Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-08-01

ing a little how many young ladies in my
circle OF friends would have so recklessly
sacrificed q new dress to pick a beggar's
brat out of the mud.
When [, in my turn, reached the house,
John was on the porch, waiting tor NaDnie's
re-appearance. He gave me a most cordial
welcome, ordered luncheon, called Mamie,
his mother, and a man to go for my trunk
all in one breath-and seemed really rejoic-
eG to see me.
Presently a slender girl with a truly Z" be-
witching'' white dress trimmed with dashes
of scarlet ribbon, and smoothly-braided
black hair tied with scarlet bows, came de-
murely into the room and was introduced.
Never, however, in that first hour, could the
widest imagination have pictured Mamie
Stillman wading into a duck pond. But the
half-shy, half-digdifed company manner
soon wore away, and Mamie and L were
fast friends before dinner. She sang for me
in q voice as d%eliciously fresh as a birds ca
rol she took me to see her pets-the new
horse that was her last birthday gift from
papa" the ugly little Scotch terrier with
the beautiful brown eyes, the rabbits, GUM
ca hens, and the ~superannuated old pony,
who had preceded the new horse.
In a week, I was as much in love as ever
John could have desired. Mamie was the
most bewitching maiden | had ever met
childlike and yet w~omanly-frank, bright,
and full of girlish freaks and boyish mis-
chief; and yet well-educated, with really
wonderful musical gifts, and full Of noble
thoughts. She was a perfect idol in the viii
lage-her friends and ~neighbors thinking no
party complete without her-While the poor
fairly worshipped her.
We rode together every morning, we
walked in the cool evening hours, we spent
much time at the piano, and discussed our
~tavorite authors and, one day, when | ask
ed Mamie to: be my wife. she said, coolly.-
Z "Why, of course I thought that was all
understood long ago."
was rather amazed at such a matter-ot.
fact wooing, but delighted at the result
d How could / expect any soft, blushine
; speeches? l suppose | ranked just where
John and Nannie's grandmother did In her
affections.
o But one morning, when Mrs. Stillman wa
shipping her geraniums in the sitting. room
and John was reading the morning newspa
Il pers, Mamie burst in her beautiful face al
u aglow, her eyes bright with delight, cEy
ing
u so grandma! Walt has come home! .
" saw him from my window coming .up tn
= road"
9 She was going then, just as.John exclaim
n ed
ID "Confound Waltz"
"Who is Walt? i naturally inquired.
"Walter Bruce, the son of one of OH
ut neighbors. He has been like a brother t
to Mamie all her lite, but went OIL to Europ
IL, two years ago, when he came of age. The
a wanted to correspond, bnt L forbade tina
ed So he has turned up again."
ut It was evident that John was terribl
II, vexed, and / very soon shared his ammo.
st, ance. Walt, a tall, handsome young fellow
improved, not spoiled by travel, just haun
tn cd the house. He was generally OIL VIII
OF Mamie as soon as he arrived, and blind
Mrs. Stillman's .ill-concealed GOODNESS al
ais Johns sarcastic speeches about boys ar
puppies.
re- And the very demon of mischief posses
1t ed the girl. There was no freak she w
his not inventing to imperil her life-riding, I'll
er, wing. boating, and l fairly shiyered som
lot times at the prospect of my nervous terro
when it would be my task to try to cont