Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-05-23

locker on, and perhaps you might smile
at me as you pass by with your diff
ferent partners, so that people would
say l was an acquaintance of yours"
After this there was silence In the
sewing until katherine, followed
by a maid, entered with tea and cakes.
Some dress materials that rested on q
gypsy table were swept aside by the
impulsive Katherine, and the table,
with the tray upon 1t, was placed at
the right hand of Dorothy Amhurst.
When the servant left the room, Kath-
crime sided to the long sewing table,
sprang lightly upon it and sat there
swinging a dainty little foot. Sabina
had seated herself in the third chair of
the room, the frown still adding sever
ity to an otherwise beautiful counte-
nance. 1t was the younger daughter
who spoke.
Now, Dorothy, tell us all about the
elopement."
what elopement?"
Il soothed my mothers fears by tell
ing her that you had eloped with the
captain of the CONSERVATION. I must
have been wrong in that guess, because
II the secret marriage l hoped had TAX
en- place you would have said to Sa-
bina that the shackles were on your
wrists instead of OFF. But something
Important has happened, and 1 want to
know all about it."
Dorothy made no response to this ap-
peal, and after q minutes silence Sa-
bina said practically:
"All that has happened is that Miss
Amhurst wishes father to present her
with a ticket to the ball on the Con-
s%ternation, and, taking that for grant
ed, she requests mother to chaperon
her and further expresses q desire that
1 shall be exceedingly polite to her
while we are on board the cruiser"
"Oh," cried Katherine jauntily, 1.-The
last proviso is past praying for, but
the other two are quite feasible. I'd
be delighted to chaperon Dorothy my
self, and as for politeness, good gra-
cious, I'll be polite enough to make up
for all the courteous deficiency of the
rest of the family.
For 1 hold that on the seas
The expression, If you please,
A particularly g~entlemanly tone i1nplants,
And so do his sisters and his cousins and
his aunts.
Now, Dorothy, don't be bashful. Here's
your sister and your cousin and your
aunt waiting for the horrifying revela-
ton. What has happened?"
"Ill tell you what is going to hap
pen, Kate" said the girl, smiling at the
way the other ran on. Mrs. Captain
Kempt will perhaps consent to take
you and me to New York or Boston,
where we will put up at the best hotel
and trick ourselves out in ball cos
tunes that will be the envy of Bar
Harbor. 1 shall pay the expense Of
this trip as partial return for your IA
theirs kindness in getting me an in
vitation and your mothers kindness in
allowing me to be one of your party"
"Oh. then it isn't an elopement, but
q legacy. Has the wicked but wealthy
relative died?"
"Yes," said Dorothy solemnly, her
eyes on the floor.
ooh, l am so sorry for what 1 have
just said!"
"You always speak without think
ing" chided her mother.
Eyes, don't I? But, you see, J
thought somehow that Dorothy had no
relatives, but if she had one who was
wealthy and who allowed her to slave
at sewing. then l say he was wicked,
dead or alive, so there!"
when work is paid for it is not
slavery" commented Sabina with Sc
verify and justice.
The sewing girl looked up at her.
MY grandfather, in Virginia, owned
slaves before the war, and 1 have
often thought that any curse which
may have been attached to slavery
has at least partly been expiated by
me, as f~oreshadowed in the Bible,
where it says that the sins of the ia
theirs shall affect the third OF fourth
generations. ] was thinking of that
when l spoke Of the shackles falling
from my wrists, for sometimes, Miss
Kempt, you have made me doubt
whether wages and slavery are as in
SoAApdtlDle DIS you appear 10 Imagine.
My father, who was a clergyman.
often spoke to me of his fathers
slaves, and, while he never defended
the institution, l think the past in his
mind was softened by a glamour that
possibly obscured the defects of life
on the. plantation. But often in de-
preston and loneliness l have thought
I would rather have been one of my
grandfather's slaves than endure the
life / have been called upon to lead"
ooh, Dorothy, don't talk like that,
or you'll make me cry" pleaded Kate.
"Let us be cheerful, whatever happens.
Tell us about the money. Begin once
upon a time and then everything will
be all right. No matter how narrowing
such a story begins. it always ends
with lashin's and lashin's of money or
else with a prince in a gorgeous uni
form and gold lace and you get the
half of his kingdom. Do go on"
Dorothy looked up at her impatient
friend. and a radiant cheerfulness
chased away the gathering shadows
from her face.
We onoo ,,por n +;poo T )voa ro,r