Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-01-29

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?'
well, 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 Mr.. Roger
can do pleascs your father, and as if
Mabel can do no wrong in his eyes. You
can see for yourself, Alison, the influ-
ence she has over him"
"Yes, | see; but ! can not understand
it. When was last at home Missile
was only 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
lily 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 hut mischief has result
ed from her intimacy with Eva Hard
wick. | have spoken To your father over
and over again about it, but he listens to
Mabels version of her friends character,
and only the other day he told me | must
be mistaken, for Eva was bright, high
spirited girl, and it was all nonsense what
Mr.. Roger and | 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
hirtations; 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
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
bel against her brother. Mabel always
had temper of her own" went on Miss
Leigh, feeling sort of relief in pouring
out her feelings into Alison's ear, but
she was never so aggravating as she is
now. You see, my dear, if girl does not
hold her own home as sacred, if she
chooses a giddy young companion for her
confidante, and retails to her all that
passes in her own household, finding fault
with her own people, and listening to her
friends estimate of them she may end
as Mabel does, in thinking her brothers
rough and unmannerly, and Poppie a dis
agreeable little girl"
DO you mean Missile is so dishonora-
BILE as to repeat to Miss Hardwick all
that passes al The Holms? ?" asked Ali
son, Indignantly.
'They do not think it dshonorable,"
returned Miss Leigh, with a quiet good
sense which Alison had never credited
her. "You see, Mabel calls Eva her
bosom friend. and refuses to have any
secrets from her. If Eva comes this af-
ternoon, all that passed at the luncheon
table between your father and Mr.. Roger
will be retailed, as a matter of course.
Even if Mabel were disposed to be
reticent for once, Eva, who is of an in.
quisitive nature, and who completely
dominates her, would soon worm the
whole thing from her. She has a grudge
against Mr.. Roger, and nothing would
please her more than to hear of this hui
initiation. | have reason to know, Ali
son. that it is by Eva's advice that Mabel
intends to keep your room. | have heard
her say myself that of course, as your
home is with Miss Darlington, you have
resigned your privilege here as the eldest
daughter, and that there is no need for
Mabel to knock under completely. Those
were her very words"
Alison looked grave. SIS Miss Hard
wick often hereT" she asked at last.
They are togetherN every day, either
here or at Broadlands-the Hardwcks'
house. But as your father objects to
strangers, or, indeed, to visitors of any
kind, Eva very rarely spends the evenings
here. They were practicing in the draw
ing room this morning, and afterward
they went out together. There is anoth-
er sister, Anna, a nice little thing, rather
pale and delicate looking, but they both
snub her. l suppose that makes Mr.. Rog-
er kind to her when she comes, for her
sister certainly sights her, and Mr.. Roger
always stands up for every one. but him
self"
ut seems odd, my saying all this to
you, Alison" observed Miss Leigh, after
a pause "for you are young yourself
but you were never fiighty and easily
led, as Mabel is. | believe she has her
good points she is really very .much at
tached to your father and will leave Eva
sometimes, if he wants her; and in her
own way she is fond of Poppe, though
she tyrannizes over her. There Poppie