The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-12-02
And what did mother do,'' asks Monica,

curiously. ss
ss1AVhat could she do, poor child? I have
no doubt Invent nightob breaking her heart, N
Her heart?s'' says Monica.
she suffered acutely. That We could SEQ,
or rather we had to guess it, as for days she
kept her W chamber and would SEQ no
one, going ont only when 1t was quite dusk
for q solitary lamblc. Ali when sorrow
afH!cts the soul, there is no balm 50 great as
solitude. Your poor mother took the whole
affair Greadfully to heart"
'Yon mean that she really freHedf' asks
Monica, still in the sane curious way, with
her eyes fixed OH her aunt. There is, in
deed, so much unstndied surprise In her
manner as might have produced a corre-
spending amount in the Misses Blake, had
they noticed it.
Yes, my dear, Of course. Dear, dear,
dear! whit a sad thingit all was !! Well, now
you understand NIL that II is needful you
should, Monica says Miss Penelope, with
a glance at her sister, who really seems quite
q Only you can see for yourself how Inn
possible 1t is for any of our blood to be on
friendly terms with a Desmond"
"TIiey may not all be like that Mr.. Des-
mond." says Monica, timidly, c~oloring to
her brow.
Eyes, yes. Like father, like son; you
know the old adage; and nephew Is as
close a relation almost.s We can know no
ono at Coole."
u would almost rather see YOU dead than
Intimate with one Of the naune," says Miss
Priscilla, with sudden baYshness.
II don't think we told Monica about the
other guests at AghyOllillbcg,n says Miss
Penelope, hastily; with tlckindly Intention
of changing the conversation. "A very pref
ty woman came there about a week before
Your arrival, child, and is 10 remain, I be-
lieve, for some time. SHE is widow, and
young, andy the bye, I wonder If she can
be any relation to your friends In the South
of France"
"Why?'
"Her name is Bohun. and"
Not Olga Bohnn!9' says Mcnica, Swinging
to her feet. "a widow, you say, andyoung.
Oh! auntie, if she only might he OlgaI'
We'll, certainly She has u leatlicnisl-f
mean. n Russian-name like that" says
Miss Priscilla. "She Is a very little woman,
with merry eyes, and she laughs always,
and she has the prettiest, the most courte-
GUS manner Quite q relief l found her,
after the inanities of Bella Fitzgerald"
She is even smaller than / am. Yes, and
her eyes do Taught" says Monica, delight
making her cheeks warm. she is the pref
test thing. All! how happyI shall be If I
may see her sometime?!
You shall see her Just as often as ever
you and she WISH" say the two old maids
in a breath, glad in the thought that they
"a il:ake her home at Moyne happy to her.
y hopc yeu 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 rather fast, / believe is the word
they use nowadays" getting the word out
with difficulty, as though afraid it may 20
Off and do somebody an injury. But for
is quite natural, and most pleasing III a
ner, especially to those who are older than
herself. A great charm in these times, my
dear, when age is despised."
Plainly, the little widow at A%ghyohillbeg
has been playing off her sweetest graces up
on the two Misses Blake.
u dare say Monica will like young Ro-
nayne," says Miss Priscilla. 'He Is quite
nice, that lad. But / hope, Monica, that,
If circumstances should throw you to-
gethcr, you will take no notice of young Mr..
Desmond. l would not exchange a word
with him IL a queens diadem were offered
ME as a brihe."
You might speak to him without know
Ing him" says Monica, blnshing again that
nervous crimson of a while ago.
Impossible, my dea.. Instinct, slarpen-
ed by hatred, would tell me when one OF tlls
race was near me-
"IVell, as it is your first party here, dear
child, 1 hope You will enjoy it, says Miss
Penelope, quickly, rs though again anxious
to throw oil OH the waters by changing the
conversation. ut is a charming place, and
lis mistress, If n little rough, is at least
kindly" .~- !,
Atthis moment Kit, emerging from the
curtains that have hidden her for the past
llonr, comes slowly to the front. Her face,
her very attitude, is martial. She is plainly
III battle-array. Pausing before Miss Iris
ella, she directs her first fire upon her. e.
Am I not asked at all?S she says. in Q
terrible tone. that contrasts painfully with
the ominous silence she has maintained ever
since the invitation was brought by Mrs.
O'Connor's groom.
"MSdear child, you must remember you
are only fourteen says Miss Priscilla, WHO
is sincerely sorry the child has not been in
cl'lcd III the invitation, aud, in fact, thinks
it rather nnkind she has been left out. i
u k1,op that, thank YOU" says the young
est Miss B .resford, umcompromisingly, fix-
ing her aunt with a stony glare. Il know
my birthday as well as most people. And
SO. just because | am q child, l am to be
sighted, an /? l call it unfair! l call 1t
beastly mean, that every one here is to be
invited out to enjoy themselves except me"
Young people are seldom asked togrown-
up parties" says Miss Priscilla, in her most
pp,,afltufprv n,ornGp, 70 kSJVho,t a 70 /,
cd as Monica, of COURSE YOU will 70 cvcry-
where. In the mean time you are only q
child" !,
II am old enough to conduct myself prop
erly, at all events" says Kit, unmovcd. II
suppose at fOurtccn''-as if this age Is an
age replete with wisdoni-''I am not likely
to do anything re,y extraordinary, or make
myself unpleasant, or be in anybody'sway.p
THAT Is not the question, at all; it Is
merely one of age" says Miss Priscilla.
us it? And yet people say a great deal
about childhood being the happiest time Of
ones lifa,o says Kit, almost choking with
5coriitul rage. II should just like 70 SEQ
the fellow who first said that. Maybe I
wouldn't cnliglten him. and tell him what
a llypocrite he was. Whoever said 1t, 1t Is n
decided untruth, and / know wish to good
ness was grown up, because then" with
whitening emphasis, 81 shouldn not be franz
pied upon and insulted:.'
This is dreadful. The two old ladies, nm
accustomed in their quiet lives to t%ornadocs
and volcanoes of any kind, are almost
speeches. with fright.
Dearest" says Monica, going up to her,
show an you look at it in such q liglltP'
It's oil very well FOR YOU says the in
%dignant Kit; 'uou're going, you know. I'm
to stay at home, like that wretcllcd Gin
derella."
katherine. l I'm sure you are quite un-
aware of the injustice Of your remarks"
says Miss Priscilla, at last finding her voice.
She is bent OF delivering n calm rcb,kc;
but inwardly las any one car sec) she is
qraking. And l have frequently told you
before that the expression 4 wish to good
ness which you used Just now, is anything
but ladylike. II is not nice it is not proper"
Il don't care what is proper or improper,
wlicni AM treated as l now AM, y says tho
rebel, with flashing eyes and undauntcd
front.
'HThcre Is really nothing to complain off,
says Miss Priscilla. earnestly, seeing ccnslrc
has no effect. Madam O'Connor would
not willingly offend any one; she is n very
Kind woman. and"
'tSl,n ic n rppnlar nI1 vrrtrl,# ~ corc fin