The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-29
sured Miss Mollie IMMUNITY from fur

trip vas to be made, his father had
written Mr.. Henderson for the double
purpose OF giving "the boy" Che was
a6) o chance to see the sights Of q
Great city and affording the other gen
tleman an opportunity Of revisiting the
scenes of his youth, which as Mr.. Hen
derson informed Mollie, parenthetically,
while reading the letter to her, were
about fo1r miles back Of New London,
Conn, and not SO far as he was aware,
OF q particularly inspiring character.
Now, Pansey, darling" said Mr..
Henderson, when the letter reading was
finished, IT don't want you to marry
young Gordon or any one else, unless
You do SO of your own accord. But 1
do want You to treat him we'll and make
his stay as pleasant as possible"
"Of course I'll do that, papa" replied
Mollie, dutifully, as she sat upon the
sofa, tapping one little foot with the
other, and gazing upon the operation in
a reflective manner. ",Of course / shall
be polite t. him, but really / don't
want to marry him, and go out West to
live among the prairie dogs and sheep
in q wigwam."
Ns|EeHE.E
The day of the Gordons' arrival was
O momentous one for Mollie, and when,
seeing her father enter the house with
two men, one of middle age and the
other young, she descended to the par
lor, it was with feeling of some trepi-
dation, as she concluded Mr.. Gordon
entertained ideas reciprocal to those of
her father on the subject of a matrimo-
NAL alliance between the two families,
and had communicated them to his
son. The elder Mr.. Gordon was
the first presented, and Mollie
found him anything but an Indian in
looks or manner. The son., Johnnie"
as his father persisted in calling him,
was q grave dignified young fellow, and
returned Mollie's rather formalsand
somewhat distant greeting in an equal
" ceremonious and remote manner.
Their conversation was not at FIRST par
ticularly brilliant or interesting. In
lieu Of a o suggestive topic Mollie
ventured . few general remarks con-
corning the weather, but young Mr..
Gordon not appearing to take the
slightest interest in the existant met
geological conditions, she was speedily
reduced to o state of hopeless imbecili-
ty, SO far as conversation was con-
cerned. But presently she revived
somewhat, and essayed another attack.
Had Mr. Gordon seen much of the city,
and how did it impress him?
Mr.. Gordon's observation of the me-
tropolis it appeared had not been of an
extensive character, and he was not,
therefore prepared to commit himself as
to its general appearance. He then ven.
tured the assertion that Miss Mollie had
probably often seen the ocean.
Mollie ut nee admitted being on
terms with that body of water, and went
on to describe with n girlish enthusiasm
the beauties of the Atlantic, telling how
its apparently limitless area always i'm
pressed her, and then dilating on the
grandeur of the scene when the vast
pillows driven by the mighty energy Of
Q gale am leaping shoreward, with re-
~sistless force, their foam-crowned sum
mits showing white and haggard against
the dull gray of q cloud ridden sky,
while here and there a vessel tossed
restlessly in the caldron of the tempest
attracted attention and pity. She was
getting o f%a1nously, when the young
man suddenly interjected the query as
to whether mackeral were caught in the
ocean.
Mollie replied that they certainly
were,-at least she had so read in books.
Personally, however with o charming
sniff through the nose), she knew moth
ing ut all Of the matter.
81 like mackerel," said young Mr..
Gordon, especially when they are
served with baked potatoes and toast
And having delivered himself of this
edifying astronomical sentiment he
gazed abstractedly at the toe of his boot
and appeared to be enjoying q reverie
in which unlimited mackerel and count
lessabaked potatoes were constantly
passing before his enraptured vision.
There is some lovely needlework at
the art exposition" suddenly exclaimed
Mollie, she having performed in the
mental ocean of her thoughts the nauti-
cal operation known as ''jibing," which.
consists in instantaneously altering your
course without much regard to how it
is done.
Young Mr.. Gordon recalled himself
from the mystic. dreamland of mackeral
and baked potatoes and gazed at her in
tently. ST expect likely" was his
somewhat general reply.
Il have got IN awful cute crazy
quilt, continued Mollie. did you
ever see a crazy quilt, Mr.. Gordon?"
A solemn and prolonged shaking of
the head conveyed the information that
the person addressed was totally igno-
rant OF insane bedclothes of any de-
scription.
For another hour Mollie endeavored
to discover a subject concerning which
young Mr.. Gordon would consent to
unlock the food gates of his mind, but
without success, and then gladly retired
to her room.
He isn't ~bad-looking, papa" she
said to her father in an a~nte-breakfast
chat the next morning, the subject be-
ing young Nj. Gordon, s'but he is such
a stupid and then she related the
mackeral episode.
But as the days went on Mollie found
young Mr.. Gordon to improve wonder
fully on acquaintance. She soon dis
covered that he could talk fuently
enough when occasion required, and
that in the line of paying the little IL
tesies to which all women attach so
much importance he was q veritable
Bayard. They rode, walked, took long
drives, and ayailed themselves of vari-
GUS other amusements which a country
life affords. Insensibly they became
very confidential with each other, but
it was the frank confidence of friend
ship-at least Molle thought so, and
never was mortal more surprised than
she when n evening, as they sat to-
gether on the piazza, young Nj. Cor
don suddenly took her hand in his and