Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-01-30
COPYRIGHT, 1899. eYJ. 3. Iipnnco1I Co

1899. cyl g. IIPnNooIL Co
that it was far from happy to offer her
Marion's clothes to wear
Now, Richard, when he was a lad,
had been on a journey to the south seas
and had learned some of the peculiari-
ties of the native mind, and he did not
suppose that American Indians differed
very much from certain we'll bred Poly
nesians in little matters Of form and
good taste When his mother told him
wha. had occurred before Lali entered
the breakfast room, he went directly to
what he believed was the cause and ad-
vised tact with Cancellation. He also
pointed out that Lali was something
taller than Marion, and that she might
be possessed of that general trait of hu-
manity-vanity. Mrs. Armour had not
yet got used to thinking Of the girl in
another manner than an intrusive being
Of lower order who was there to try
their patience, but also to do their bid
ding She had yet to grasp the fact that,
being her sons wife, she must have
therefore position In the house, excr-
cising certain authority over the serv-
ants, who. to Mrs. Armour, at first
seemed of superior stuff. But Richard
said to her: Mother, / fancy you
don't quito grasp the situation. The
girl is daughter of chief and the de-
scendant of family of chiefs, perhaps
through many generations In her own
land she has been used to respect and
has been looked up to pretty generally.
Her garments are, 1 fancy, considered
very smart in the Hudson bay country,
and finely decorated blanket like hers
is expensive up there. You see, we have
to take the thing by comparison, SO
please give the girl a chance"
And Mrs. Armour answered YEARLY:
II suppose you are right, Richard You
generally are in the end, though why
you should be do not know, for you
never see anything Of the world sny
more, and you moon about among the
oottagera I suppose it's your native
sense and the books you read"
Richard laughed softly, but there was
queer ring in the laugh, and he came
over stumblingly and put his arm round
his mothers shoulder. Never mind
how get such sense as I have, mother.
! have SO much time to think it would
be wonder if ] hadn't some. But
think We had better try to study her
and coax her along and not fob her of
as q very inferior person, or We shall
have our hands full in earnest. My
opinion is she has got that which will
save her and US, too-a very high spirit.
which only needs opportunity to develop
into a remarkable thing. and. take my
word for it, mother, if we treat her as
q chieftainess. or princess, or whatever
she is. and not simply as dusky person,
we shall come off better, and she will
come off better in the long run She is
not darker than Spaniard anyhow"
At this point Marion entered the
room, and her mother rehearsed briefly
to her what their talk had been Marion
had had little sleep, and she only lifted
her eyebrows at them at first She was
in little mood Of Cancellation. She re-
membered all at once that at supper the
evening before her sister-in-law had
said How" to the butler and had eat
en- the mayonnaise with dessert spoon.
But presently, because she saw they
waited for her to speak, she said, with
little flutter Of righteousness:
"Wouldn't it be well for Richard
he has plenty Of time, and we are also
likely to have it now-to put us all
through course Of instruction for the
training Of chieftainesses? And when
do you think she will be ready for a
drawing room-her majesty Queen Vic
toria's or ours?''
''Marion!" said Mrs. Armour severe
", but Richard came round to her, and
with his fresh, childlike humor put his
arm round her waist and added, ma
rion, I'd be willing to bet III I were in
the habit Of betting) my shaky old pins
here against q lock Of your hair that
you may present her at any drawing
room-ours or Queen Victoria's two
years II we 60 at 1t right, and it would
serve Master Frank very well II we
turned her out something, after all"
Mira Armour said almost eagerly: II
wish It were only possible, Richard
And what you say is true, I suppose
that she is Of rank In her own country,
whatever value that may have"
Richard saw his advantage. well.
mother" be said, "a chieftainess is .
ohieftainess, and I don't know but to
announce her as such and''-
And be proud Of 1t, as it were. I"
put in Marion. land pose her and mako
her prize-a Pocahontaa wasn't it?-
and go ON pretending world without
endP Marion's voice was still slightly
grating. but there was in il, too. faint
sound Of hope Perhaps, she said to
herself. Richard is right.
At this point the door opened, and
Lali entered, shown in by Colvin, her
newly appointed maid, and followed by
Mackenzie, and, as we said, dressed
still in her heathenish garments. She
had strong sense Of dignity, for she
stood still and waited. Perhaps nothing
could have impressed Marion more. Had
Lali been subservient simply. an entire
~ passive, unintelligent creature, she
would probably have tyrannized over
her in soft, persistent fashion and de-
spised her generally. But Mrs. Armour
and Marion saw that this stranger might
become very troublesome indeed If her
temper were to have play. They were
aware Of capacities for passion in those
dark eyes, SO musing, yet so active in
expression, which moved swiftly from
one object to another and then sudden
~ became resolute.
Both mother and daughter came for
ward and held out their hands, wish
ing her pleasant good morning, and
were followed by Richard and imme-
diately by General Armour, who had
entered soon after her. She had been
keen enough to read. II a little vaguely.
behind the scenes, and her mind was
wakening slowly to the popularity Of
the position she occupied The place
awed her and had broken her rest by
perplexing her mind, and she sat down
to the breakfast table with strange,
hunted look in her face. But opposite
to her was window opening to the
ground, and beyond it were the lines
and beeches and q wide, perfect sward