Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-02-24
CHAPTER l..

tHIbl.l tnC ury lfameWofk OI crccIerS
ALT. rose bushes. it gives the dingy ivy IL
n"" and brighter sheen. and finally pours
i'll L warm triumphant food over the face
ans. figure of IL girl standing in the shabby
breakfast room. with flushed cheeks and
ansry eyes gazing Mt Il mass of lace and
tlomer-wrcathcd paper which she holds in
hrr iiand--, valentine. on which are pen
ncu he following lines:
,e confess thon'rt young and fair,
.ti.si | might have hccn brought to love
thee.
HIS ; no, found tho slightest pray'r
That breath could frame had pow'r to
move thee.
ia: | can let thee now alone.
- worthy to he loved by none.
d. ~.,..fcsS tlou'rt sweet. hut find
Il.oc such an untlrift of thy sweets,
Thy fav"l> are but like the wind
T.,a. kis>ctli everything ii meets.
~ ilo could nave sent it:' she says, as
She throws the lucklcss valentine furi-
"usly down. What %impudcncc. Oh. if
ev"r | find out"
Tte spcccl, is cut short hy Il noise and
base IL the hall. followed Immediately by
TIE appearance of two other girls. and IL
tall boy Of that delightful hobblcdchoy age
which is SO trying to sisters and other
fcii mine members of Il household.
"i'alie,. Why, here's Iolandc making
free with NIL our valentines" shouts the
youth. Enid. vi. look out. or you won't
ha.s 4 chance of seeing any,
"iion'i bc so absurd. Arthur says his
sislol. sharply. II never touch anything
thHfs not my OWL"
"i;nt are there amy for us, Yolande:"
the ether girls cry. eagerly.
They are by your own p%latcs," she an
sw"rs.
"uh. Yolandc, is not this lovely? Who
cali 1t be from!' comes now from the
clear treble of the twin sisters. who are
porting over their treasures with the de-
light and excitement of baslful fifteen.
Very pretty!' she says. II wonder
who sent them!"'
".AAd l have nothing!!" cNclaims Arthur
rucfully. well. considering how I dane
ed with that fat Judith Hargrcavcs-thc
whole of last evening. and how l devoted
myself to her amusement, l must say l
did expect IA something. l am disap-
pointed in that young lady; l really am
Yolande turns ava to the breakfast
table and begins with nervous haste to
rat.l" the teacups and arrange the plates.
II believe somebody has sent Yo IL rude
valentine asserts her brother, presently;
he has far too much of the talent of teas.
ing TO drop q subject which he has found
to he unwelcomc. Come. Yo, confess,
there's a good girl. md then Ill call him
out and have satisfaction, even at the pis-
tolls MOUTH
"0h. do be quiet. you tircsomc boy!" OK.
claims Yolandc. losing all patience ut last,
"Thank goodness. here's papa!"
Looking at her face now as she rises To
welcome the white.haircd old man who
enters the room. no one could nave helped
being struck by its perfection. Such ten
deriicss. such welcome. such perfect. pro
tcctiug love. shine in the deep. humid eyes
that even her lips are hardly more clio.
qucn, as she uttcrs her morning greeting
Her fathers glance is equally loving
Very precious indeed to his heart is this
lovely i%irSt-born, born to him late in life
as NIL his children We're. and then lief,
from very early childhood to his sole care
and love. The pretty. delicate young
wifi had %gladdcncd his home hut a yer!
few wears. when death claimed her fol
himself. and the three girls and Arthur
have been brought up almost entirely u
home.
The breakfast goes ON chcerfullv now
none Of the young Mcrvyns being at al
afflicted with bashfulncss in the prcscnc,
of their respected prosenitor, but employ
Ing their tongues as freely before him Il.
they are accustomed to do when by them
selves.
Arthur gets through his meal first and
with hoyish impaticncc. leaves the tabl,
and ,ic room.
"Nolandc." says her father. presently
"yoa won't forget that the Hargreavc.
dine here tonight. and Mr.. and Mrs
Adair and their friends also:"
No. | won't forget the girl
Are Enid and l to come to dinncr?'
asks Nivien.
"Yes. if Yolande thinks there will b
room"
"oh. yes. plcnty!" says Yolandc. "Hav
you finished. sirls?'
,Ycs.' cried the twins simultaneously
And then they rise in their turn. and
collecting their valentines. retire from til
room with their arms claspcd around eac
9th Is waists, their normal way of mOy
i'm about.
Ne.a..ac rings the bell for the rcmova
of The breakfast cquipagc. and then, wit
a kiss TO her father and n remark that hi
morning paper is cut and ready for hi
pcri,sal, proceeds to interview the coo
and give the necessary instructions for til
evening.
Yolande has no great talent for house
keeping. 1t seems but the other day tina
she was running wild with Arthur, bird
nesting, cricketing, fishing. doing all sue
things as seemed good to her vagran
fancy. and enjoying life fully and uttcrl
as any young unfcttered creature can. Blu
now things are changed. A govcrncss ha
been introduced to teach the young lad
various arts and accomplishments, and
in company with Enid and vi, she has t
read, study and practice for three or fou