Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-07-12
~ l:nr.s Shcm chilirnn

"Aci.'iuivI !llS. Perkins. greatly annoyed
ut he'ais s:sils prevented f,um overheard:
Il conversation the natu.e of which sac
coil!: no: even guess.
Ihe stranger WAS nj that s.m;l-
insi.y saying: Tell me more aboat he8.
Does She ever scoi,l. or has size loo
pretty Il mouth for that:'
NO. she never scoias.'' said Della
Frost. "and SHE'S got the incest white
i"rsa. and | guess She knows it, too, for
She shows them Il great deal"
shes real white. too" rcjoincl Lydia
knight. "thon=!i pa says she used to he
y;llier as saffron"
HIRE there was Il gentle rap upon the
window. aud the girls, starting off. en-
Gained: There. We must go in
MAY l go. too:" asked the stranger.
following them to TIE door. '%'Introduce
.lc ms Mr.. Stuart"
Lydia had never introduced anybody in
he" life. and. following her companions tn
her seat. she left Mr.. Stuart standing in
the doorway. With her usual politencss.
Mary came forward and received the
stranger. who gave his name as Mr.. Stu
art. saying 'lie felt much Interested in
common schools. ana therefore had ven
turcd to call"
Offering the seat OF honor. Mary re-
sumcl her usual duties. occasionally
casting II look of curiosity mt the stranger.
whose eyes seemed constantly upon her.
IT was rather warm that day, and when
Mary returned from her dinner Widow
Perkins was greatly shocked mt scein.
her attired in Il light pink muslin dress,
tllc short sleeves of which showed to good
L., 1-- ..., 49,.
row velvet ribbon confined by Il small
brooch and Il black silk apron. completed
her toilet. with the exception of IL tiny
loclset. which was suspended from her
neck by IL slender gold chain. This last
ornament Immediately riveted MIR. Stu
arts attention. and from some strange
cause sent the color quickly to his face.
After IL time, as ii to ascertain whether
it were really Il loclct or Il watch. he ask
cd "if Miss Howard could tell him the
houv?'
"Certninly, SIR said she, and stepping
to the desk and consulting IL silver time
piece about the size of IL dinin. plate,
She told him that it was half-past three.
When schoo! was out MIR. Stuart, who
seemed il. n, haste whatever. entered in
to Il lively discussion with Mary concern
ing schools and books, adroitly managing
to draw her ont upon all the leading top
les of the day. At last the conversation
turned upon flowers: aud when Mary
chHliccd to mention Mrs. Masonis beauti-
full garden he instantly expressed IL great
desire to see it, and finally offered to ac-
company Mary bsme, provided she had
no objections. She could not, of course,
say no. and .le Widow Perkins came
very near letting her buttcrmilk biscuit
barn To Il cinder when she saw the Young
man walking down the road with Mary.
Arrived at Mrs. Mason'S. the stranger
managed to make himself So agreeable
that Mrs. Mason invited him to stay to
tea. Whoever he WAS, hr seemed TO ,,n-
dcrstand exactly how to find out what
ever he wished to know; and before tea
was over he had learned of Msry's in
tention to attend the academy in Will
brallam the next autumn.
Finally he said goodnight. leaving
Mary and Mrs. Mason TO wonder-thc
one what he came there for, and the 9th
er whether he would ever come again.
The widow, too, wondered and fidgetea
as the sun went down behind the long
hill.
"It beats all mater what's kept him so
long said she. when lie at last appear
ed and. unfastening his horse, drove off
Mt Il furious rate; but if l live I'll know
all about it Tomorrow" and with this
consolatory remark she returned to the
best room ard for the .emainder of the
evening devoted herself to the entertain
mcnt OF Uncle Jim and his wife, Aunt
Dolly.
That evening Mr.. Knight. who had
been to the postotticc. called at Mrs. Ma
sons. bringing with him IL letter which
bore the Boston postmark. Passing it to
Mary, he winkcd mt Mrs. Mason, saving.
II kinder guess how all this writin'
works will end; but hain't there been Il
young chap to see the school?"
Yes; how did You know it:" returned
Mrs. Mason, while Mary flushed more
deeply thar she did when Billy's letter
was handed her.
why, You see" answered Mr.. Knight,
II was about ut the foot of the Biancll-
ard hill. when l see a buggy coming like
.Ichu. just as it got agin me it kinder
slackened and the fore wheel ran off
| smack and scissors"
WAS he hurt:' quickly asked Mary.
Not Il Bit onA." said Mr.. Knight. but
he WAS scared some l guess. got out
and helped him, and when he heard is
from Rice Corner he said he'd been into
school Then he asked forty-leven qucs-
lions about you. and jest as l was scttin'
You up high. who should come a-canterin'
up. with their lony-tailed gowns. and hats
like men. but Ella Campbell and Il great
white-eyed pucker. that came home with
her from school? Either, Elias horse was
scary or she did it II purpose. for The
mint she got near it began to rare. and
she would have fell off if that man hadn',
catchcd ii by the bit and held her on
with t'cther hand. l allus was the mos,
sanguinary of men, and l was building
castles about him and our little school
marin, when ELLA came along, and l gin
it up. for l see that he was took, anu
she did look handsome, with her curls
flynn Wall. as l wasn't OF no more use
l whipped up old Charlotte and come on
when did ELLA return?' asked Mary
who had not before heard of her sister,
arrival.
II don't know" said Mr.. Knight. "The
first l see of her was cuttin' through
the streets on the dead run; but 1 mustn',
stay here gabbin', SO goodnight, Miss
NT,,.-lou, -....,.