The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1907-08-15

as the most distant ram1ncatlonS OIL
her family were precious to her, mas
much as no other family, in her opin-
ion, quite equaled it in importance.
Left now with a very small income,
and a very inF".-r house to that in
which her childhood and youth were
passed, Miss Rebecca received as in
mates cousin of the same type as
herself, and Sadie Porter whose %
years of life found very little con.
geniality in these somber surround
ings. Cousin Rebecca frequently
complained to her that ut was almost
impossible to get along with Philes
peculiarities;" while Cousin Phile was
mysterious and confidential over poor
Rebecca's strange ways" Thus these
two elderly maidens were constant
thorns in each others sides, and like
wise in Saddle Porters.
There was delightful house few
miles out of town, IAN Italian villa" 1t
was called; and to this villa went Miss
Sadie daily, in the morning train, and
spent four hours teaching the English
branches to two lovely little girls
favored frequently with the company
of their very charming mamma. It
was just enough employment, and 1t
was generously paid; while the young
teacher was treated in all respects as
became her birth and breeding.
This was just the kind of life that
Sadie enjoyed. A visit from Mrs.
Osbrooks brother did not lessen the
pleasure Of it. He was very elegant,
and had such grand ways and had
travelled everywhere, and his name
was Otho and she overheard him tell
ing his sister that the young governess
reminded him of a. wild rose (Saidle
thought this quite Originally, and many
more such things were tumbled to-
gether in her memory, and caused a
blush of pleasure at the very thought
of them.
1t was just after this that DR.. Emp
ton had so coolly said: ut will be
safer, perhaps, not to go into any
house, nor to admit any one here
for few weeks"
"A few weeks!" when life had just
begun to be SO beautiful to her
what might not happen in few
weeks? She had never been pai'ticu-
larly fond of Cousin Phile," but she
felt that she loved her less than ever
that morning. For Cousin Phile' had
not been at all well, and unmistakable
symptoms of. varioloid were now de-
veloped. 1t was the slightest possible
type of the disease, the doctor said,
and scarcely worth calling by any
name at all; but nevertheless, he rec
ommended prudence; and meanwhile,
as a necessary precaution, every mem
ber of the family were vaccinatetd.
Not long before this untoward ILL
ness of Cousin Phile's, there had ar.
rived at the house distant cousin OF
the family - single, gentleman
cousin, whom Saddle pronounced dis
agreeable before she had seen much OF
him. Herman Dilkes was bachelor
of 35 very quiet self-contained man
who seemed to understand every sub
ject in the world, and who gave the
young lady the unpleasant impression
that he was continually reading hei
thoughts. He certainly did not find
them very complimentary to himself
The next day she sat down and
wrote Mrs Osbrook a letter instead
of an orthodox note, as she intended
setting forth in detail her trouble ant
loneliness, and "pining after little
Laura and Annie"
Perhaps that lady's sharp eyes de
tected another sort of "pining;' but
be that as 1t may, no answer was evel
received to this eplstle. Not even az
inquiry was made at the door; ant
It would have been SO easy to sent
that lazy Thomas when going his city
rounds. Once only did Saidte get 1
glimpse of the familiar faces during
that tedious period Of quarantine. Mrs
Osbrook and the children were in thu
carriage, Mr.. Lathrop was on horse
back beside them; and the party wer,
drawn up in front of one of the shops
while an obsequious clerk brought ou
bales of goods for the lady's inspec
ton. ss @ VI
! A very graceful bow and smile from
!, Mrs. Osbrook; sudden demonstratiol
, from the children, that was evidentl,
repressed at the outset; while 9th
Lathrop lifted his hat with CLEAN
Of white teeth under his dark mus
tache; and somehow poor little Safdi
felt empty-handed and empty-hearte
as she pursued her way on the aimles
walk she was taking. r1T
So strange, she thought, that Mri
l ~