The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-04-23

parents, who were in India. had put
him in a London bank and left him for
Miss Thornton to look after. She had
rejoiced in having him. for she was a
woman with well developed views con-
corning the training of youths and
their safe conduct through the muddy
waters Of degenerate day. And it is not
every spinster who has an opportunity
of experimenting. Old-maidish to the
finger tips, she tried to be a Kind of
breakwater to this youth, keeping from
him all the troubled and bitter waters
of the sea Of life that would otherwise
have beaten upon him.. But after he
had been only a few minutes with her,
she felt that her power over him was
lessening. and that there were corners
Of his life to which she did not pene-
trate. His recent habit Of coming ho1ne
late for dinner worried her a good deal.
There was no excuse for it. Between
the closing of the bank and dinner time
with himself in this interval? She had
failed to find out. He maintained a
stubborn reticence. And so it was
that the lady braced herself to the
quest upon which we have seen her.
Christopher was later than usual to-
trembled all over.
Well, aunt" he said, you have the
best of it here. It's m~iserably foggy
in the Streets"
She knew it only too well. she said:
Chris. l know ALL
Her tone was aln1ost comically SOL
emn.
lie smiled.
Yes? And so Go I. Here's your
sovereign Jack again"
Miss Thornton sank into a chair.
staring at the shining coin he held out
% her.
Assuming, In his turn. a look of SOL
emnity, Christopher continued:
i am sorry, aunt, that you did not
trust me more. You would have been
saved from being the victim of a prac-
tical Joke. The thing was just arranged
on the spot by the two waitress girls.
l tell you | was pretty considerably
taken aback by the creatures impu-
dence; but I'm afraid that il I'd known
you We're looking on / should have
laughed. The girls were frank enough
to tell me all about it afterward. I
rowed them well. Of course, made them
give back the sovereign, and foreswore
the place altogether"
The you won't see her again-you
promise me-"
See her again? What do you men?
What! Do you think I go there to
see that mink Of a waitress? Haven't
l told you that the scene was impro-
vlsed Tor your benefit and your bribe? 2"
But what do you go there for?"
Wy, AoI Lie y Oh course"
The kip-
The Kip
Yes: the kippers. the bloaters and
the haddocks."
Miss Thornton sat with open mouth.
You know aunt, that l asked you
often. months ago, to let me have cured
fish. You told me that such things were
vulgar. plebeian. and all that kind OF
thing, n would not let me have
them. Well. that made me want them
all the more. / felt I could not drag
through the day without a bloater or
IA kipper with my afternoon tea; so.
as you would not let me have them at
home. | went out for them. That's ali.
And. l say. anut, that shops the best
in London for fish teas and suppers.
But I'm o going there again. Per-
haps you'll let me hay my afternoon
kipper at home now?"
Well. yes, my boy. IL you are so set
on It"
Thank you, aunt"
But I think you'd better have Il in
the breakfast Dor 1t wouldn't be SO
noticeable when we lave visitors"
II mean you won't go anywhere else
to-" And on these terms the pact was
made.