Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-04-28
CLOCK.WORK.

"My! no! Salu NILS. TOySeCG laugh
ING at the very idea; 1--WE amt afraid
to stay in the house one night 'thout
men folks. Be we, Lindy?"0
81 guess not" said black-eycd Linda,
checrily, washing her hands as a pre-
liminary to putting the bread in the
pans.
Crank says, when John wrote him
to come and stay over a day in Boston:
You'll be afraid, mother, with all Lin
dy's presents in the house, And he
was real put out at first because !
wouldn't have some of the neighbors
come in to sleep"
well, l don't blame you, eff you
feels CT you could sleep-on'y two
women-folks," said the caller, Sharp
featured Miss Haines, with prominent
elbows and emphatically-clean calico.
cit 'ud only amount to maxim UP a
bed for nuthin'."
YES" Mrs. Poysett went on, accom-
panying the slicing of apples for pies
with the regular swing Of her rocking
chair, while she now and then placed Il
particularly thin and inviting piece of
the fruit in her mouth, s'that's what
Thought. Ten-'leven-Lindy, when
you go into the other room, I wish you'd
strike that clock round. 1t strikes one
too many"
"Ycs'm," said brisk Linda; and then,
trying to cxtricate the recipe for COM
position cake from inevitable dreams
about her w~eddingg-day, she forgot the
clock-and made an incident for this
story.
"Your presents air handsome, Indy;
there's no mistake about that" said the
visitor, turning the conversation skill
fully to the quarter toward which the
town interest was just then tending.
"Yes," answered Linda, blushing a
little. She had grown used to blushing
of late. People have been very kind
to me-"
"No more'n you Deserve" said Miss
Haynes, o%racularly, and with an empha-
Sis that left no room for denial. 'sFolks
say to me: John Willey's been pretty
stiddy to 60 out West and make a home.
then come back m marry the girl
he's been with ever sence they was
child'en. But I say to 'em: No credit
to him. No more'n he'd orter done.
Llndy's pure gold, and he's got the
sense to see IT," And she finished her
eulogy on the doorstep, perhaps to
avoid having the matter disputed, while
Linda went back to her cooking-table,
Gaughing, and still gratefully rosy over
Es'e sense that everybody in general was
aaf too good for her. 1t was a case of
The smooth running of deep waters. She
and John Wiley had been prosaically
faithful to each other for years before
ne asked her promise to marry him.
Eighteen months ago he had gone West
70 set up in business as a carriage
builder, and now, having prospered,
was coming East for his wife. Within
Two days journey of home he had writ
Ten to ask Frank, Linda's brother, to
meet him in. Boston for a days sight
';eeing and an evening at the theatre.
Perhaps you would say that the ideal
lover should have fastened to his lady
on the wings OF the wind or with all the
power Of steam; but Linda thought diff
t%ercntly.
1T was just like him-wasn't it,
mother?'-she said that very morning,
alter Miss Haines had gone, 'to think
frank would be the better for a change.
| Il rather have him 90 to Boston for a
good time than to see John one day
sooner. And I'm sure nobody could
speak stronger than that; could they,
mother?:n
81 don't know what I shall do with
out you, Indy said the mother, ra-
!ler irrevalently, putting down the
KNIFE to wipe away a furtive tear with
1er apron. 'I'm sure I don't know"
Linda was at her side in an instant,
with a tear of her own, and the two
women kissed, laughed, and went on
WIN their work, as they had done a hun
sred times within the last fortnight.
.or Mrs. Poysett had the equitable tenn
Ierament that sometimes accompanies
sctundity of form and a double chin, and
linda, besides being sensible, could not
rep Hsp miserable very long at a time.
mus you perceive that circumstances
were rendering it as easy as possible
sor Them to weather the gale of coming
Meanwhile, everybody in the town
Snip was not rotund and possessed OF
|eouble chins, not all the houses were