Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-09-10

ton that it would vex Aunt Diana. She
talked Of Rogers warm welcome and Miss
Leigh's kindness, and tried to make Aunt
Di interested in RudePs and Poppie's
droll ways. Missile she barely mentioned,
except to say how pretty she had grown
and how nicely she sung, and then went
on to speak of her fathers changed looks.
great many loving messages, few
longing expressions for Aunt Di herself,
completed the letter
The early luncheon hour brought all the
family together, but Alison's sense of or
derliness and propriety was shocked by
Rudel's rough appearance. He came in
straight from school with unbrushed hair
and unwashed hands, and sat down at the
table. until Missiles loudly uttered in
functions, and at last his fathers curt
command to make himself presentable be-
fore he ate his dinner, obliged him TO
leave the room grumbling; and his return
few minutes later led TO a most undig-
niied scene of recrimination between him
and Missile, carried on below their breaths
with the utmost bitterness, with Poppie
listening with both her ears, in spite of
Miss Leigh's gentle reminders to go on
with her dinner
But this was not the only source of
discomfort to Alison; her father was evil
IDENTIFY in one of his gloomiest humors :;
something had evidently gone wrong at
the mills, and, as usual, Roger was bear
ing the brunt of the annoyance. Alison's
heart was full of pity as she heard the
angry words that were launched at his
unlucky head; in her own mind she was
secretly marveling at Rogers patience.
Alison-who was on TIE verge of tears
with suppressed pity, and longing to speak
a word in his defense-was moved almost
to anger by the unconcern on Missiles
face. Evidently she was too used to hear
Roger found fault with on every occa-
sion to take any notice of it. She had
finished her contest with Rudel, and now
sat with her usual self-satisfed look,
playing with her rings and humming a
little French air to herself.
Papa, dear" she said, at last, placid
ly, do let those stupid sawmills alone
you are only exciting yourself and max
ing yourself i'll. Come out into the gar
den with me and Poppie; it is so cool
and shady there" And as Mr.. Merle
did not at once answer this appeal, she
came round to him and touched his arm.
Come, papa" she repeated still more
placidly you have scolded Roger enough,
and it only puts you out. Come with
me; l want you" And actually Mr..
Merle suffered himself to be coaxed out
of the room and in another minute Ali
son saw them sitting together under the
lime trees, with Poppie playing on the
lawn.
Alison turned round to seek Roger,
but he had left the room, and Rudel had
followed him; only Miss Leigh was lock-
ing up the cellarette, and jinglirg here key
basket
What does this mean?" faltered Ali
son. why does papa speak to Roger in
this way? 1t is not right, is it?"
Come with me into the school room,"
was Miss Leigh's sensible answer to this
''as Sarah will be in directly to clear the
luncheon, and we can not talk before her.
| must speak to you, Alison; l must in
deed" And leading the way to the old
room Alison remembered so well, she clos
ed the door in her quick, nervous fashion,
and begged Alison to take the only easy
chair that the room boosted. mo. indeed"
returned Alison, quickly; "Poppie's lit
tie stool will do for me. What does it
matter where | sit, or whether one is
comfortable or not?" she continued, i'm
patiently, as Miss Leigh stood hesitating.
please rest yourself in that big chair,
for you look quite tagged and tired, and
l have had a nice rest"
Il think l am nearly always tired"
returned Miss Leigh, plaintively. rs it
not dreadful, Alison-about poor Mr.
Roger, l mean? If it were not for my
poor blind mother, whom 1 pretty nearly
support out of my savings, l do not think
l could endure this much longer. My
DEAR" with the tears starting to her gen.
tie eyes, when one gets to my age one
values peace and kind words above every
thing, and that is just what one can not
get at The Holms."
do you mean that this sort of thing
goes on daily?" exclaimed Alison, turning
her flushed face to the governess. DO
you mean," bringing out her words with
difficulty, that papa often gives Roger
all this to bear?"
We'll, my dear, one must not exag-
gerate. Things are not always going
wrong at the mills, of course; and some
times we can eat our meals in peace
but your poor dear father-one hardly
likes to blame him to his own child
is very often hard on Mr.. Roger 1t
seems to me as though nothing MIR. Roger
can do pleases your father, and as if
Mabel can do no wrong in his eyes. You
can see for yourself Alison, the infu-
ence she has over him.
Yes, l see; but | can not understand
it. When l was last at home Missile
was only a child, and yet though she is
not seventeen, and ought to be in the
school room and under your care, she
seems completely mistress"
"She is never in the school room now"
returned Miss Leigh, leaning back wear
ily in the armchair. Sometimes she
comes in TO interfere with Poppie and find
fault with some of my arrangements. But
she has coaxed your father into giving
her French and singing lessons with her
friends, the Hardwicks, and for months
she has refused to open even a history
and yet you have no idea how ignorant
she is. Nothing but mischief has result
ed from her intimacy with Eva Hard
wick. l have spoken to your father over
ana over again ABOUT IL, Dut ne listens TO
Masers version of her friends character.
and only the other day he told me l must
be mistaken, for Eva was a bright, high
spirited girl, and it was all nonsense what
Mr. Roger and l said about her"
Roger dislikes her, then?'
"Oh, yes; he never speaks to her if
he can help it. She is a fine-looking girl
older than Mabel, but vain and empty
headed, thinking of nothing but balls and
flirtations; and you know how dangerous
"a friend of that sort is to a girl of Ma
bells age. To do Mabel justice, she was
not half so vain and fond of dress and
finery until she went so much to the
Hardwicks. They have completely turn
ed her head. and. worst of all. Eva has
taken a dislike to Roger because he re-
fuses TO pay her any attention and laughs
at all their nonsense. and that sets Ma