Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-02-19

jackanapeS. I'll go as fast as wine
and dice and cards and braw!s and
usurers and all that sort of crew can
carry me. I'll up to London. and one
morning when your brother sends you
word he's found me with napier
stuck i'll my throat. my pockets empty
and Peggy writ on the scrap Of paper
a-lyinS over my heart, then you'll be-
lieve Percy loved you"
"Lud, sir. men are apt ut such chat
ter, and a fortnight after the wears
a-publishins their banns with the 9TH
er lady"
Peg" He takes her kerchief end
as it droops away from her pretty
long throat in his fingers. lie looks
down deep into her eyes. His voice
shakes; so does his hand.
whatever betides, my bonny sweet
heart, there's only one that III ever
have banns read with me, and that's
He takes her by surprise and by the
shoulders and squares her to the mir
rOr in its niche.
Farewell, Peg, since you send me.
It's cards and dice, for, by the gods,
l can't live a quiet life lacking your
Smiles"
In two minutes more Chockey, from
the upper window, saw the long roam
flying away from Kennaston faster
than she ever galloped to it and went
down to find her young mistress ally
ing prone in q fine wrinkled heap of
silken gown, lace frills and furbelows
on the threadbare carpet Of the big
drawing room.
To rush across the wide hall to the
dining room, seize a game knife. back
again, cut her mistress stays, pour a
glass Of cider down Lady Peggy's
throat willy nilly; clap her palms.
pound her back. set her ON her feet
and half carry her to her chamber &C.
cupied not many minutes for stout
Chockey.
"Lawk, my lady," said she, survey
ing the PROSTATE form on the couch,
arms akimbo, eyes saucer wide, who'd
ever have thought to see your naughty
ladyship 50 mauled for the sake Of any
gentleman as lives"
Lady Peggy lay still. but presently
from the depths Of the pillows she
spoke.
II amt mauled, Chock; not l." Her
ladyship now sat up and stared around
the big room. IT'S only for sorrow for
having had to disappoint Sir Percy
on account Of dear Sir Robin"
"Ohw calculates the worthy Chock-
ey in a tone of undisguised and sar-
castle disbelief.
"Chockeyw exclaimed her mistress
in the tone of a drill sergeant, now
rising to her feet.
"Lawk, my lady, didn't mean moth
in"
"Chockey," echoes Lady Peggy faint
", sinking to her knees, whatever III
do? Oh. Chock, Chock, and Sir
Percy Just the center Of my heart, and
me to behave to him like brute! Out of
my sight! Away with you! There's
the first bell a-ringing for dinner. Say
to daddy I'm too deep in my hand
writing lessons to eat today! Say to
him I'm gone out to break the new colt
and not got back. Say to him I'm
And Lady Peggy fell a-weeping with
such violence as Chockey had never
seen. and. being a wise damsel. she left
her mistress alone and went GOWN to
soothe the equity earl, tied to his chair.
as best she could for the absence Of his
daughter Peg from dinner.
The earl fOrsooth was q testy gentle
man. and his girl was his plague and
his pride. On her. rather than ON his
heir, the old mans fancy was set. for
the reason that Kennaston, disclaiming
all the country sports, the half wild
outdoor life. the lusty joys and racing
bumps and cups that had been vastly
helpful in reducing the little his parent
had started his career with, had elected
instead to try his luck at that most in
scrutable. vile trade of scribbling!
Pegs twin, her fellow In height and
build. which made a slender youth Of
him indeed, had gone up to London
quill armed, ink fingered, brain pos
sessed with rhymes. empty pursed, de-
termined to carve with such unlikely
weapons as that apt bird. the goose.
furnishes, a fame and fortune for him
self that should dazzle the world and
recoup the fortunes Of his well nigh
fallen house.
While the earl jeered, Peg, herself
scarce able to spell a two syllabled
word, looked up to her brother as moth.
ing short Of whatever stood in her
mind for Shakespeare; for, low be 1t
spoke. the fair Peggy had small notion
Of books, their makers or their pleas.
urable usage. To her they represented
waste time almost. and only as means
Of communication with Kennaston did
she, since his absence began. pore daily
over a dictionary, a speller and a copy
book.
So sat she now, a couple of months
after the parting betwixt her and Sir
Percy. lips pursed, brows knit. goose
feather In finger, porting over a blank
sheet Of paper first and from 1t turning
to the closely writ page Of a letter
from her twin.
Chockey sat on stool hard by-they
were both in the buttery, for Lady
Peggy was apt with all the mysteries
of housekeeping and had as fine q
churning, as big cheeses, as fat chick.
ems. as nice eggs, as good hams, al
any other in the county. Had she not
the earl. her father, had lacked some.
thing or all Of his comfort. Chockey,
then. sat working butter, squeezing all
the white milky bubbles back and forth
in the wooden bowl and printing the
pats in the trays, while her mistress
sighed. swallowed and at last burst
forth in speech.
"Chockey, I shall fall into a At an
I've ever another letter to write in
this world. The last I writ was fol-
Sir Robin to introduce him to Lord
Kennaston when he should 60 I'D to
town, and belize forgot to give it to
him as I promised and have 1t safe
here. 1t took me a week to finish, and
I've copied all the words out Of it !
can. yet do lack thousands more, me-
thinks, to say what l would to my
brother. Lud! Learning's a wonder
ful thing! Look at that. Chockw
Lady Peggy holds up the well Gov