The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-11-16
CHAPTER l.

~ 40 > . SoA41C
law thrust upon them. l am Of the last
category" said Gladys, in her whim-
steal way. "And really, Louise, there
are times when l am crushed by the
weight of the unexpected boom"
Mrs. Leonard looked indulgently at
the dainty creature reclining in an
easy chair that would have swallowed
her quite but for the assertive nature
of the gown that fell in airy pillows
on footstool and floor. Mrs. Anterior
was always well dressed, as a pretty
woman should be. In her flowing
draperies of blue, matching the color
of her eyes, with blush roses at her
breast and in her red golden hair, she
looked fair and young. Strangers
would have set her age at and
twenty, perhaps; but grim old Time,
for once giving no hint OF his vicinity,
was checking of the minutes that must
soon complete her avowed seven and
thirty years of life.
You knew Harvey would marry
some day"
Not when he was a STRIPPING under
twenty. You may say l needn't have
consented to the match. Well, all my
life l had given him everything he
cried for II he cried long enough, SO
when he wanted this new toy, after
making myself nearly i'll by opposing
him, l yielded, as usual. Beside, what
could l do?" she added more serious
ly. He was infatuated with Helen.
When a handsome oma of twenty
hve resolves to capture a boy of nine
teen, 1t is useless to try to Offset her
influence. And there was the father"
you think he helped matters on?"
Eyes. A quack doctor of no social
standing, swamped by debt and bur-
dened with five daughters, would use
any mean to see one Of them ad-
vantageously married. He Of course
regarded Harvey az my heir, and ever
then he had a ine situation. Rock
Vile has grown from a village to a
manufacturing town since l came here,
and we'll educated young mentor sew
eral years / had private masters for
Harvey, IS I dared not send him away
to college-fnd no difficulty In gaining
positions Of trust. The boy was in
advance Of his age; had l opposed him
he might have been persuaded into a
runaway match. He thought l would
forgive him anything"
I'm afraid women are not success
ful in rearing boys"
Il know they are not. W. are too
indulgent, too afraid Of hurting our
darlings, and in the end they become
our masters. Then, too. they are so
accustomed to being led by . woman
that they surrender to the first design
ing n they meet, thinking her all
she seems to be. Understand, l
have no fault to find with Helen in
her relation to Harvey. She is a de-
voted wife and mother, exemplary in
all her ways. She helps the poor and
goes regularly to church. She is moral
as--well, as a copy book, and has a
trite saying for every emergency. She
was the cornerstone Of her shiftless
fathers household, and is kind enough
to wish to be tie entire foundation
Of mine"
THAT is where the trouble begins?'
Naturally, Phebe Tomlinson has
kept my house ever since l had one
to keep. and resents interference. /
uphold my old servant. Helen thinks
me weak. frivolous and extravagant.
She has persuaded Harvey that I am a
mere butterfly, unable to manage my
own affairs. You know l am nothing
OF the kind; yet every day finds me
yielding to some new encroachment.
Having admitted the nose Of the camel
/ must make room for the whole body,
and be crushed to the wall unless |
fight for footing. I am not brave, and
rather than fight, 1 give way; but the
time is at hand when / must assert
myself or become a cipher. And |
dread 1t" z
Never mind, dear. II they 60 too
far, come to New York. You must do
30 without fear now death has re-
moved the chief u of your Quixoti,
exile"
Mrs. Anterior sat erect in her. chair
and looked cautiously about the room.
can hardly realize l am really free
from that haunting terror" she said
In q lowered tone. III our d~elivergnce
had only come before Harvey,s en-
gagement everything might have been
altered"
sHe does not suspect?"
"Oh, no! How should he? Phebe
and ] are the only ones who know.
But yous can see how many considera-
tions forced me to countenance the
marriage, and not drive the boy to ,ex-
tremes, lest worse should befall."
II think You were wise. Gladys. Yet
since Harvey really sis married, he
needs YOU no longer. You have lived
m this quiet town long enough. Az
you no longer entertain. You must nnd
Rockville very dull"
Helen d0es not caregfor company
aaid Gladys. apolosetically. Her
health vas precarious last winter. and
nov that baby has come she dislikes ta
hare the routine 81. the house dis.
tnrbed. She receives only side door
callers. her sisters and their friends,
whom she entertAins In her own apart.
ments u any hour of the day orEeyen-
tng. Hafvey sema satisfied with the
society he provides and has lost In
tersst III his old associates. Ia I'm
ohltged 10 lock w myaalfss Z
Mtss Leonard laughed ana ross q