The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-10-14
REFRACTORY BELLE,

said Mr.. Payson, the new foreman Of
the Mellendale Works. "Well, I must
confess that she has rather an attractive
face, with her large hazel eyes and that
profusion of red brown hair, although
her nose isn't quite Grecian, and the
lines of her mouth are just trifie out
Of drawing"
"Humph!" said old Solomon Gilsey,
the engineer, "She's been made much
of, Kitty Kesley has, until she's just
spoiled. And"
But here Kitty Kesley herself came
saucily up to the foreman's desk.
'Mr. Payson," said she, tossing back
the cloud of red gold hair that hung
over her dimpled face-'for suppose
you are Mr.. Payson?'
Eat your SERVICE" said the young
man, with commendable gravity
"My machine doesn't suit me. I wish
you would have it changed for anoth-
err"
doesn't suit your he repeated,
slowly.
NO." said Miss Kitty, Strengthening
out the bow of ribbon at her belt.
us it the custom at Mellendale to
change machines at the beck and call
Of every dissatisfied damsel?" he asked,
still without a change of countenance.
my machine is always changed
whenever I ask for it." said Kitty Kes-
ley, nonchalantly.
'Suppose you try and make it do,'
said Mr. Payson. II dare say the turn
of screw here, or that alienation of a
TENSION there, will make it all right
Johnson" to the packer, "bring me
that list of the boxes that are to be sent
off this morningw
Miss Kesley stood in indignant sur
prise at this politely-cavalier treatm ent
She-the spoiled beauty, the petted
favorite of the whole establishment,
whose every whim had been humored,
whose caprices indulged-to be told to
try and make things do!
"You will not change it?' said she,
coloring very red.
1T is quite contrary to my rules"
said Mr.. Payson. "That's right, John
son. Now will look over the list with
YOU"
Miss Kitty went back to her seat, in
d genuine passion.
1t was Arson Payson's first day in
the Mellendale factory, and of course
it proved rather fatiguing one.
The morning, bleak and cloudy, had
settle down into a good old-fashioned
snow storm, before the afternoon; and
when at last the throb of the engines
had ceased, the whiz Of the numberless
machines was still, and the flock of
girls had disappeared one by one, Mr..
Paysou locked his desk, pocketed the
keys, and also sailed forth into the
snowy twilight of the November night.
But, unaccustomed as he was to the
Mellendale roads and their windings,
he soon became disagreeably aware that
he had somehow missed his way.
"They told me turn off at an old
stone MILL" he pondered, "but I have
seen no stone mill; nor any finger post.
do believe" standing still, and trying
to peer through the white wilderness of
flying snowfakes, "that am destined
to be a modern Babe-in-the-W Gods.
And the worst of it all is that there are
such number of awkward precipices
along the edge OF this woody road,
where one might walk off, in half-light,
and never knew how he came to his
end-Stay! luckily there is red light
cleaning through the darkness. 1t
must come from some farmhouse win
dow, and I am saved from my doomp'
But as Arson Payson knocked at the
door of the little one-story dwelling, he
felt that he was very weary, with hands
and feet nunbed from the biting blast,