Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1902-04-10
An ORNAMENT TO SOCIETY

side the walk extended quite to the
main street. Jack Harrowsby was
known and liked throughout the couD-
ty. His great voice had beloved many
an auction on many a farm. His bluff
geniality. his hearty manner, even his
amiable vices had tended to win him
friends. As for his wife, she had been
the model of all the hard worked farm
ers' wives around. Her u~nceasing la
Dor. her rigid religious views. her IN
~relenting resolution to never spend a
penny for pleasure. her stern attitude
towards sinners, especially those of her
own sex, her liberality to heather mis-
SionS. her conservatism, her infieXibil-
ity, her passionate RIGHTEOUSNESS, these
had constituted her a social power to
be admired and a leader to be rever-
enced.
When. in all the sp!endor of the new
black silk, coveted for forty years, she
was laid away in the little hillside GEM
etery, a different life began for Jack
Harrowsby and his daughter. He
brought a widowed niece to live with
them, a fippant little woman. with
round black eyes and a perpetual smile.
She insisted on having a hired girl,
and although Jack wondered If Hat
would not turn in her grave could she
hear the startling suggestion. he con
scented. So there were five around the
dinner table now. for Frank Stanley
was still with them. He had been
chore boy for many years in the HAr-
rowsby household. and under the stern
regime of the mistress had developed
! into a worker after her W heart,
bent on accomplishment and %inSensible
to fatigue. After her death HarrOws-
by came to depend on him more. and
to seek his advice in business matters.
He was an erect, muscular. young fell
low, bold as a lion when rounding
up" or stock lading, but of lamblike
meekness of demeanor In the presence
of femininity. With his niece Harrows-
by discussed the best method in which
to make Cleopatra an ornament to So
ciety.
An ornament to society is a lady,"
his niece said positively, land Il
lady never does any work except play
On the pianny-or the organ if she
hasn't a pianny-and make fancy
work."
So the delayed education of Cleopatra
Harrowsby was duly begun. She took
music lessons, and lessons in painting,
and lessons in crewel work. and GRO
chet. and ribbon embroidery. She did
not take kindly to the unusual tasks.
Her fingers were skillful enough in
caring for turkey chicks, or feeding
the young calves, or dosing Il sick colt,
or handling the reins from the seat of
a harrow, or even when gripped conf
IDENTITY arounl plow handles. The black
and white' keys on the organ board
bore too strong a family likeness to be
promptly identified. and the needle be-
came an instrument by which Self-tor-
lure was involuntarily and frequently
administered. Nevertheless. the result
of her labOrs in the field of art became
gradually apparent. Pictures were
hung upon the walls-pictures in six
inch gold frames. Painted snow shov-
els also appeared. and trays and roll
ing pins tied up by the handles with
blue ribbons and gilded piepans, and
triangular satin banners, on which
Haunted such flowers as never saw the
sun of heaven shine. Mrs. Maltby-
the name of Harrowsby's widowed
niece was Mrs. Maltby-lOOked on with
satisfaction as the collection increas-
ed, and Jack himself used to make an
excuse to take his particular friends
through the sacred room of state and
seclusion.
a wave Of his pipe. She painted ali Of
Observation-Disclosures them. Every blame
one-they're all hand-painted."
Grapes" multiplied also, strips of
silk with lace sewn between. pin cush-
ions. sofa cushions. wool mats, and
various other deliberately constructed
articles. One evening when the latest
artistic achievement had been duly ex-
hibited by Mrs. Maltby Frank Stanley
ventured to congratulate the young
person responsible.
You're doing fine" he said. Seems
like you've learned an awful lot since
she died"
"Fine!w She 1ared u on him. her
face c%rimsoning. "It's rubbish-every-
thing | try to do. l know it-you know
1t, too. The people who try to teach
me know I'll never learn to do them
things well-not IL ! live to be a hun |
dred. But they get Pap's money. That's
all they care about. Pap is the only |
one who really thinks it's fine. Do you
suppose I'd keep on at 1t IL 1t wasn't
for him."
A few days after that the girl saw
Frank coming towards the house. 4
hot wind had ragged that day-was still
raging. Through the swirling clouds
Of b~rick-colored dust she deserted the
colossal young figure. and the creature
that only his powerful hand upon the
bride kept In check-a prancing. coal
black. beautiful creature. that flung its
delicate head high. and danced side
ways with many curvetings. An In
slant later she had flung down her
colOred silks. was out Of the room-out
~ kh4 o, i