Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-11

one Of your children, Mrs. Mowland."
'Two Us have lost two" said the
elder child, excitedly.
"Impossible!" gasped Sir Giles, hon
estly shocked, and thereby putting a
misleading infection into his voice.
Two" repeated the child shrilly,
"two!"
Don't We dare to conterdict Sir
Giles" said Mrs. Mowland sharply.
Then curtseying for the third time,
she said miserably: IF you please,
Sir Giles, it were two, t were indeed"
| Il said two" cried the child. 9TH
be. three tomorrer!
God bless mel" said Sir Giles. He
was visibly upset, having the Motifs
| font prejudice against dying in hasty
and undignified manner In his rum
bling voice, he added: you're keep
| ing these away from the others-quite
right"
1--WE can't, sir" said Mrs. Mowland
"It amt possible. They've just got
to take their chances, same as their
fathers and mothers did afore EN-"
Dear mel" said Sir Giles. "Well,
well, we must try to accept these af-
| flictions in the proper spirit Send
up to the Park for soup, or port wine,
or-or anything else you want. Good
/ day!"
After this, for time, he rode along
pursuing his lower lip, frowning and
muttering to himself The ugly word
manslaughter obsessed him, refusing
to be exercised till he happened to
think Of Admiral Pundle, of Pundle
! Green, generally admitted to be one
of the right sort true blue" who
went out hunting although he was
past eighty and could drink his bottle
of claret after dinner and a couple of
glasses of his own famous Waterloo
brandy. The Admiral's cottages were
In shocking condition. Inspired by
| the happiest thoughts Sir Giles logged
along till he came to Pundle Green,
where he made an exhaustive survey
/ of pigsties, stagnant ponds, and
| matched roofs honey-combed with rat
holes. He spent nearly three quarters
Of an hour in this pleasant and I'M
profitable fashion, and trotted home,
much heartened by the shortcomings
|
| 1t is relevant, however, to mention
that at the next meeting Of the Hern-
| shaw Board of Guardians a sum Of
money sufficient to defray the ex
penses in connection with the estab-
lishment of temporary hospitals was
unanimously voted.
| Meanwhile, Tisdale, Hugo and JOY
had entered into partnership. 1t is
true that during the following fort
night each saw but little of the others,
but a cordial under landing had been
established, which, insensibly, became
more cordial and more intimate as the
days passed Gradually, the disease
was being vanquished.
And then, when joys gay laugh was
once more heard, George Vennable
was smitten. Tisdale brought the
news to Hugo.
"He's a hale, vigorous man." said
Hugo.
Nothing Of the sort! I doubt if he
ever was vigorous, as you and l I'M
derstand the word And what vitality
he had lies in that cupboard in the
dining room with his manuscripts.
His daughter has always known it. He
has known 1t himself"
"But, lately, he was :1defatigable-"
Eyes, yes. He told me that he held
himself responsible if things go
wrong"
you'll pull him through, Tisdale."
"If don't Miss Vennable will never
btar to look at me again"
Hugo opened his eyes. Tisdale's
tone and the expression upon his face
were unmistakable. So, he too!
But surely he knew of Burgess, knew
that he hadn't a dogs chance? 1t
was inconceivable that so keen man
should have failed to perceive what
was visible to every child in Hern-
shaw.
IF anything happens to her father,
| there is Esme Burgess.
"Do you mean her-cousin?"
isn't he more to her than cousin,
Tisdale?"
"Why, he's boy!"
"Um!" said Hugo. "Have you ever
noticed the couples in Hyde Park on
| Sunday afternoon? There's seldom
more than a year or two's difference
between man and girl"
1--WE always looked upon them as
| brother and sister"
With that he went his way frown
! ing. Hugo remembered that he had
promised to warn Burgess If he found
anyone poaching. That Tisdale should
have fallen in love with Joy was the
most natural thing in the world; and
yet the conviction that it was so
aroused curious irritation, which he
took no trouble to resolve into its ele-
ments. Also, he was quite sure that
Tisdale's love for JOY was the real
thing: in his case a passion not easily
aroused and not easily appeased. Dur
| ing the past fortnight Tisdale had eX-
hibited great qualities. Nothing
stopped him! A dangerous antagonist
in any competition
Behind this. throwing it out with
the vividness Of cameo, was the
shadowy background Of George Ven
nable's illness. Tisdale would spend
much time with JOY; and fight for the
| fathers life with skill and patience
which must arouse fervent admiration
and gratitude.
|