The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-06-21


in and diamonds as the mistress of GER
emonies 10 a dozen substantial citizen.
and their extensively attired wives, en-
dured the two hours spent at table, ant
the two duller ones in the great par.
Ilors, where the small company seemed
lost and everybody talked as IL afraid
of his own voice. She was no gayer than
the rest by the time the entertainment
was half over. The atmosphere OF re-
spectacle stupidity was infectious, and
this pervaded every nook of her new
home. In her brothers house she had
had young visitors, and there was, at
the dullest, the hope Of release to con-
| sole her. Now she was settled in life"
| could sit down with idle hands and
spend her days in contemplation Of her
grandeur. She had married well. No
body looked askance at her when old
maids were the subjects of pity or ridi-
Guile. The most censorious could not
couple her name with the dread word
dependence" She had no household
cares. Mr.. Withers and Miss Field re-
lieyed her OF all such.
And the mistress of the mansion was
left to her own devices? BY no means.
If her husband were fastidious, he was
also tyrannical He dictated not only
what dress his wife should appear in
daily, but also what laces and orna-
ments she should sport; at what hours
she should take the air; whom she
must visit and whom invite; what
songs she should sing to him when he
asked for music in the evening, and
when the day should close-the day so
wearisome in its similitude to all that
had preceded and those which should
follow 1t.
MY cousin is man with aspirations
above the frivolities OF fashionable
life, and excitement is injurious to his
health" Miss Field notified the bride
that day after her home-bringing. 81
fear Mrs. Withers will tire Of the even
tenor of our way"
II like quiet" Constance replied.
But she did not mean stagnation.
She was married in April, and on the
first of July the trio removed to Mr..
Withers' country seat. Here Constance
was to find that the dead level of her
existence had yet lower plane of dull
ness. There was not neighbor within
four miles, hardly farm house in
sight.
1--WE recruit here after the dissipa-
ton Of the winter" Miss Field said,
enjoyingly. THE solitude is enraptur-
ing. One can sleep all day long If she
likes"
This proved to be her favorite meth
cd of recuperating her exhausted ener-
gies. Mr.. Withers, too, liked post
prandial siesta, prescribed by his ply
stefan as eminently conducive to diges-
ton" Constance was not more lonely
when they slept than when they were
awake. The horrible sterility Of her life
was not to be ameliorated by their So
ciety. II commonplaceness be q crime,
Mr.. Withers and his cousin were Of
tenders of an aggravated type. Harri-
cts Alterations and Elnathan's plati-
tudes were to the tortured senses of the
third person of the party less endura-
BILE than the cicada's shrill monotone
through the hot summer day, and the
katydid's endless refrain at night. Her
chains, which had hitherto paralyzed
her by their weight, began to gall and
fret into her spirit. She grew unequal
in temper, nervous and restless, under
the restrictions imposed by her spouse.
An insane impulse beset her to defy his
and set at naught his coun-
sells; to rush into some outrageous
freak that should shock him out of his
Dropriety and provoke the prudish toad
eater to natural speech and action.
This madness was never stronger
than on one August afternoon when she
escaped from the house, leaving the |
cousins to the enjoyment OF their re-
operative maps in their respective !
chambers, and took her way to the
back of the villa. She had |
never explored 1t, tempting as was the |
shade of the hemlocks and pines that
grew up to the summit, and the walls
Of gray rock revealed through the riffs
Of the foliage. A current of fragrance,
the odor of the resinous woods, flowed
down to greet her ere she reached the
outskirts Of the forest. and the lulling
of the wind in the evergreen
boughs was like the sound OF many
and wooing waters. The tender green
tassels of the larches tapped her head
as she bowed beneath their low branch
es, and the wide hemlocks were spread
in benediction above her. She was
alone with nature-free for one short
hour to think her own thoughts and
act out her desires. She laughed as
bushy cedar knocked off her hat at the
instant that she tore her dress u. on a