Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-02-04
s. Barring GOULD

daughters. VINO can lUFS CulIu
more than a parent, and therefore who
is better qualified to match her suit
ably?
So Barbara argued with herself. Ger
tainIy Eve must not be left to select
her husband. She was a creature Of
impulse, without a grain of common
sense in her whole nature.
Barbara drew Eve down beside her
on the sofa at the foot of her bed, and
put her arm around her waist. Eve
was pouting, and had red eyes; for her
lister had scolded her that morning
sharply for her conduct the preceding
night, and her father had been eX-
cited, and for the first time in his life
had spoken angrily to her, and bid
den her cast off and never resume the
costume in which she had dressed and
bedizened herself.
Eve had retired to her room in a
sulk, and in rebellious frame of
mind. She cried and called herself
an ill-treated girl, and was overcome
with immense pity for the hardships
she had to undergoe among people
who could not understand and would
not humor her.
Ewes lips were screwed up, and her
brow as nearly contracted into a frown
as it could be, and her sweet cheeks
were kindled with fiery temper-spots.
Eve, dear said Barbara, Mr.. Coy
she is come
Eve made no answer, her lips took
| another screw, and her brows con
tracted a little more.
Eve, he is cIoseted now with papa
and l know he has come to ask for the
hand of the dearest little girl in the
whole world
Stuff said Eve peevishly.
Not stuff at ALL argued Barbara,
| 'nOr'-intercepting another exclama-
tion-'no, dear, nor fiddlesticks. He
| has been talking to me in the parIOr.
He is sincerely attached to you. He
is an odd man, and views things in
quite different gay from others, but
I think made OCT that he wanted you
to be his wife
Barbara said Eve, with great en-
phasis, nothing the world would In
duce me to submit to be called Mrs.
Squash!'
My dear, if the name is the only
objection, I think he will not mind
changing it. Indeed, it is only proper
that he should. AS he and YOU will
have Morwell, it is of course right that
a Jordan should be here, and-to
please the Duke and you-he will, l
feel sure, gladly assume our name.
l agree with you that, though Coyshe
is not bad name, it is not a pretty
one. 1t lends itself to corruption
'Babb is worse said Eve, still sulky.
Yes, darling, Babb is ugly, and it is
the pet name you give me, as short for
Barbara. | have often told you that I
do not like it,
You never said word against it
till Jasper came.
We'll, dear, may not have done So
When he did settle here, and we knew
his name, it was not, of course, seem
ly to call me by it, That is to say
said Barbara, coIoring, it led to con
fusion-in calling for me, for instance,
he might have thought you were ad-
dressing him
Not at ALL said Eve still filled with
a perverse spirit. I never called him
Babb at all, always called him Jas
per- Then she took up her little apron
and pulled at the embroidered ends
and twisted and tortured them into
horns 1t would be queer, sister, if
you were to marry Jasper, you would
become double Babb'
'Don't!' exclaimed Barbara, bridling
this is unworthy of you, Eve; you are
trying to turn your arms against me-
when l am attacking you
May I not defend myself?'
Then Barbara drew her arm tighter
round her sister, kissed her pretty
neck under the delicate sheIl-Iike ear,
and said, Sweetest! we never fight. I
never would raise a hand against you.
I would run a pair OF scissors into my
own heart rather than snip a corner
fencing even with wadded foils. We
were talking of Mr.. Coyshe.'
Eve shrugged her shoulders.
'Revenons a nos moutons,' she said,
though I cannot say old Coyshe is a
sheep; he strikes me rather as a jack
daw'
Old Coyshe! how can you exagger-
ate so, Eve! He is not more than five
or six-and-twenty'
He is wise and learned enough to
be regarded as old I hate wise and
learned men
What is there that you do not hate
which is not light and frivolous?'
asked Barbara a little pettishly. You
have no serious interests in anything
I have no interests in anything
here said Eve, because there is moth
ing here to interest me. I do not
care for turnips and mangold, and what
are the pigs and poultry to me? Can
the price of bark make my pulseS
dance? No, Barbie, Dab you object
to-, am sick of a country life in a
poky corner of the most out-of-the-way
county in England except Cornwall,
Really, Barbie, believe 1 would marry
any man who would take me to Lon
don, and let me go to the theater and
to balls, and concerts and shows. Why,
Barbara! I'd rather travel round the
country in a caravan and dance on a
tight rope than be moped up here in
Morwell, an old musty, moul0ering
monks CELL
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