Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-04-08
I'M mn III
I'LL I'LL I'M

the daughter of a very distinguished
gentleman, the Honorable Oswald
Bright, OF Upper Corinth and the COM
monwealth at large. Not at all. A
great many people did not like Judge
Bright. even though they respected
him. He had made a multitude of enc
mics by administering justice as 1T is
meant to be administered. You should
not be asked to like a judge who has
ruled against o But you would have
liked Joan. You would nave adored
her. Everyone else did, and you could
not possibly have been an exception.
Judge Bright-sometimes called His
Honor Bright'-was no longer involved
I'm the adjudication OF local disputes.
He had gone beyond hat some years
ago. Today he was one of the Justices
IN the supreme court of the state. and
there was some talk-in Corinth, at
least-of a seat on the United states
supreme bench when he "A become
too old for active service in his pres
ent capacity. But that is neither here
nor there. His home was in Corinth.
They called h hill part Of the town
Upper Corinth In these days, for social
as well as geological reasons II you
Upper Corinth. Your business would
have to be below Twelfth street. No
one but landscape gardeners and archi-
tects did business above. ct was be-
fore the day of chauffeurs and u
cleaners.)
Joan, whose mother died when the
girl was 8. vas the particular and de-
voted friend OF Mary Mldthorne. al
though nearly two years her senior.
TWO more lovely, lovable girls could
not we'll be imagined, much less Gre
ated. Both were fair to look upon slim,
proud, aristocratic, yet simple hearted
and unspoiled. They were dark eyed
but why describe them now? They are
half grown children, mere prophecies
OF womanhood. We can only say that
they were adorably pretty, and pray
that they nay not outgrow their
charms. as so many do. If they are
as lovely when they grow up--as they
will long before this tale ia ended-it
may be worth while for me to describe
them and for you to contemplate them
without reference to the old saying
which condemns a air child to unat-
tractiye maturity.
Joan was shy. Few pretty girls are
shy. They may be bashful but not
shy. There 10 quite a distinction. Joan
was not bashful, which is the same
thing as saying she was not clumsy
or awkward. She was perfectly sure
of herself. possessed a certain amount
of poise. and had an air. You may
ask, then. why she is depicted as shy.
Why Is the pet deer that feeds COM
placently from % hand shy? Not
because it is afraid OF you You would
not speak OF a cow as a shy creature.
The deer is shy because it Is high
strung, delicate, sensitive. Well, Joan
was like the deer.
She was the apple of her fathers eye.
She held his heart strings in those
slender fingers Of hers. and she drew
them so gently that he never suspect
ed he was being led whittier she willed.
Il nrrtJ1ita n ntrFr1tA1 y Iny~ Priaynl11sr, 60,
the Midthorne children, although he
was in full possession Of their lament
able history. AS q matter of fact, Hor-
ace Blagdcn's appointment as guar
dian of the children had been made
In Judge Bright's court before his
ascendency to the supreme bench. He
not only knew the history Of the chill
dren but he sympatlized with them.
He. had been very fond Of Mary Blag-
den. n he had liked Phil Midthorne.
But, what may be more to the point. he
was aware of the handsome bequest
which Horace controlled as guardian.
It has already been limited that Eric
was interested in the judges daughter.
He had known Joan Bright since the
first days of his residence In Corinth,
and for just that length OF time he had
beer, her devoted. but diffident adorer.
Ii began ut the age of 6, when he
performed for her especial benefit such
dSG0S OL NAlOI DIS Sltiluliib Oh Ills Ilodu
or hands-{chiefly on the back of his
neck o his ear). turning somersaults.
walking fence rails.-we've all gone to
such lengths to produce an effect on
the first lady of our heart. AS time.
wore on. he became more enamored
but less valiant. When he was 16. he
was positively tilnorous. He was not
in the least backward SO far as other
girls We're concerned; no one was more
ut ease. more cocksure OF himself, more
debonair. but with Joan--ah. we'll! It
is an ancient %affliction. No man is
complete in himself unless he has had
this disease and the measles-and re-
covered from both.
1t must be admitted that she. with
all the perversity of her sex. denied
him the most because she liked him the
best. even young girls are capable
of this. It's what makes women Of
them-the kind OF women we go the
farthest to please n to whom we are
always grateful II, the road Is tortuous.
Joan rreated him most cavalierly at
times. There was a good and sufficient
reason, one affected by all girls OF
spirit; the tender suspicion, slyly en-
lcouraEed. that she was In love with
him.
OF course. she explained to herself.
1T was not at all true. and she went to
a great deal OF pains to convince her.
self of the fact.-to such pains, I may
say, hal he also was ccny!nee She
was so confidently heartless In the
matter that she rather enjoyed the
sensation of being a. dear friend to his
sister. 1t Is a great comfort to be de-
voted to the sister Of the man you
desplse.
Eric despaired. Manfully, of course,
and In secret. His pride stood in the
way OF open attention tt her. He
never danced with her more than once
In an evening; he seldom skated with
her. But his heart vas sore. and he
was Jealous.
He was grateful to her for the frank
affection she bestowed on Mary. II
proved Mary's position. and he cared
more for that than for anything else
In the world. She could hold up her
head In Corinth when she walked with
loan Bright. Az for himself, he
duinbly reaiized3that Joan Bright could
never be more 10 him than the friend
LOT his sister: he could ask for nothing
more. being the non OF q slayer OF men.
Was she. not the daughter OF a judge
oe menu
M IS sure. Mary vas cautioned by
her nun not to put evil ideas into the
head OF the innocent Joan! she had Z
selfiEh motive In preserving Judge
Hright'p daughter from contamination.
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