The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-07-05

said Sim to her one day, ID he sat watching her
| swift and energetic movements about his cheer.
less little kitchen.
Raldy stopped, and squared her elbows,
looking straight at him from under her great
forehead.
'Pm setting you an example, Sim PEBBLES, 81
kind; you did me great service once, and I'll
| never forget it; but if you had half the work
| In you that have, you needn't be go all-pos
sessed poor that you can't pay an honest
woman FOR tending your wee bits and cooking
your venison."
Raldy's tone forbade reply or argument and
Sim PEBBLES skunk guiltily away.
day or two later he came in with new
| brightness i'll his face
Say, Raldy," he began. half-sheepishly-fo
Sam PEBBLES had been ''raised" in semi-luxury
In some EASTERN State, had loafed ever since he
could remember, and hardly knew whether the
announcement which he was about to make
would be really creditable to him or not
could You get alcng-l mean, would you stay
and look after things here till come back, if I
go up in the pines til; spring."
Raldy laughed rather incredulous lsitgh.
what are yon going to do up in the pines? ~
she asked at length.
Chop," answered Sim Peetles, succinctly
"Humph! they've all gone long ago."
mo; there's a party going up to. .Steveno
Point next week, aud strike of FROM there"
"You can't chop" eaid Raldy, contemptu-
ously.
"Yes, I can, too,
9, well, then, go" Raldy spoke crustily
She would not give the peeping neighbors any
chance to accuse her of spending soft words
on Sim Peebles. Yet, truth to say, she no
longer held him in the low respect which she
had expressed IN the bcreed delivered to her
gosslpihg neIghbGrs, and which her language
to him would seem to Indicate In these long,
quiet weeks since she had come to live in his
h'amble cabin, she had detected in the lonely,
saddened man qualities which had softeDed
het ..e"r1 toward him Ho loved his children,
for them, he yet minded" them devotedly in
his own rough way. Then Sim PEBBLES almost
Womanish face was yet handsome and attrac-
tlve--when it was clean and shaver; and one
DAY Raidy had come unexpectedly upon him
with his eyes wet with tears, gazing upon q
mother.
"Humph!" said Raldy to herself, quite angry
at little secret tenderness which the sight had
evoked in her. "Sim PEBBLES pitts on consider
able about llis n,rther; but notice he didn't
get her q :lew dress while she was here, and il
sho had enough to eat it was because she hoed
the clearing and dug the potatoes"
Still, 1t was fact, and Rudy, in dim, I'M
willing way, knew it, that she was daily grow
ing to set higher value upon Sim PEBBLES
than he deserved, and she felt this moro deti-
nltely than before when he told her that he was
going sup in the pines'' There WAS in her a
strange, an unreason!ng aversion to having
him 90, glad es she was to see him developing
something of the courage of man.
She had repealed so fiercely the young men
who, won to admiration by her spirit aud good
looks, had dared to make her any overtures
that Raldy had never yet had regular love
affair, and, IS is usually the case with st rong
and telf-reiant woman, weakness had won
where force had failed. She could not help
than her wont as the day drew near for Sim
PEBBLES to go; and Sim-poor Sim, who had
come to worship the very ground that Raldy
trod-Sim felt it. but he did not dare to speak.
He was to start on Monday ana Kaldy had
patched and darned his clothes till he was fit
10 go. Sunday morning she went, rs ust,al, t.
the little Lutheran chapel, tho only place of
worship which Dearborn City afforded, and
who're her mother had been one of the most
devcst attendants, and, having come home
again, she got the dinner and fed the children.
Then she turned them out to play In the clear
ing, and leaving the door. atar-for it was one
of the mldest ard pleasantest days of early
winter--she went singing about her work. Sim
Pebbles watched her rs she moved here and
there, and Raldy, independent and imperious
as she was, stole now and then furtiye glance
at him.
"He's handsome, :" she thought, dreamily, as
she gave casual glance at Sims waving hair
auH large brown eyes. 'sbut," coming to her
self little. chow shiftless he is! But he's
pyavS 81 e. pas hS dSHe
But he's honest" thought Raldy again; s'no-
aody ever said Sim PEBBLES wasn't honest;
there's nothing mean about Sim PEBBLES, and
that's one reason" excusingly, "why he's so
poor;'' and then her thoughts drifted off to
what Mrs jerks and Mrs. Smith, ker hateful
neighbors, would say. if she should happen,
by chance-of course she wouldn't even If
Sim should ask her-but what would they all
say what would Mart say, if she should ever
happen to marry Sim PEBBLES?
Hero Raldy checked herself. for she was
standing absently, with plate of butter in her
hand the butter in great danger CT clipping,
and her song quite still. she had been singing
the old revival hyra:
sand when pass from here to thee,
Dear Lord, dear Lord, remember me-"
Sim saw his opportunity, and seized it, and
as she hurried into tho little pantry and out
again he spoke 4nietly and earnestly:
"Thats what I've been thinking Raldy-
s something like; mean. When I'm gone away,
"I'm not likely to forget you, with the young
sters under my feet all day. retorted Raldy,
with asperity,
''Ych have been very kind to me and mine,"
continued Sim, with a choice of words which
proclaimed an early training greatly superior
to that OF the rough men around him. faldy
one of Sims strongest claims upon her favor.
But she Was not to be tempted from her role.
II didn't suppose you had noticed it" she
said tartly.
''Noticed it! Why. Raldy!' in tone Of deep
reproach. s'And you can't think-I wanted to
tell yon before went away-you can't think,
Raldy, how it kind Of spurs me up to try and
be somebody. Trlt's what makes me want to
90 up river now want to show you, Kaldy-
! want" But here Sim PEBBLES choked up.
his courage had given out Raldy felt hers
oozing out, too.
Iguess I'll go home till supper" she said,
and she darted away
After supper she put the children to bed,
and then brushed up the hearth and put the
little cabin to rights. Sim meanwhile devour-
captured him, soul and body, and the neares
ne came to the sublime sacrifice which he
felt he was making for, her Sake, the more
completely his passion dominated him. Raldy
moved for her hat and shawl, and murmured
self, about ''going home to Mart when Sim
PEBBLES caught her hand-no man had ever
dared to touch Raldy Scott's psfson before
and begged her to sit down for moment with
him by the Are.
You know" Sim said, brokenly, and with a
face like ashes. 'it's my last night. Raldv."
Will I'LL Ills lOV0, uo SIOOu III aDSOluto toErOr
of her.
Raldy sat down with strange docility, but
Sim could not speak, after all, and they sat for
several moments in silence.
s'Well, said Raldy, at last, getting up in her
old arrogant way, II guess I'll go"
"Say first, " said Sim, swallowing hard and
catching at her hand again-'tell me first,
Raldy, thas maybe when come homo, if T do
we'll, Raldy, and turn out better, that" He
paused.
'That whet:" questioned Raldy, in so gentle
tone chat Sim took heart WONDERFULLY
''That maybe you'll you'll marry me, and
live here always and see to the children"
1t was all out now and Sim drew q deep sigh
as he turned his hscldsome, effeminate face
almost strong in it's expression of intense love,
full upon the strangely hesitating woman.
Raldy dropped into her seat again, and buried
her face in her hands Then she let them fall
slowly. and said, with serious and deliberate
air which would have daunted less persistent
sutton:
"You're an honest fellow, Sim-and Won
know that's good deal to me-and yoN're
good-looking, but I declare I don't know of
any other earthly reason why should marry
you You couldn't support ME. How you have
had to fly around to get enough for us to eat
since have been here! And what wages have
you paid me?"
SIM fairly covered before her; put, with q
woman's perversity, Raldy Scotts love only
burned the more fiercely
tits all true" he said, mournfnl1y, "but
don't you see, Raldy, Pm turning over a new