Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-05-01
CHAPTER I.

cleaned again on the bright antique
brasses that were tn pride of old Lady
sgorland's heart, and the wind with
long. drawn sigh beat a splash of rain on
The window pane-March rain, but it
~as as dismal outside as if it had been
December.
Peggy stirred a little uneasily. She
did it very gently, for her grandmother
and her stepmother were both asleep,
one on either side of the fire, and they
=. rot like 70 be reminded of the fact
by being awakened; they firmly believed
that they spent the last hours of the
sabbath before Randle called them in to
supper in pious meditation, and only
Peggy knew that they slept
In a few minutes Randle would come
In with the lights. Already the hall
lamps were lighted; she could see the
faint streak OF light under the door; he
would come in q moment. The stiffness
was getting on her nerves. She wanted
to rush outside into the cold dismal
night and shrek out aloud that she could
not bear it, A coal dropped softly-very
softly-into the ash-pan, as if it too felt
the necessity of making no noise; and
then the door opened, and Randle, soft
est-footed of men-servants, came in
bearing lighted taper.
The two Ladies Morland Weakened with
start as he went quietly from one gas
bracket to another.
81 am convinced said the elder, with
dignity, as if she had been thinking of
nothing else for the last hour, ''we ought
to have more maidenhair fern in the
conservatory. Mrs. Milbank has it all
growing up the sides of her greenhouse
jim steps-so pretty"
Peggy knew exactly what her step
mother would say in reply. Her step
mothers conversation might have been
stereotyped.
'cAfrs. Milbank," she said slowly, ''is
not widow with only her dover, moth
er. really think we make a very good
show"
"Yes," sighed the elder woman, eve
ho--we do indeed"
Peggy rose up hastily and crossed to
The fireplace. She wanted to stretch her
arms above her head and protest that
there was something more in the world
than to make a show, even a very good
show. Why couldn't they have some of
the Joy of life? Did every one live like
merely because she lived with her step
mother and her grandmother But then
her stepmother and grandmother were
human after ALL They must have want
ed to enjoy themselves At any rate,
to make good show seemed the height
of their ambition nowadays. Had it al
ways been like thisf
She could not remember her father,
whose only child she was. He had died
when she was q tiny child, and every
thing had gone to his younger brother,
and she had come to live at Highfeld,
the dover house of the Ladies Morland,
with her stepmother and her grandmoth-
err The very fact of living at Highfeld
seemed to her to announce the fact that
they had done with the things of this
world. Certainly her stepmother and her
grandmother had done with everything
save their own comfort and good works
that is, such good works as titled la
dies whose income is just enough for
their own comfort may indulge in with
out losing caste or unduly fatiguing
themselves.
And Peggy was rebelling against the
monotony of her life, rebelling silently.
She wanted to do something in the
world, to feel that there was really some
reason for her living. There was Charlie
Denton certainly-she looked down at
the diamond ring on her finger. There
was Charlie Denton. Some day she
would marry Charlie, and she wished the
prospect would excite her. Why couldn't
she be excited over Charlie Dentonf He
was so good, so jolly, SO kind, and she
would marry him when he was COM
mander, and go and live at Marshcotes,
Just half a mile away; and he would go
to sea, and life would be the same, just
exactly che same-on and on and on till
she was an old woman like her grand
mother
Supper is served, my lady" said Ran
dies respectful voice; and Peggy rose,
offered her arm to the elder lady, and
they went into the dining room in SOL
emn little procession to eat clear soup
and cold chicken and jelly, which was
the invariable Sunday supper at this
season of the year Each lady took a
wing and the leg fell to Peggy's share,
the breast being reserved in case either
OF the elders should want more. 1t was
tender young chicken, but that leg
was always a grievance to Peggy. How
many years should she have to live till
she was entitled to the breast? How
many more before the wing would fall
to her share?
TO do Peggy justice these thoughts
made her ashamed of herself. 1t was
gust the uselessness and monotony of
her life that preyed upon her and made
her notice what she had to eat. Oh, if
only her life could be so full that she
could sit down with healthy young APP
petite, thankful just that there was
enough to eat! And again she wanted
to 60 outside and stamp her feet and cry
10 the cold wet night air that her life
was empty and not worth living.
She did nothing of the sort. Civiliza-
ton imposes on most people certain re-
straints, and we would be ashamed to
break through them however healthy the
impulse that impels us to do so. She
returned to the drawing room with the
other ladies, and finally told her grand
mother she was SO sleepy she must go
to bed.
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