The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-12-04

| erything showed signs OF decay. The
| grounds were a mass OF weeds; some
| of the trees had been cut down; In
| short, Caryl Hall ives very different
| from what Il had been in his fathers
| time.
He mounted the steps and rang the
| bell. something like remorse in his
heart that he should have squandered
| so much.
A middle-aged woman, the sole re-
manning servant in the place, opened
| the door, uttering an exclamation at
| sight of "Mr. Ralph" and he pushed
| past her, impatient TO see his mother.
Where are they?" he asked.
."In the dining ROOM it's just sup
| per time" was the answer.
| And he went along the well-remem-
| bered passage to the dining room,
which had been grand carved oak and
walnut-resplendent with shining sill
yer. ...
The oak and the walnut panelings
were still there, but all the other
| grandeur had departed.
Two women sat at a small table at
the end of the room. There was an
odor of tea and hot cake in the air.
Roth figures rose as Caryl appeared,
and the elder one uttered an exclama-
| ton.
1T is Ralph!" and she came forward
to embrace him.
1T is your long-lost child" airily
said Ralph. Home returned to love
| and thee mamma. Do | bring Joy to
| your fond hearth"
"Of course you do" was the reply.
n,tf x4rhn nj 10
did make you stay so PIT has been diff
| ficult for me to reply to everybody, as
| II / knew where you we're, when had
| not the remotest idea. I've mentioned
| Baden, a general remark about the
Rhine, and so on, until | was at my
wits end, and everybody in Carylville
! inquiring for Mr., Ralph"
How kind of them!" he said. 81
suppose it was all affection and no GU
riosity on their parts. Is that Julia?"
The other figure came forward at
| this, and extended her had, which
Ralph took, kissed her, and exclaimed,
| in real earnest:
81 vow, the Caryl's are handsome
| family, Jue! should say you had i'm.
/ proved, and there was no particular
| need of that; you were beautiful when
| saw you last. Where in the deuce
are the men? should say you ought
to have been snapped up long ago!"
Thank you, brother, you are very
good" said Julia, in quiet. satirical
voice; but men are not so eager to
snap up girl without a penny And
| then, again, there isn't a man in this
| miserable little village"
you ought to go to some large city,"
said Ralph. You'd find parti there,
| without doubt"
Zone can't go to large city without
money-unless you have found the
way to do so, Ralph" was the meaning
reply.
Nonsense, Julia!" he responded.
Don't begin haunting me at the first
moment. don't set up for saint,
and If you were man, think you'd
not be much better than l am"
Il would go out into the world, at
least" Julia said.
Come, Ralph-come and have
| cup of tea" interrupted Mrs. Caryl.
And please don't begin sparring as
soon as this"
The three sat down at the table,
which was very sparingly laid, and
when the mother mentioned the fact,
| Ralph said:
Don't mention such a thing to me;
| I've been on short rations myself too
much lately not to think this is lux
| ury."
Reckless though he was, Ralph was
not sufficiently hardened not to feel
uncomfortable at the thought that
intruded itself very strongly here-that
| 1t was owing great deal to his guilt
| L. L ri I.
| and sister were obliged to scrimp p
| their daily food. But he allowed none
| of that feeling to be seen. He gay and
| chatty, told stories, made the two wo-
men laugh, and enlivened them great
| ly.
But how did 1t happen, Ralph. that
you went to Europe so suddenly"
asked Julia, looking sharply at her
| brother.
Don't be curious, JULIE" he said,
with perfect self-possession. "You
ought to know by this time that 1t is
not always for fair women to know
what brave men are doing. was in a
scrape-that's enough to know"
We'll, l hope you'll tell the minis
! ter's wife the same story that | did
about 1t, that's all 'Twouldn't be
| pleasant for them to differ in that re-
spect."
Decidedly not! And If you'll kindly
mention to me your version of the af-
| fair, I'll make it my own"
Certainly. | said that your health
had so far given out on account of the
unusual confinement of the counting
room that your employer had sent you
to Europe to look after his interests
there, hoping it would benefit your
health"
"Capitally done! I'll remember it
and also that my health is much i'm
proved"
IL never saw you dressed so unlike
yourself, Ralph" went on Julia, who
was secretly furious that her brother
should have squandered so much mon
ey. IF you have been in London, why
didn't you get your coat at Pooles,
and your pantaloons-''
spare me, sweet sister!" interrupt
ed Ralph, secretly annoyed, but deter
mined not to show it. 81 am very con-
scious that l am dressed Internally
for me; but, by Jove, wouldn't be IL
had the cash! AS it is, / am much
more presentable than when landed.
I'm afraid you would not have recog-
niZed me- But these are 'ready-made'
clothes, and are despicable. Still.
don't think the villagers here would
know the difference"
Probably not--and Miss Ainslee is