The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-02-19

A But Patty? She did not hurry
She put everything away carefully
She was rather slow about retiring
But when at last she went aloft int,
her room in the old block-house par
of the building, add shut and latched
her door, and set her candlestick on
the high, old-fashioned, homemade
dressing. stand, she looked at herself
in the little looking-glass and did moi
see there the face she had been able
to keep while the eyes of others were
! upon her. She saw WEAKNESS. dis
appointment, and detection. Her
strong will held up. She undressed
herself with habitual quietness. She
even stopped to look again in self
pity at her face as she stood by the
glass to tic on her night-cap. But
when at last she had blown cut the
candle, and carefully cxtinguished
the wick, and had climbed into the
great, high, billowy feather-bed un-
der the rafters, she buried her tired
head in the pillow and cried long
time, hardly once admitting to her.
self what she was crying about.
And as the days wore on, and her
father ceased to speak of kike or
Morton, and she heard that they
were out of the settlement, she found
in herself an ever increasing desire
to see Morton. The more she tried
to smother her feeling, and the more
she denied to herself the existence Of
the feeling, the more intense did it
become. Whenever hunters passed
the gate, going after or returning
laden with game, she stopped invol-
unfairly to gaze at them. But she
never failed, moment later, to affect
an Indifferent expression of counte-
nance and to rebuke herself for
curiosity so idle. What were hun
ters to her?
But one evening the travellers
whom she looked for went by. They
were the worse for wear; their buck
skin pantoloons were torn by briers;
their tread was heavy, for they had
travelled since daylight; but Patty,
peering through one of the por; -holes
of the block-house, did not fail to
recognize old Blaze, burdened as he
was with venison. bear-meat and
skins, nor to note how Morton looked
long and steadfas,ly at Captain Lums-
denis house as if hoping to catch a
glimpse Of herself. That look Of
Morton's sent a blush of pleasure
over her face, which she could not
quite conceal when she met the in
quiring eyes of a younger brother a
minute later. But when she saw
her father gallop rapidly down the
road as if in pursuit of the young
men, her sense of pleasure changed
quickly to foreboding.
Morton and like had managed, for
the most part, to throw of their
troubles in the excitement of hunt
ing. But when at last they had ac-
cummulated all the meat old Blaze
could carry and all the furs they
could "pack," they turned their steps
toward home. And with the turn
lur OF their steps toward home, came
the inevitable turning OF their
thoughts toward old perplexities.
Morton then confded to like his
intention 0. leaving the settlement
and leading the life of hermit in
the Wilderness in case it should
prove to be .sall off, between him
and Patty. And kike said that his
mind was made up. If he found
that his uncle Enoch had sold the
land, he would be revenged in some
way and then run Off aud live with
the Indians. 1t is not uncommon
for boys now-a-days 10 make stern
resolutions in moments OF wretched-
ness which they never attempt to
carry out. But the rude life of the
West developed deep feeling and a
hardy persistence in purpose once
formed. Many young man crossed
in love or melted to revenge had al
ready taken to the wilderness, be-
coming either morose hermit or a
desperate among the savages. At
the period of life when the animal
fights hard for supremacy in the
soul Of man, destiny often hangs
very perilously balanced. 1t was at
that day question in many cases
whether young man Of force would
become a rowdy or class-leader.
| When once our hunters had entered
the settlement they became more de-
pressed than ever. Morton's eyes
searched Captain Lumsden's house
and yard in vain for sight of Patty.
like looked sternly ahead of him,
full of rage that he should have to be
reminded of his uncle's existance.
And when, FIVE minutes later, they
heard horse hoofs behiod them, and,
looking back, saw Captain Lumsden
himself galloping after them on his
sleek, "clay-bank' saddle horse,
their hearts beat fast with excitement.
Morton wondered what the Captain
could want with them, seeing it was
not his way to carry on his conflicts
bv direct attack; and like contented
himself with looking carefully to the
oriming OF his flintlock, comprcssins
his lips and walking straight forward
Hello. o,.boys! Howdy? Got a nice
passed. of furs, ch? Had a good
timc?'
"Pretty good, thank you sir" said
Morton, astonished at the greeting
but eager enough to be on good terms
again with Patty's father. kike
said not word, but grew white witt
speechless anger.
"Nice saddle Of ven'son, that" ant
. the Captain tapped it with his COW
hide whip. "killcd bar, too; wh'
! killed it?'
.sKike," said Morton.
r "Purty good fer you, like. Go
4 over your pout about that land yet"
Kikc did not speak, for the reason
that he could not.
/ "What little fool you was t.
4 make sich fuss about nothing!
q didn't sell it, Of course, when yo'
G didn't want me to, but you ought t.
}, have a little manners in your way Q
9 speaking. Come to me next time
e and don't 90 running to the iudg