Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1901-01-03
!: MAUREEN'S LOVER
8 BY Constance Halkett.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

nF COURSE. know that any number
Of men have been guardians some
times las. I amy to a young and pretty
ward. .i
But my wife and agreed one day
that, among the lot of them, nobody
could possibly give more food for
thought and anxiety than did Maureen
O'Connor, our niece and ward.
To say she was pretty sounds tame.
She was as fresh and sweet as wild
flower. She was as wild as any deer
ON our hills. She feared neither man
nor beast, rode horses many boys would
have declined to mount, could swim Like
a fish and run like hare. When l add
that she was just II. and had shut up
her lesson books with a decided bang
the day before her birthday, you will
perhaps understand why my wife and
were sitting looking at each other, dis
cussing Maureen.
She was, or would be, an heiress, and
she knew about as much on the subject
Of money as those birds yonde near the
marsh. She could spend it, though, for
she loved giving. No tale Of distress
was ever told to her in vain, for she had
the warmest of. Irish hearts. The only
4 way, indeed, one could influence her, I
found out long ago, was to appeal to
hiatt was no good lecturing Maui
reen.
My wife was looking rather helpless.
Maurecn adored her, but ruled her
absolutely. My wife worshiped Maui
reen, and spoiled her horribly, but to
me she always played therole of a duti-
full ward, though she knew perfectly
well that it never deceived me for one
moment.
"she ought to go to the city and
make her social debut" she said firmly.
Il quite agree with YOU said !, ''but
will she go?''
81 don't know"
"Ah!" I laughed, ''you see, we can't
exactly make her CO."
Have you ever been abe to make her
do anything?" my wife asked, scorn-
fully.
She spoke as if she had been in the
habit ofenforcing obedience on Maureen
every other minute, and was riled.
Il haven't heard that your attempts
in that direction have been so very
successful" I said, Grossly.
Whereupon we both laughed 1--WE
possess sense of humor-a thing
which saves SO many situations from
becoming serious).
Just then, through the open win
dow, we caught sight of dainty,
charming figure, in the simplest Of
draperies, tearing across the lawn,
three or four dogs at her heels.
went to the window and called
her back. She came reluctantly.
cam I in for scolding?" she
asked, her lovely face mutinous, her
eyes SO full of laughter that they
would have disarmed the severest
guardian, almost think.
''Come in here" said, 1--WE want
to speak to you seriously
She groaned and gave backward
glance across the flower-spangled
meadows and the sunny garden.
s'Fancy being serious on such !
day!" she said. Its wasting ones
time positively, do assure you"
However she lifted her dainty
skirts, and with one bound was in
at the window.
.'My DEAR" said, you're grown up
} now, you know"
Her answer was an affectionate hug.
and: eff you only knew how funny
you look when you try to look solemn, -
said she.
Well, we sat down, one on each side
of her, and we propounded the social
debut. I talked what I believed to
be common sense. My wife said good
deal about parties and beautiful
gowns, and seasoned the lump with q
little worldly wisdom, which I firmly
believe she had learned out of book,
as she hasn't a particle of her own.
Maureen sat there as quiet as a
mouse and listened patiently, but she
said nothing until we came to full
stop. It is a trifle difficult to go on
adducing arguments in support of a
plan when nobody says anything to
contradict you.
That was what we both felt, so we
paused. Maureen still sat silent for
moment, then she spoke. had never
heard Maureen's voice with that in
Mecti0n in my life; she was actually
serious.
Ny dears," she said, and she slipped