United States or Mali ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
You know I'm a poor city girl and haven't a very good balance." The name was duly examined, and Mrs. Evringham's "oh's" of wonder and admiration were long-drawn. "See the darling cushions, mother. You can wear your best clothes here. It's just like a parlor!" "A very narrow parlor, Jewel. Move carefully." Mrs. Evringham had seated herself in the stern.
"I hope it's a real courageous youngster," remarked Zeke. "A child! A wild Western dressmaker's young one in Mr. Evringham's elegant house!" "Is the old Harry a dressmaker?" asked Zeke mildly. "No, his wife is. His Julia! They've named this girl for her, and I suppose they called her Jule, and then twisted it around to Jewel. Jewel!"
"There! you spoiled that nice one!" she exclaimed, jumping up and laughing as she flung herself upon her big playmate, and a small scuffle ensued in which the wide leghorn hat brim sawed against Mr. Evringham's shoulder and neck in a manner that caused Mrs. Evringham's heart to leap toward her throat. How could Harry be so thoughtless!
Evringham's thoughts had fled to Chicago. "Harry proposed leaving the girl here while they are gone," he said. Mrs. Evringham straightened in her chair and her attention concentrated. "With you? What assurance! How like Harry!" she exclaimed. The words were precisely those which her host had been saying to himself; but proceeding from her lips they had a strange effect upon him.
Then she added, in a different tone, "Don't you think there is any danger of our being too obliging? I'm not the only girl in town whose mother wishes her to oblige Dr. Ballard. May we not overreach ourselves?" "Eloise!" Mrs. Evringham's half-affectionate, half-remonstrating grasp fell from her child's shoulders. "That remark is in very bad taste." The girl shook her head slowly.
"Grandpa wants you to bring me to his office, that's what he said," returned the child earnestly. "Let's start real soon!" Like a sprite she was back at the house and running upstairs, calling for Mrs. Forbes. The housekeeper appeared at the door of the front room, empty now for two days of Mrs. Evringham's trunks, and Jewel with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes told her great news. Mrs.
He looked up apprehensively and cringed a little, not at all sure that the next instant would not find the rose-leaf cheek next his, and a close whisper driving cold chills down his back; but the child only paused a moment. "Reality is so much different from sin, disease, and death," she said at last, in a matter-of-fact manner. It was too much for Mrs. Evringham's risibles.
How different was to be the future of her little girl from anything she had planned in her rosiest moments of hopefulness. The more she saw of Mr. Evringham's absorbed attachment to the child, the more grateful she was for the manner in which he had guarded Jewel's simplicity, the self-restraint with which he had abstained from loading her with knickknacks or fine clothes.
Word Of The Day