The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-01

CLARA MULH OLLAND
BY -

sJessica is sweet to look upon" cried
Mrs. Fairburn, trailing her long, silken
skirts over the rich carpet and bending
gracefully to kiss a small. delicate woman
wing upon a couch at the far end of big
drawing room in Queens Gate. You
ought to be proud of your daughter. Ma.
rion. and see that she does well in life.
Where is she off TO now by herself? You
really give her too much freedom"
Marion raised her dainty eyebrows and
shrugged her shoulders.
~ don't give Jessica freedom: she takes
Il I'm not strong enough to cope with
will like hers. You have no idea how deli
cate am. Floss dear. A ball or dinner
quite knocks me up. and we have so many
TO go TO nowadays"
.sYet Jessica looks as fresh as a rose"
'she seldom comes with u.s." laughing.
"she's too serious for such frivolities. Now.
dance the night through. but Jessica"-she
threw I'D her hands-''is tired and ready to
60 home. when she does come. after a few
dances"
'In our day the mothers sat and watched
the young girls danced
"But that's mary years ago. And our
mothers were old-fashioned."
'If had a daughter" thoughtfully, I'D
do as they did. It's the right and proper
thing, and evidently dancing does not agree
with you. Marion"
Observation-Disclosures The days are
long. and'-yawning-"I'm bored to death"
you want a tonic or. better still, a little
work"
Work. Ny dear Floss, what nonsense!
Why should work? My husbands wealthy
and am"
Lazy and extravaganza. Forgive me-
Marion, but you know we always speak
plainly to each other-ever since We were
at school. did not. however. mean money
making work. 1 meant your duty-going
out with your daughter
Dear me, L couldn't go with her. They
don't admit chaperons to such places, and
Jessica is quite able to take care OF her
self"
THAT I am sure of. But, nevertheless,
you ought to go out with her more than
you do"
''Now''-with a frown-"don't lecture too
much. Floss. / won't stand it. l couldn't
possibly go with Jessica to-day. The room
is quite small, and. not chair to sit on"
"But where has she gomez
ITO her bookbinding class. of course.
Oh. | see. you have not heard of her lat
est craze.
mo, indeed. have not"
We'll. she's learning to bind books at
Mr.. sharples, i'm Nude street"
Learning to bind books? For goodness
sake, why?'
Don't look so tragic. It's only"-laugh-
ing--"a fair maids fancy. caprice that
does no one any harm. | thought you'd be
shocked"
I'm not shocked But L confess TO feel
ing little vexed IL seems crying shame
that Jessica should waste her time in such
a way. The years will soon pass. and she
ought TO be getting married. Has she no
admirers?''
What question, My dear, she might
count them by the hundred. But you know
Jessica-her head in the clouds, she dreams
of a paragon. q chevalier sans repreche.
and I'm afraid that in London society such
men are rare. So she refuses everyone and
goes on-with her bookbinding."
Mrs. Fairbairn swept up and down the
room, absorbed i'm thought.
''And this teacher? pausing suddenly.
sis he
safe as can be- laughed Mrs. Lennox
Elderly, plain. rough in manner, so don't
be uneasy. Sharples is all he ought to be-
''And the other pupils?. Are they
my DEAR" impatiently. you want t.
know too much. It's not likely Jessica
would waste her time on pupil when
I'm scornful and scathing tone-"she re-
fused Sir LOTUS Dunstable."
THE foolish grill How unwise. Yor
must really tell her to reconsider-give Sil
oftus another chance. He-for. OH" clasp
ing her hands-"supposing anything were
TO happen-and business is very low in the
city-before Jessica is married Think how
awful that would be-" =
Don't talk of anything so horrible" shiv
ering. II declare you are a regular we
blanket to-day. There's no danger Of 6
crash. John is in first-rate spirits
Mrs. Fairbairn looked curiously at hel
cousin.
II am truly glad to hear that. and on,
ought never to listen to vague rumors."
Certainly not. But you ought to talk t.
Jessica, Floss, and urge her to accept Sill
LOTUS. I've done so till I'm tired. She
doesn't mind one word / say, and jus
laughs and tells me she prefers bookbind
ing All! there's the luncheon gong. THANK
goodness
Meanwhile her fathers carriage bore Jes
sica Lennox swiftly on her way. She wa:
in radiant spirits, and little dreaming Of hel
cousins anxiety for her future. This new
occupation, caprice her mother called it
gave her immense pleasure. She had Ions
wanted some scope for her energies. and
she now told herself she had found it
Bookbinding was useful, artistic work. Il
provided her with employment and interest
Some day / will bring home an ex.
quisitely-bound volume. the cover de.
signed and made by my own fair hands,
she cried gaily, as she climbed up the mar
row stairs leading TO the studio in a small
and dingy street not far from New oxford
street. land then they'll all be pleased and
tell me I'm really quite clever"
Behind big screen in the corner Jessics
removed her lace boa and large picture hal
and feathers. and putting on long blue
overall. which completely concealed hel
pretty dress, stepped out amongst the pu.
pills and began at once TO work.
Half dozen girls and a couple of young
men looked up, and smiled as she ap.
peared. then resumed their occupation
without word.