The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-31
The End Came Because There Was No
Other Way.

Jessica, their child, to visit him when
ne should be in the city was made.
but Mrs. West had never seen him
again. In her heart she accused him
OF grossly misunderstanding and OF
putting her in a false position. For
glVeness, she felt, was out Of the ques-
ton. a reconciliation ever more i'm
possible.
That had all been years before, but
with his failings constantly in mind
she guarded Jessica with Jealous care.
She studied her every trait and mood,
depressing her, encouraging there, but
In spite of it all Jessica's small feet
would somehow stray from the we'll
marked path. Apparently her inten-
tons we're of the best and the things
that happened appeared to be without
malice aforethought, but she could
never account for any of them, nor
urse of procedure.
When she started to Mabel Fraser's
birthday luncheon Mrs. West watched
her off. calling after her the never
omitted injunction: Don't stop on
the road" Jessica promised and in a
few minutes returned. her. hair and
bows missing and her pretty dress
smudged and torn. A policeman es-
corted her and made her apology.
"A boy was beatin' a dog, ma'am,"
he managed to %articulate, AN she
sailed into him."
"Jessica:" her mother groaned.
How could you?"
Jessica's eyes opened. looking
shocked surprise through their long
lashes. Why, 1 had to-" she said.
He needed it,"
Washed and re%frocked. she was
presently enroute to the luncheon
again, and Mrs. West gave an unhap-
py hour to reviewing a disheartening
situation. Jessica's love for dogs was,
of course, responsible for the broken
promise, but Mrs. West believed that
the twig intended to make a straight
tree should at all times be kept up
right. The conclusion she reached
Was that her commands had lost force
cused too easily.
Consequently. when Jessica, who
loved company above everything in
life, arrived, bubbling with the hap
penings of the afternoon, she was or
dered to her room to reflect on the
evil of her ways.
That had been Saturday. Monday
morning she emerged, %subdued and
thoughtful, n Mrs. West congratu-
lated herself that at length she had
found an efficacious remedy. only at
the end of the week to almost lost
faith. in It.
Happening to glance out of the
window h discovered Jessica in the
pack yard ministering to the wants OF
FIVE starving kittens and b%artering
with the ~dog-catcher for three lame
dogs. There had been a special edict
on the subject of cats and dogs and
Mrs. West decided upon heroic meas
ures. Accordingly, SNOWFALL. the An
CORA, and Topsy. the spaniel, We're
despatched to the fancier's. Jessica
missed them at ono
Il have sold them" her mother in
formed her. Il saw tina YOU had
provided yourself with other pets and
supposed o had tired of them. You
may go to your ROOM
Jessica's eyes, wide and startled,
flew to her mothers face; then she
turned and rushed blindly out.
The lesson seemed to be efficient.
for DAYS swelled to weeks and then to
months. n still, so far As known,
there was nc lapse. The habit Of ODE
dience seemed firmly fixed.
But one day Mrs. Vests confidence
was utterly shattered. While waiting
for a blockade to clear from the en-
rance to a narrow, dingy street, she
saw Jessica come from one of the
houses and start off, swinging her bag
of books. At the crossing she passed
close to the carriage and Mrs. West
motioned her to a seat. Jessica off,
cred no explanation. and when they
reached home Mrs. West looked into
her eyes.