Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1913-01-02


The Iverts, from their means and
position, were isolated in the social
ranks-above the small farmers and
tradespeople on the one side, and be-
low even the outskirts of the gentry
and county on the other; SO the
girls only companions with one nota-
bic exception were the little Makeys,
with whom she was gone this April
morning on a primrosing expedition.
Mrs. Ivert stood at the broad win
dow-sill Of the large "living-room,' OPP
posite the kitchen, at the back of the
house, looking out into a square, we'll
kept garden bounded by the river. She
was ironing one of the stiff-frilled mus
lin caps which with scanty black
skirt and a loose Jacket, formed her
invariable costume. The sun poured
in at the narrow, diamond-shaped
panes as it never did in the gloomy
front Of the house, and shone on the
fower-border under the window, which
was Phyllida's special care and pride,
on the nodding daffydowndilIys, and
sweet narcissus, and stately crown i'm
perials, shaking their heads in def
ance of the gusty April wind, which
brought with it at intervals "a shower
of hail and sleet.
Mrs. Ivert looked up at the clock
and out of the window now and again,
though her busy fingers never ceased
their work; and when at last a red
cloak fitted by and the click of the
latch was heard, she feigned to be
wholly absorbed, though the figure
that stood in the low doorway was
well worth pausing to consider. A
well-grown lass, with a shapely head
well set on her broad shoulders, her
waving chestnut hair blown over q
low white forehead, and large, dark
grey eyes with the black French iris,
those yeux girls qui wont au Paradis
Her complexion no exposure to sun or
wind could spoil, and her firm, rather
pouting lips we're parted now into
smile over teeth that we're white, if
somewhat too large, as she held out
her basket empty.
"Here, mother" she cried ''that is
all have brought you. The hailstones
have all melted away"
"You have idled your morning, then,
to little purpose" said Mrs. Ivert, dry
ly. But Phyllida was used to her
mothers manner, and chatted on.
"The snow is quite thick in places
STILL but there are plenty of primroses
out, and even a few Windf1OWerS, and
we made some fine posies; but as we
passed by the iron gates we found the
men putting up garland arch for the
squire's coming home this afternoon,
and some of it had been blown down,
so we gave them our flowers to fill up
the gaps, and there was no time to go
back for more Had you heard about
the squire's homecoming, mOther?-
how they are going to take the horses
out of the carriage and drag it up the
avenue? The Makeys and everybody
are going to see it,and Mrs. Makey said
if you were favorable, | could go with
them. The squire's wife is not real
lady, she told me; but he has wanted
to marry her for great many years,
anu CudI Is WHY uS LIDS USCA away
from home so long, and now"
81 have no time to listen to Makey's
gossip" her mother interrupted her,
smoothing the last plait of her crimp-
ed frill; "and you would do better,
Phyllida, to be laying the table. We
are not to wait dinner for your grand
father. He is gone over to the Cas-
tle.''
By the Castle was understood Wal
mer, where Mr.. Pitt, as Warden of the
Cirque Ports, was then in residence.
Old Ivert had frequent dealings and
communications with him, of which he
was not little proud; and about
month earlier the great man himself
had ridden over to the Red House.
Finding no one about in the front, he
walked round to the back door and
into the kitchen, where he surprised
Phyllida alone, deep in the mysteries
of a tansy pudding. She had recCg-
nized him in a moment from descrip-
ton and his portraits. A tall, thin
man, with a large nose and small eyes,
so keen that you forgot to notice what
color they were dressed with a pre-
cision and perfection that struck even
her questionable eyes. His extreme
courtesy only added to her confusion
at being found in what she called
"disbill'' (French words in various
forms still fingered in the household),
and she had hardly recovered when
her grandfather appeared, painting and
apologize, and they withdrew to his
study. Mr.. Pitts parting speech was
an allusion to her as the swan, who
would hatch the golden eggs. which
she did not in the least understand,
and whereat her grandfather chuckled
heartily.
4 visit to the Castle was the one
thing certain to put Master Iyert in
good humor, and Phyllida reckoned
on it to attain the end she had in view,
as she was deity arranging the blue
Delft plates and dishes on the I'M
bleached tablecloth, ornamented with
a stag-hunt in full detail, for which
collector would now give it's weight in