The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-10-22

she was, and always had been, a very
lonely woman. When. therefore. short
ly before dinner, Miss Desmond ar.
rived, she was received with compare
tive cordiality.
Il told them to send Gown the omni-
bus, as it would be more convenient
for your luggage" said Mrs. Saville,
my luggage consisted of one dress.
basket" said Miss Desmond, smiling.
Considering that my stay may be but
short, l did not like to bring more
That was prudent. Now | am go.
ing to dine early-that is at skin
order to take a drive afterwards; the
evenings are the best part of the day
That first evening was trying. Mrs
Saville was very silent, but so long as
they moved smoothly and rapidly
through cool dewy woods, fragrant
fields. and gently winding lanes with
rustic fences and picturesluelyb broken
banks, the silence was not oppressive
Miss Desmond had plenty to think of
the struggles and difficulties of
youth spent in genteel poverty; the
loss of her nearest and dearest; the
vanishing of many a dream that even
at twenty-five life had taught her must
be resigned; and, through all, the en-.
during hope which in such strange ma
lures is too deeply rooted to be scorch-
ed by the noontide heat or withered
by the midnight blast-the instructive
consciousness of her own tenderness
and loyalty, which gave vitality to her
belief in the possibility of happiness.
The quiet beauty of the country, the
soothing tranquility of the hour, gave
her an exquisite sense of rest which
she thankfully accepted.
Returned, however, and shut up in
the lamp-lit drawing-room, silence did
become oppressive, and Miss Desmond.
remembering her employers hint, felt
reluctant to break it.
81 suppose you do needlework? Girls
like you generally have something of
that kind in their hands"
II do a good deal, and l have some
that can appear in drawing-room.
'1 used to do fancy-work myself"
said Mrs. Saville, "for it is intolerable
to sit idle; but I find l dare not trife
with my eyes, which l have always
tried too much. However, / must do
something. ! cannot sit with my
hands before me while you read"
Knitting is not bad for the eyes"
suggested Miss Desmond.
Il have always despised it as pure
ly mechanical, but now l shall be
obliged to adopt it. Do you know how
to knit?-can you teach me?"
Yes; 1 did a good deal of knitting
when 1 was in Germany"
ooh! do you understand German?"
II could make my way in Germany;
but l cannot read German aloud as l
do French"
And I do not understand word OF
the language. / was only taught
French and Italian. All, what a po-
tent epitome of mankind's opinion, the
rage for that uncOuth tongue as soon
as the race that speaks it succeeded!
Success is the measure of everything"
II cannot think so. We have no
plumb-line with which to fathom the
depth where future triumph lies hid
den under present failure"
THAT is no argument" returned
Mrs. Saville "Now, Miss Desmond,
am going to my room, and l dare say
you will be glad to do the same l
breakfast in summer at eight. Good.
night"
The next few days enabled Mrs. Sa-
vile and her newly-established com.
panion to fit into their places "She is
less formidable than I expected"
thought the latter 81 must keep con-
stantly before my mind that she is on
her trial with me, as l am with her.
I am not bound to spend my life here,
nor have given up my freedom. She
interests me; for, hard as she seems
l believe she is not without heart.
Shall l ever be able to find it,"
THAT girl is not so tiresome, after
all. She is not bit afraid of me-,
unused Mrs. Saville. How | hate and
despise folly and cowardice! they gen
orally go together. There's a great
deal of style about her, yet she must
have been always stepped to the lips
in poverty. If 1 had a daughter like
her, l should want the first statesman
in England for her husband Bah!
what folly! If l had had a daughter
she would have been as Indifferent to
me as the rest, and would probably
have married a groom to spite me- AS
no one cares for me, I had better con-
centrate my affections on myself PEG.
pie may be Indifferent to love, they are
never Indifferent TO power; and money
is power, especially if backed by com.
mon sense"
So the knitting and reading went on
successfully, and Mrs. Saville was
sometimes surprised by the light-heart-
ed enjoyment which her companion
showed in any drolleries which crop.
ped up in the course of their readings.
Mrs. Saville herself was not without
certain grim sense of humor, but she