The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-11-27

'pectacles. an looked exceedin. wise:
Joanna, bllnked a tear, an wiped his eyes.
Ing dat made at tuhk ey ketch his breff-
yo horoscope, an 1t reads-sudden def"
the other girl, with a wisdom of poetry
that Jessica did not grasp.
"Oh. we'll, he's a good fellow, and I'm
glad If you're happy" h said.
Don't you ever miss somebody"
asked Atdie, meaningly.
Jessica colored angrily. II don't be-
neve in missing folks!" she retorted.
Sometimes you do what you don't
believe in doing" said Addie.
Jess1ca, n roomed with her, turned
over and said no more, pretending to
be asleep; but she could not put away
her memories; the full moonlight lay In
the stuffy little room. and the-thought
OF her honest, simple lover seemed to
be a part Of 1t.
The great summer hotel closed the
LIST OF October. Jessica had her pre-
c1ous $4S, and was to go home, but q
girl from Boston, Maud Simmons, in
vited her to spend a week with her.
I'm going to try for a chance In Bos-
ton. and maybe You can get one, too"
she said. Jessica hesitated a little.
There was no harm in the girl, but she
was not of her sort. The simple, re-
served country girls OF her own home
We're q notch above Maud, and Jessica
realized the fact. although dimly. But
the longing for freedom and the dis
like to return to her ole SURROUNDINGS
overcame her. She wrote home about
the invitation, and obtained consent to
go with her new friend to Boston, al
though 1T was three days before the
letter came.
When the hotel closed and Jessica
went to Boston, for the first time she
felt her own swimming stroke. The
life Into which she plunged was differ
ent. 1t was respectable enough, there
was no doubt of that, but devoid Of
dignity. laud's mother had been In
the Salvation Army before her mar
rage, n her father was a ianltor. On
entering their home she entered the
utterly crude. She was Jared without
know why or how. Maud spent her
summers earnings at once In cheap
f1nery, and Jessica fell a victim to the
force of example. She despised the hat
she bought n day. II despised her
self for her recongition that she looked
we'll in 1t.
It's awful becomin'," said Maud,
land Jack Bascom thinks SO, too
Jessica colored holly. Jack Bascom
variety theater. a handsome young fell
low who looked like an actor. Pres
emily he came to see Jessica every
night: that was after she had obtained
employment In the restaurant with
Maid Jessica lesitated about accept
ing, as the local newspaper put it, the
position. Going to work in a city res
taurant was q vastly different thing
from waiting on table in a summer ho-
tel. There one was almost sure of
colnpanionship Of ones superiors as
well as ones equals, but this was DIFF
ferant. But she yielded; every time she
thought of returning to the old life a
sickness of revolt came upon her, and
she had begun to be fascinated by Jack
Bascom. h thought very little Of
David Lapha1n in those days.
She boarded with Maud Simmons, and
was in the cheapest froth Of city life.
Jack Bascom got them frequent paGs..s
for the theater. She bought herself 6.
gay silk blouse, II arranged her hair
in the extreme of the style. She learned
various things which told her old life
In the country would never have
taught; and yet the effect Of these
were too solid to be shaken. The mo-
notony of simplicity and dignity had
struck too deep roots in a character
which had also the great benefit of
heredity.
All at once, two days before Thanks
giving, she learned something; she had
a sudden glimpse of depths below the
froth Of things. She learned that Jack
Bascom was married. Maud laughed
at her for the way she took 1t. Good
gracious. what If he isl she said. His
wife's a bad lot, n he q get d.
yorced and marry you If you want him
to-"
"a married man" gasped Jessica.
What OF it?' demanded the other
o{r1 tT fr-oryH ,1,,I1 80
yourself or I would nave told you be-
fore. Jack IA get a divorce"
I'm goin' home" said J~essica, sud
denly.
Maud stared at her. ION account Of
that?'
"on account of everything. I want
to see my father and mother. and it's
Thanksgiving time, and Jessica's
lip quivered.
Maud continued to stare at her. IT
nov who will step into your shoes If
you walk OUT said she.
Jessica made no reply.
You don't mean you are goin' to
leave the re~staurInt?"
Yes, I do"
Wen, Neil Jones will be in there
next week, nj II you leave Boston
she'll get Jack"
"A married man. said Jessica.
"Oh. Lord; didn't 1 tell you he can
get divorced? He told me so. Nell
will get him If you don't"
Let her" replied Jessica shortly.
The two girls were in their room. She
looked at a theater poster which Bas-
com had given her and which~was tack
ed on the wall. 1t gav her a feeling of
nausea, and in contrast to its gaudy
shabbiness and what 1t stood for came
the thought Of her old home as she
knew it in the autumn, with its quiet
fields and Its air Of peace. She did not
see Bascom again. That night when
he called she refused to go down and
she heard Maud and her mother laugh
ing loudly down stairs after he had
gone. He had not gone with that
can Of the head with which poor David
Lapham had gone away that last night
at home.
The day before Thanksgiving Jes-
atca started for home. Her native vil-
age was about 100 miles from Boston.
She had not written to tell her parents
of her coming. In fact. they had not
approved of her going to work in the
restaurant, although they had not posi-
lively forbidden it, and she had felt
some resentment in consequence, and
had written less frequently. Although
she returned es innocent as when she