The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-04-29

mad been broken only by the cracking
log fire.
His granddaughter, a girl of sever
teen, sat opposite. with an open letter.
which presently fluttered softly into her
lap and then tiuttered to the floor. With
a weary gesture, she brushed the
masses of hair from her brow and then
let her hands rall from her brow list
lessly over the arms of her high back
chair. The surroundings We're elegant
ly %restful, but indicative of bygone
grandeur.
What are you going to do, dear?'
he asked softly. mo, do not light the
candles, but here in this twilight tell
grandpa what is in your mind and
heart"
She rose suddenly, placed her elbows
on the mantlepiece n gazed down into
the fire.
Grandpa, that's just exactly what I
find most difficult. To myself I can
reason the matter out carefully and
coldly, but when talking to and looking
at you my heart is paramount. But
after all 1t is better to marry him."
Love him?"
mo. Blu fortunately I care for no
II else; and it he, knowing all, is not
only willing but anxious, why should l
hesitate? And it would mean so much.
dear. The Lodge would not have to be
sold, the old servant could remain, and
when you were not with me in New
York l could always come here to you"
Il dare say" replied he, locking into
the fire, and after Il little pause he con-
tinued: Yes, these are some of the ad-
Vantages, but until 10Y | never realized
how little 0 really cared for this gen
tleman. Have you nothing TO say in
favor of this marriage except the ma
terial gain that would come TO you?
Come here. dear. Grandpa is not yet
too ola IN hold y-aIi an bic l,tAa -
She Wrinkled her forehead a little i'm
patiently, and there was just - touch
OF annoyance in her voice.
Nov, grandpa, don't talk like that
and pet me so, for l can't go on this
way continually. l hate to say that my
life is monotouous. for that sounds as
though o and nanny and the Did
place were not dear to me, but | do 50
want a change, II as long as this OPP
p~ortunity offers, and ! don't happen to
love any one else, II not even know
ing what love is, how al l appreciate
it's ~absenCc?"
Now, as an example of WomanhoOd,
please don't bring up Jul old pet, Pris-
ella Bassett. Or course. she is d lady
and loves milk and mules and her class
IN Sunday school, but l want to drink
something With q whiz in it, ride in
an auto and occasionally see u ballet"
1t seems to me, little girl that you
want more h II thing with q whiz
in il he replied Yin d soft southern
voice.
Oh! grandpa. l am so tired of Gs.zsss
everlasting ladies with common sense"
General Byrd turned, and q sad,
firm expression crossed his face; then,
in Il gentler one he said, perhaps, af-
ter all, darling, its grandpa's fault, for
they told him, not to send you Off to
boarding school. Where did YOU meet
= I N q. 4 NnlrJ,r W. l. ;,,r tn ~, -, -, -
Whlzy drinks and automobile rides, and
ballet parties?"
oh! l visited his mother and it was
a case of Came, saw and conquered
and in one week"
And did he subject you to the en-
barrassment. not only of conspicuous
attentions, but his offer of marriage
while you We're a guest in his mothers
hOlne?"
"Embarrassment?'
Yes, dear, for under any and all
circumstances it was Il breach OF ETH
quette, and in your case a particularly
unfortunate one, for being unable to
answer him finally, you could only leave
the house. a gentleman may be encour-
aged at his sweetheart's manner, hut
he should never feel sufficiently assured
to warrant such a declaration in his
own home"
ON, of course, grandpa, he isn't your
style, but then husbands don't mean as
much to a girl these days as they used
to. L don't like to sadden You, dear.
but when the Old place goes ! shall have
to do something self-supportiug. INC as
Tar as l can see my only two talents lie
in becoming engaged and riding horses
"a question of breaking maj or beast.
Will you decide for me?"
mo, dear; but if it is your wish. sup
pose we invite this gentleman to TIE
Lodge"
"Grandpa, when you look like that l
feel obliged to tell o that he is not
what you would call a gentleman; he's
bald-and Shorthand red faced-and
fat-says by Jove,' Damnation. and
No more, darling, it isn't quite fair;
when he is our guest 1 shall form nv
own opinion, and remember, dear, he
has paid o the highest compliment,
which forbids your being thus an
alytical."
" y
Nanny"
Yes, Honey"
DO 0 really like Colonel Worth
%ington?"
Zoos I does, chile; much ez 1 could
any foreigner, an ez long as he's gwine
let me go long wild you all, why,
amt got nuttin' tall to say"
Nov, nanny, please don't call him
a foreigner; he's only from New York.
We'll, then, maybe you'd rather Id
call him a 'Dago,' but it don't make
no difference what he is Or whar he
come from; he sutt'ny don't talk Eng
l1sh, cause what in the name O. Cord
do he mean by rushing de growler,'
'standin' pat gwine out wild his pals
an sich stuff as dat?"
oh, nanny, that's just slang"
We'll l knowed It want English
so it's slang is it? Thought it might
have ben French. IT'S a pity, honey
you couldn't ave love Marse Lee, or
Dr.. Mason or Colonel Marshall, 1 mean
somebody who speaks you own lam
guage, without putin all dem twists
on to it. But den, I 'spose you knows
bes'. Now chile, If anybody had axed
Mandy's 'pinion, she'd ave tole 'em
dat you cared a sigh mo- fur dat Mr.
Carlton, an he sho do look love at
you, and den eve'y time he do you jes
drap yo' head an twist yo' handker-
chief round yo' fingers"
why, Nanny, he's married."
Great Cord a'miglty!!!! Den what
meek him come down here agin, an
amt nuvve even mention his wife
but shucks! I always aid t warnt no
business nor Ole Marster neither, what
fetched him, but anyway, you'd better
run long Town stairs now cause tea
must be bout ready"
Tea was over, the neighbors had left,
and the old General with bowed head
dozed peacefully by the fire.
Mr.. Carlton, Grandpa looks happy
now, but recently he has not been the
same; l can't quite define the change,
butt -
Come here, Miss Byrd. and I will
do that for you. Yesterday 1 was not
even in a position to discuss that of
which l am today positive. Will you
sit here and let me talk to you while
the General sleeps?
This afternoon, before you came
down, your grandfather honored me