The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-12-23
MONICA.
ALovH STORY Or MODERN pAY..

.Oh, not a bit of It now . says Madame
tOsConnor, Hospitality, iii her rich, broad
brogne, inherited lii all its purity, no doubt,
from her kingiy ancestor. .You mustn't
take her away yet; sure the day is young.
Mr.. Rydc, why don't yon get Miss Deresford
TO play a game with you2 III my time, q
young fellow likeTyDu wouldn't wait to be
told to make himself agreeable to a pretty
girl. There, go now, do! Have you brought
your W racket with you?'
u left II at home says Mr.. Rydc. Fact
Is" afected'N Il didn't think tennis was
known over here. Didn't fancy you had a
court In the land"
This speech fires the bloodo # the OiToo,es'
last descendant.
Madame OfCOnnOr uprcars q naughty
crest, and fixes tic !,ckless lieutenant with
ali eagle eye, beneath which he qualls.
There Is no doubt we lack Much," she
says, taking his measure with lofty scorn;
but we have at least our manners"
With this she turns her back upon him,
commences q most aiiahle discussion with
Miss Penelope, leaving her victim speecll-
lrss with fright.
Have a brandy-and-soda, Ryie?9" says
MI. Kelly, who Is always everywhere, re-
gnrding the wrctched marine through his
eye-glass with n gaze OF incffablc sadness,
"Nothing like II, after an engagement OF
this sort"
II thought Ireland was the land for
Jokes" says the injured RYdc, Indignantly,
-"stock-lntrade sort of thing over here;
and yet when | give 'cm one Of mine they
turn upon me as If L was the worst in tho
world. l son't believe any one understands
'em over here.''
You see, your jokes are too fine for lis"
says Mr.. Kelly, mournfully. 1--WE miss the
point OF them"
"You are all the most uncomfortable peo-
pie l ever met says the wrathful marine.
1--WE are, we arc,'' acquiesces Kelly. .sWo
are really u very stupid people. Anything
delicate or refined is lost upon us, or Is met
In All unfriendly spirit. L give you my word,
l have known a fellows head smashed for
less than half what you said to Madame
OConnor Just now. Prejudice runs high in
this land. You have, perhaps" in q frlend-
~ tone, "heard of a shillalal?"
NO, I haven't" sulkily.
mo? rcntlyS 1t is quite an Institution
here. It's a sort of q big stick, q very un-
pleasant stick, and is used freely upon the
smallest difference of opinion. You'll meet
them round every corner when you get moro
used to US; you'd Iikc to sec them, wouldn't
youy'
mo, l shouldn't" still more sulkily.
"Oh, but you ought, you kno.,. If you are
going to live for any dine in a country, you
should study its institutions. The best way
to see Tits one is to make cutting remarks
about Ireland In a loud, voice when two or
three OF the peasants nre near you. They
don't ikecutting remarks, they are so stupid,
and Jokes such as yours annoy them fearful
". Still, you mustn't mind that; you must
smother your natural kindness of dispose
ton and annoy them, II you want to sec the
shillalah."
II said nothing to annoy Mrs. O'Connor,
at any rate" says Mr.. Ryde. SHE needn't
have taken a simple word or two like that"
you see, we are all so terribly thin-skin-
ned says Mr.. Kelly regrctfully, II quite
blush for my c~ountry-people. OF course
am the noble exception here. Ilon't feel
in the least annoyed with you. Now do try
some brandy, my dear fellow; it will do you
all the good in the world"
II don't know this moment whether uou
are laughing at me or not" says the marine,
eying him doubtfully.
y rcuer laugh says Mr.. Kelly, reproach-
fully. II thought cren you could see that.
Well, will you have that .. and S.W
But Mars is huffed, and declines to accept
consolation in any shape. lie stroi!s away
with an injured air to where his brother
officer, Captain Cobbett, is standing near the
hall door, and pours his griefs, into his ears.
Captain Goblet being a very spare little
man with q half-st,rsed appearance and q
dismal expression, It'll doubtful whether
poor Ryde receives from him the amount Of
sympathy required.
Eiake?.' says Desmond, finding she and Miss
Penelope are bert on going; and Aunt Prls-
ella, who has taken quite a fancy to this
strange young man, gives her gracious per-
mission that he shall accompany them to the
fossilzied chariot awaiting them.
who Is he, my dear Priscilla?" asks Miss
Penelope, in a stage whisper, as they go.
Don't know, my dear, but a vastly agree
able man, very superior to those of his W
age of the present day. Heis marvelously
polite, and has, l think, quite a superior
air.n
Quite says Penelope, "and a very sweet
expression besides, so open, so ingenious.
l wish all were like him." This with a sigh,
Terence having proved himself open to sus-
picion with regard to plain dealing the past
few days.
Now, Itso happens that Mt Til, instant
they turn n corner leading from the shrub
berry walk on the gravel sweep before the
hall door; as they turn this CORR, so does
some one else, only he is coming from the
gravel sweep to the walk, so that conse.
Qnently lie Is face to face with the Misses
Blake, without hope of retreat.
The walk Is narrow ut the entrance to it,
and as this newcomer essays to pass lIur-
riedly by Miss Priscilla he finds himself
fatally entangled with her, she having gone
to the right as he went to the left, and after.
ward having gone to the left rs lie went to
the right, and SO on.
Finally q passage is cleared, and the
stranger--who is an amazingly ugly old
man, with q rather benign though choleric
countenance-speeds past the Misses Blake
like a flash Of lightning, and with a haste
creditable to his years, but suggestive rather
Of fear than elasticity.
shy unclei y rays Brian Desmond, in an
awe-struck tone. to Monica, who literally
goes down before this terrible annunciation.
and trembles yisibly.
1t Is a re-encoumtcr fraught with mortal
horror to the Misses Blake. For years they
nave not SO much rs looked upou their
ehemy's face, and now their skirts have
actually brushed him as lie passed.
Come, come quickly, Monica" says Miss
Penelope, on this occasion being the one to
take the initiative. do not linger, child.
did vol not see? 1t was u Cnemu that
passed by"
II she had said sit was the ar~ch-iend,"
her voice could not have been more tragic.
IAN coming, Aunt Penny" says Mont
ca, McryOusly.
Now 1t Is at this inaIspicious momentthat
MIR. Kelly (who, as have said before, is nj
ways eyerywhere) chooses to rush up to
Brian Desmond and address him In a loud
tone.
My dear boy. you are not going vet, are
yon?' he says, rcproacllfnlly. II say, Des-
niond, yon can't, you know, because Miss
Fitzgerald says you promised to play In the
next match with her"
The fatal name has been uttered clearly
and distinctly. As though petrifcd, tile two
old ladies stand quite still and stare at
Brian; then MisS Priscilla, with a stately
movement, gets between him and Monica,
and, in tones that tremble p%crccptibIy, say
10 him.
THANK yon for the courtesy already re-
ceived, sir; but we will no longer trouble
you for YOU escort; we prefer to seek our
carriage alone"
She sweeps him a terribly stiff little sa-
lutte, and sails Of still .tromllinu o,J ,,,r,,