Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-02-19
Continued.

fnSulted me. IS Tor the people VINO
encourage you to this disgraceful be-
haviour, we shall take care to have
them stopped from spreading sedition
and discomfort among our tenants"
She called the groom from the
horses head sharply, wheeled the dog
cart rapidly round, and, still with an
angry and excited face, encountered
Armathwaite, who was standing in the
road. Though unable instantly to as
sumo her usal gaiety, she stopped,
wished him good morning with great
cordially, offered to drive him back
if he was going her way, and appeared
annoyed by the excuse he made that
he was going to see cid Bake.
ooh, he's all right I've just been
calling there" said she hastily. 'By
the bye, Dr. Armathwaite, I've a quar-
rel with you. | hear you have been
encouraging them not to pay their
rent, which is, think, a little exceed
ing the duties Of your profession
1T would be, certainly, your lady
ship. But I am quite innocent Of ever
having done such thing
"WeIl, you advised them to go and
worry my husband with their grieV-
ances, which is much the same thing.
What is the use of his having an agent
at all, if he is to be teased with trifteS
of this sort? You must know, surely,
that q scene such as this old woman
would like to get up half-a-dOzen
4 jT1C m
their knees on the drawing-rOOm car
pet, surrounded by all the spare rela-
tives who could be hunted up and turn
ed on for the occasion, and headed by
this old bag herself, all weeping and
crashing their teeth at once-would be
quite enough, in Lord Kildonan's deli
cate state of health, to give him an
other fit of the kind he had last
autumn Why do you do it?'
well, there is no need to repeat it
at any rate. For now thai your lady
ship has once been to the place and
seen how very genuine the distress Of
these poor people is, you will prove a
much better mediator for them than
any ragged regiment of weeping boys
and girls could be-"
Lady Kildonan was displeased with
this speech, though she had to affect
that she was not.
"Of course you take their part; you
are not the loser by their obstinacy."
Il am by their poverty though, your
ladyship. Where are my fees to
come from, do you think, unless you,
for instance beg me to remit them?"
ooh, my influence would do nothing!
Mrs Crosmont had better use hers.
either with my husband or you, but
Mrs. CrCsmont."
well, you see. no one seems to be
SO much in the wrong with her own
husband"
His manner and look were SO per
fectly frank and ingenious that Lady
Kildonan examined his face with great
curiosity as well as mistrust.
All" she said at last bending down
and speaking in a very low voice, so
that the room should not hear. That
is the mans view, of course. You think
that pretty lady, with gold-brOwn
hair and soft eyes, must be a model
Of all the virtues, and a martyr into
the bargain"
Not quite that ne began.
But she would not let him continue
Something very like it, at any rate, %
she said. Nov | am certain that yes
terday you thought poor Ned was very
harsh to her. But if you knew what
he has to put up with, your pity
would. | think, be for him and not for
her The fact of the matter is that she
has delusions, and these delusions
lead to escapades which put the poor
fellow at his wits end. She rambles
about at night like a sleep-Walker; she
shuts herself up in unused rooms and
fancies she hears music played with
out hands; and all the time that her
Grartic conduct is driving her husband
mad, she walks about with long face
and makes everybody think he illtreats
her! Now don't you think it is rather
hard on him?"
why doesn't he try sending her
somewhere for change of air, and
scene. and association? l am going
to get DR.. Peele to prescribe her going
away at once for
Lady Kildonan's face clouded sud
denly. She drew herself up and
frightened the reins.
You are more cOmp!asant in your
prescription for Mrs. Crosmont than
you were for me-" she said coldly.
And with a stiff and naughty little
bow she drove off and left him free to
enter the little inn. Here he had to
listen to doleful account of her lady
ships visit, and of her unexpected
harshness.
4 dunno what's come over her lady
ship of late" said Mrs. Blake, who
had begun now to take heart a little
as Armathwaite assured her that the
threat Of eviction would certainly not
be carried out. She was always high
spirited and bit hasty-like, but it S
only the last month or so she's been
so cruel hard. l suppose it's this
Scotch husband her father gave her
that's making her as closefsted as him.
self Mr.. Crosmont says he's awful
sharp after the money, and when a
man gets into arrears a bit is always
for making him pay Or go, and nc
grace given and no nothing"
ooh, so Mr. Crosmont says his lord
ship is hard?"
There was quite chorus of assent