The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-02-10

ASSSSS ~I l YEA
ooader at yon, Monica" And, having SO
scolded her Idol, shs rolnpssl Into silence
for q considerable time.
"Oh! whas lovely dog-roaeaw snys Mon
lea, presently, pointing to q hanging spray
OF pink blossoms. satisfying ss C happy
dream. " must get them" --
, She springsn up amossy bank ns SCI speaks,
regardless of the blackberry branches that
cross her path, barring her way, and catch
ing y%iciously at her skirts, as though to
hinder her progress.
"Oh, take care!' cries Kit, forgetting all
about Lord Bacon in her terror lest her pref
ty sister shall not show to the best advant-
age in her lovers eyes. your gown will
be torn. Wait,-wait, until set you free
from these dreadful thorns."
Alas! how full of briers is this working
day world" quotes Monica, gayly. ssrherc,
now l ain all right, and 1 have got my pref
ty roses into the bargain. Are they not
swcct?esWcctr' holding them right under
Kits nose.
''rhey are, indeed. And, by the bye,
'here,.w are like the Clown says Kit,
pointing toa low farmhouse in the dis
lance.
Reaching it, and finding the door as usual
open, they enter what might be the hall in
oAoealSA ibouoSt NV iS ~ viz lDSiIVI
There is no leading up to it. From the mo-
moment you cross the threshold the kitchen
lies before you.
1t Is q large room, If it may so be called,
with a huge fireplace in which a dozen fires
might be slowed away and forgotten. Just
now there Is a flame somewhere In its back
most depths that cannot possibly annoy
these June visitors, as one has to search for
it to find it.
An old woman, infirm and %toothless, yet
with all the remains of great beauty, sits
covering over this hidden turf fire, num-
bling to herself, it may be of golden days
now past and gone, when she had been the
fairest colleen at mass or pattern, and had
counted her lovers by the score. Yes, those
were good old times, when the sky was ever
blue and all the world was young.
Two younger women, sitting near her, but
further from the chimney nook, are gossip
ing idly, but pcrsistently, in the soft, mel
litluous brogue, that distinguishes the county
Cork.
Asthe Beresford girls enter, these two
latter women rise simultaneously and court
esy with deep respect. The youngest of
them, who is so like the handsome old wo-
man in the corner of the fireplace rs to be
Enthusiastically of kin to her, comes quickly
forward to greet her visitors with the kindly
grace and the absence of consciousness that
distinguish the Irish peasantry when doing
the honorso Of their OWL homes. This lack
OF mdhudiSe hoalte arises perhaps from the
fact that they are SO honestly glad to well
come a guest beneath their roof that they
forget to be SHY or backward.
She makes a slight effort to pull down her
tucked-up sleeves, and then desists for which
any one with a mind artistic should be de-
youtly grateful, as her arms, brown rs they
are from exposure to the sun, are at least
shaped to perfection. She is dressed in a
maroon-colored skirt and body, the skirt SO
turned up in fishwife fashion Gas aoe wore it
some seasons ago. that a dark blue petit
coat beneath, Of some coarse description,
can be distinctly seen.
have said, quite SO, far up above the elbows.
She is stout and comedy, with a beautiful
laughing mouth, and eyes Of deepest gray,
merry as her lips. Outside, lying about, half
naked in the warm sunshine, are three or
four boys with the sam eyes and mouth,
%undeniably her children.
.Whisha It's myself's glad to see ye," she
says, with a beaming smile. Good luck to
yer purity faces. IT'S a long time now, Miss
BeIesford, since ye came, or Miss Kitthere.'
~ promised your mother n pudding, and
l have brought it," says Kit.
Look ut that, now! Ills a trouble we
are to ye entirely. Mother, wake up a bit,
an thank Miss Kit for what she's brought
ye."
"Ye're too kind. ashore, too kind, mum
bles the old woman in the corner, turning
eyes that are still full of light upon the
child, "to think of an ould 'ooman now in
the grave as it might be. Ay, fax! An the
bells a-ringin' too. can hear 'em some
times, when the winds down-eh-"
Nonsense, mother! the yard [churcl-
yardl will be lonelyfor We yet awhile" says
Mrs. DAILY, junior, cheerfully. .see, nowl
taste this; twill do ye good. An you'll sit
down, Miss Monica, I hope. Take care,
honey, till | dust the chair for ye." This is
dexterously done with the corner of her
apron. AN yell take a dhrop O tay too,
maybe; oh. We will, now, If only to place
me, afther yer long walk, an all to honor
the ould woman
"Ah, there is Mrs. Moloney!' says Kit,
addressing tho second younger woman, who
Is a hin little peasant with a somewhat dis
contented expression. 1.-THE sun blinded
my eyes so that ! could not see you at first.
Have you heard from your boy at seap"
Eyes, miss. Praises be abovel He's dom
well, he says; but it's belize I'll never see q
sight of his handsome face again."
"Oh, nonsense, now, Mrs. Msleney, me
dear? What are We talkin' like that for?!'
says young Mrs. DAILY, who seems to be the
parish CONSIDER. Sure it's back he'll be
wild We before the new year."
oh, yes, l hope So" says Monica, softly.
"'Tis hard to hope, miss, wild the rowling
wind O. nights, an the waves dashin' up on
the beach,
"Ye're an ould croaker," says Mrs. DAILY,
giving her a good-humored shake. "An'
now sit down, Miss Monica an Miss Kit, do,
till l get We tie sup O. tay. Mrs. Moloney,
me dear, list give the fire a poke, an make
the kittle sing lis a song. 'Tis the music VIC
want most now.' II
It would have been considered not only a
rndeness, but an act Of hauteur, to refuse
this simple hospitality; so the girls seat
themselves, and, indeed, to tell the truth,
are rather glad than otherwise of this chance
of securing their afternoon tea,
An how are the old ladies up above?'
says Mrs. DAILY, meaning the Misses Blake.
Quite well, thank you" says Monica. at
was only yesterday Aunt Priscilla was say.
ing she should come down and see old Mrs.
DAILY"
She's as welcome as the flowers in May
whenever she comes,,' says the dauglter-in.
law. ~ ye hear that, mOtller?! Miss PriS-
elias comm to see ye, some day soon. Ay,
us a good friend she always was to the poor,
summer an winter; an isn't It wonderful
now,M Miss Monica, how she's kept her figure
all through? Why raising her hands with
an expressive gesture Of astonishment,
twas Friday week l saw her, an l said to
myself, says |, she's the figure GA young
girl, / says. Yell take a taste o. this home.
made cake, %alanna?"
She is made happy forever by Kits un.
mistakable enjoyment of this last-named
luxury.
"Ay. she's an, iligant figure even now,'
says Mrs. MoloneX, in her depressing voice.
But time an thrOuble is cruel hard on some
OF us. ! had . figure meself when I was
young" with a heart-reading sigh.
we were always slight, me dear, an ye're
sllight DOW too rays Mrs. DAILY, tenderly.