says Miss Priscilla who
is sincerely sorry the child has not been in
cluded in the invitation, and, in fact, thinks
it rather unkind she has been left out.
II knO,U that, thank you" says the young
est Miss Boresford, ncompromisngly, fix
ing her aunt with stony glare. Il know
my birthday as well as most people. And
So just because / am a child, | am to be
sighted, am /? l call it unfair! / call il
beastly nedrl that every one here Is to be
invited out to enjoy themselves except me." +"
"Young people are seldom asked to grown
mp parties" says Miss Priscilla, in her most
conciliatOry manner. when you are as
Old as Monica, of course you will go every
where. In the mean time you are only q
child"
II am old enough to conduct myself prop
eIly, dG ail events, says hlt, ulllnOVeu.
suppose at fOurteen'-as if this age is an
age rep.ete with wisdom--'I am not likely
to do anything Uery extraordinary, or make
myself unpleasant, or be in anybody's way"
THAT is not the question, at all; it is
merely one of age" says Miss Priscilla.
rs it9 And yet people say a great deal
about childhood being the happiest time OF
ones life" says Kit, almost choking with
5cOrn tul rage. 81 Should inst like n eaa
the fellow who first said that. Maybe
wouldn't enlighten him, and tell him what
a hyp3crite he was. Whoever said 1t, II Is a