Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-07

ancient "locm-bagus in the back" our old
English servant led the way to where my
mother was sitting, looking younger and
prettier than ever | had seen her, in the
room that looks to the west through a kind
of long alley cut out among the pines. The
sunshine Tor something else) was red on her
cheek as she jumped up at sight of her
guest, and letting all her embroidery stuff
fall in a futtering cloud, she gave Umphray
S~purway her hand, never looking at him nor
saying a word save to scold me for being
such a trouble in bringing the gentleman
all the way hither on so cold a night.
90, he does not think that" ! said; che
was as anxious TO come as a cat is to see
her Kittens"
And after that had all the talk to my
self for some time.
umphray Spurway sat down on a chair
by the fire at my mothers invitation, and
in turn he asked her not to make a stranger
of him, but to go on with her embroidery
work as before. And this, after a little
b~lushing demur, she did. I can see her now.
Her roseleaf skin was bright as / had not
seen it for long years. The flush of her
youth seemed hardly yet lost. When she
threaded her needle she would lift her soft
sad eyes of blue a moment and nod at some
thing | was saying, or. as it might be, smile
at Umphray Spurway in a manner which be-
sought him to forgive the youthful folly of
my speeches, For ] mind on that occasion,
as indeed mostly when Mr.. Spurway came
with me to see my mother about this time,
/ took the conversation in my own hands
and conducted in person at least nine-tenths
of it.
philip used to be a silent child" said
my mother once, when a lull gave her a
chance. Il used to call him in jest the
Craven Image for he would sit smiling
in his little cot all day without a sound or
a cry. Indeed he never spoke a word till
he was more than two years old, Then one
day all suddenly he began to speak, and,
except when asleep, he has never rightly
stopped since"
"IIe and little Anna Mark are a fine
pair" said Umphray S%purway. "He Is
properly matched there. can hear them
half across the mill and I cannot tell which
is talking the faster or which cares least
what the other is saying
you have that child in the house with
you?' said my mother. And ! knew by
her voice that she was less pleased than
usual. The name seemed somehow to CRATE
upon her.
As, indeed, was small wonder.
Yes said Umphray Spurway, bending
forward a little eagerly and replying more
to my mothers tone than her words; Eyes,
she is a pretty BARN and when she grows as
biddable as she is clever | mistake much
but she will prove a credit to me-"
My mother seemed to be deep in thought,
pulling abaent-m indedly at the thread and
biting 1t off repeatedly without answering.
1T may be" she said at last, musing upon
his words, lit may be! God grant you are
not deceived in her! The evil in the blood
is hard to eXOrcise!'
she Is a rare good runner, / said. in
terrupting them. she can catch William
Bowman with 100 yards start"
II was curious that when my mother and
Umphray spurway were together they gave
much more earnest consideration to my fool
ish boyish speeches than either of them did
when apart. So now Umphray Spurway
smiled with a grave attention he never
vouchsafed me at the mill-where, indeed,
as like as not, he would have cuffed me well
for the interruption.
"Can she outrun you?" he asked. And
my mother also seemed to hang on my
words.
only up hill" | said. Il can match her
on the level fields and beat her hollow at
running down hill"
l did not add that this last was owing TO
my legs being each half a foot longer. For
why should a boy confess that a girl can
beat him at anything?
So we sat and talked, aud as think, for !