The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-11-18
) . ~ 49,
'.s~"" 50 AS BY FIRE.

t'1s 50 AS BY FIRE.
- Ny house'n be ready by the first snow.
But"
He was a strongly made, sunburned, vigor
0us-looking man, not vet thirty, and he stood
on high roll of the prairie, from which he
could overlook the waving wealth Of vast
field of corn.
his mouth closed suddenly behind the last
dark eyes. they had cea ed to study the
cOrn-field, turning rather towards pair who
were riding along its northerly border. They
were too far away for him to hear the tall,
bearded old man, on the heavy bay horse, re-
mark:
rise. Reckon he's takin' look Of his corn
crap.''
There was no verbal answer, but in another
instant the roam mare under his lady compan-
ion was curveting spitefully
What on airth did you hit her fors She
was goin' well enough. You amt safe with
q whip"
she was evidently safe in a saddle, however,
and the bay now initiated the roam in man.
ner which brought them rapidly to the summit
Of :" the rise.''
"Mornin', Marsh. How's your crap turnin'
out! Looks prime"
g. Forty acres cut and shocked. Going in
sixty bushe to the acre."
sMebbe it's thar. Hundred aud forty
acres of it. You're workin' ahead, Marsh
Hayne. .Corn's better n wheat, this year."
when are you going to thresh out your
yields You'll have heap Of it."
''Best yield ever harvested, II the market
was worth anything. They do say it's comm
up. Jest look at them ricks of minen'
They were a mile and half due west, but
no tree stood between to prevent q view OF
them, nor did any fence cross the fringe of the
open, unbroken prairie. A line of forest arose
beyond the ricks, and beyond that, unseen
from the knoll, the great plain rolled away,
with only few scattered farms, sixteen miles
to the county-seat and "town."
"Your mares uneasy, this morning, Miss
Crawford. What's the matter with here"
That was Marshall Havne's first discovery
of something to say, directly, to Virginia.
while her whole attention had seemed to be
otherwise absorbed.
'sI've spoiled her; let her have her own way
too much"
"That'n never do. I keep a pretty steady
hand over everything ride or drive"
Every line of his face and every tone Of his
deep, musical voice seemed to vouch for him.
He was speaking Of dumb animals, to be sure,
but the color deepened in Virginia's handsome
face as she replied, CURLY:
$50 do I!'
There was a world of firm decision in the
words, and in the sudden compression of the
red lips which uttered them. Even the roam
up her petty rebellion and began to paw the
hard, black surface Of the prairie road beneath
her.
"Marsh," remarked old Crawford, "isn't
your house nigh done?"
"All finished inside. Got Q good many
things in, too. All the cribs III be up in time
to hold the crop.n
"Gwine to live thar, this winter?''
It was Marshall Haynes turn to color deep
", as he answered:
"Can't say. Reckon old Bitters'n have to
board me while"
with the kind of smile which is no smile st all,
81 would make you paint your house."
The flush in b face was fiery red, as he sud-
denly turned to her father:
'By the way! Did you take note Of the
prairie FIRE last night, northeast The sky was
good and red.'
"'Way beyond the timber. Yes, I saw #.
TIN burn out whar it is, jest as it alters does.
1t won't git across the slough"
"Don't you be too sure OF that, now. I've
q mind to do some back-fring on that side of
the farm. A fred 60 through my standingcorn
like it was dry grass"
"Reckon it would. 'Twon't come, though.
I've lived on this prairie more'n ten year and
no fire ever come a-nigh me-"
81 don't care to have one come too nigh me
till my corn's in crib"
Go, Come along, Virginia. Your mother'n be
ssGood- day," said Marsh.
: S1sQpo6 morning" said his two neighbors,
almost in The same breath, and Virginia add
ed: 'sYou may tell Celebrity Bitters for me,
we're going to town tomorrow. II she wants
me to get the things she spoke Of, she'd better
let me know"
s.I'il tell her. Palm Bitters'n be glad of an
~rraud IN vOnr hOase -
In two seconds more Virginia's roam mare
was fairly dancing along the road, while
Marshall hayne strobe 6ercely down the slope
in the opposite direction:
sVirginia," remarked her father, "why can't
You treat Marsh Hayne leetle more neigh
borlya Thar isn't nkelier young Teller on
this prairie Thar's all sorts Of real grit and
push into him. Look what he's done with
that thar fsrmi"
a:Most any man can handle q quarter &C.
ton"
ssNot the way he does. I've two whole
sections now, but he'll De ahead of me, fore
long"
.sHe ain't onsociable, neither. What times
he got to run around nowadays, I'd like to
knowl'
.sNobody wants him to-"
Virginia, how you hev sweated that mare
of your'ni Looks like you'd ridden her TWEEN
ty miles instid Of ten. What's got into you
and her this morning2"
she was very busy with her unruly pet just
then, and they were drawing near the house,
behind which rose the tall ricks Of unthrashed
wheat 1t was pleasant home, for that day
and region. The out-buildings were good.
There were even orchards and garden, and
in front of the house an attempt at shrubbery.
The sole heiress of all that comfort, with 30
many broad acres around it, hardly needed
Virginia's uncommon beauty offace and form
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