Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-05-15

Jeanie busted herself a moment in
picking the dried leaves from the win
dow-plants, and then, as she turned
toward the door. said:
IL haze it. It maun be blue, tae
match your Gen."
The soft closing of the door made the
vehement demurrer heard only by the
attentive Watty, who merely wiped his
eyes and stared the harder at the in
valid.
In due time the absurd artifice was
carried to successful issue. Although
the neatly-trimmed cap was commonly
crumpled under his neck, or. when he
grew sleepy, was mashed over as eyes
like surgical compress, he wade at
least pretense of wearing it ru:l he
was able to leave the bed.
His convalescence was rapid: but not
SO rapid but that before he could leave
his room Jeanie's little hand had ST.
lently unwound the matted and I'm.
slightly weeds of misanthrOpy Che
thought it such) from his heart, and
touched and awakened chords he never
knew were there. And the strange,
new strings were sweet, very sweet, il
not with harmony at least with
prophecy.
SO it came to pass that. more than
once. during their daily drives up the
shady valley road, John tried hard to
say something, something which Jen-
though these attempts were usually hui
initiating failures, he did not despair,
nor she.
One sunny afternoon he got so far as
TO say, after many preliminary grim
aces:
''Jennie. woman. are We nae lanely
aftentimes here, syne your brother can
gang ABBOTT wi We nae mair?''
'Yes, john
Eye dinna''--he ventured, slowly rub
bling the back of old Meggy with the
stump of whip-'Ye dinna like tae be
sac lonesome. Jeanie?''
think John did not know what else
to say.
Nae, John"
"Jeanie, woman" John was rub
bling old Meggy's back very hard, in
deed, and making so numerous and so
violent grimaces that that staid animal,
looking back in protest, was utterly dis
conccrted) "Jeanie, woman, hadna we
better-you an I-hadna we''-
But something got into his throat at
this crisis. 1t made his face blush deep
II. Jeanie thought to help him.
Better what, John?''
But it was of no use That something
stuck in his throat until John was COM
PEELED to temporize by continuing, with
great emphasis: Hadna we better
gang hame?' Before she could have
answered, even had she been SO dis
posed, he had turned Meg squarely
about and, under the inspiration OF the
vigorously piled whip, the bewildered
mare was soon whirling them fast home
ward.
Days passed, and still that something
in the throat proved fatal to his (their?
All! Jeanie, Jeanie0 most sincere en-
deavors.
Peacefully, almost happily, wore
away the long summer days to the con
valescent. And still the STRINGS in hi.
rugged breast were not stilled, nos
could he wish them stilled. Had she
conquered? No; he would not say
that; and yet he was conquered.
1t was the last afternoon before his
departure. They (John, Jeanne and
Megggy) were returning from their
daily drive up the valley. For some
miles they had logged along in silence.
Several attempts had John made to say
that ''something;;" but that something
else in the throat always forced him 10
patch out his sentences as gracefully
(Which was very clumsily) as possible.
The silence was growing painful.
Jeanne made a great effort to appear
unconcerned, but wretchedly failed.
Now and then John would break the
silence 10y such overtures to Meggy as:
''Glang noo!' and keep your tail
frae aboon the lines. will yep
But Meggy knew, as well as Jeanie
and John himself, that these were mis-,
cradle subterfuges, and so paid no heed
whatever to them.
At last, where the road crossed the
little vallej brook, Meggy stopped, un-
der the shade of an overhanging elm.
to refresh herself with the cool, clear
water
1t was very opportune.
John began rubbing Meggy's back
again, which, with the great diversity
Of predatory grimaces, Jeanie rightful.
~ interpreted hopefully.
At last:
Jeanne, for monte day 1 haze tried
to ask We something; but ilka time my
heart failit me-"
"Yes, john
"Jeanie, woman (John's face was
very red) "Jeanie, will we, will ye"-
Jeanie was dipping branch of the elm,
INTO the brook, whose ripping waters
kissed its bright lea res and went laugh.
ng on quite coquettishly.
.'Will p
'Jeanic, woman (Meggy was
shaking her drowsy head in vigorous
iisapproval of the energy with which
The was being scraped) "Jeanie, will
7e be-
"What, John?" The bough cracked,
The dipped it so low.
"Will ye-- be gang in''-
"Nae, John; it is nae that"
"Jeanie, l loo ye." We'll done,
Iohn, we'll done. II loo ye. An moo,
II II