The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-19

TO appear lnQlnerenL.
young Phillips took her out buggy
| ridin', this afternoon, answered Fuller,
sugaring his second cup OF coffee.
she seems TO enjoy trOttin' his bays
over the prairie," observed Billy, by way
of starting a discussion of Phillips. 81
should think he would want to get over
that eighty-acre corn-feld again. It's
mighty weedy piece, and this hot weather
is liftin' it right out o. the ground almost.
It'Il soon be too high to plow."
"Corn is just climbin' right along this
weather-thaI's a fact" and the honest
Fuller smiled in anticipation of full cribs;
''but Phillips has hired another man, and
has put him to work on the eighty-acre
piece"
'HumphI ne might as well let the weeds
take it as to pay it out in wages. Why
don't he have his son do it: He's big,
strappin' fellow enough"
''You must remember" struck in Mrs.
Fuller, "that Mr. Phillips isn't obliged to
have his son work, unless he chooses; and
if Robert would rather enjoy himself
on pleasant evening, and take Eva for
buggy-ride, it's nobody's business"
"No, no, mother" and her husband shook
his head; "a man that won't work oughtn't
TO eat, say. Not but what Pm wlllin' for
young feIlers to have their pleasure, and
all that; but if had the fortune of Lazarus
l should bring up my sons TO work"
"Well, if other people think different, it's
nobOdy's business, as l said"
"Of course, so far as the work goes Pm
not meddlin' with other peoples business:
If they want to let their children go to bed
| without bein' sleepy and sit down TO the
| table without bein' hungry that's their
| lookout; and, as you say, if Bob Phillips
wants to galivant all over the country just
as corn weather is COMM on the strongest,
and the barley's ready to cut, and the oats
pretty near ripe, and the wheat turnln',
why, it's none o. my business. But when
but when, 1 say" and Fuller laid down
his knife and fork to give added emphasis
to his words and mark the dellberatlon
with which they were uttered-"when you
90 further'n that and say it's nobody's
business when he takes Eva out Ddggy-
ridin' you go too far"
"Well, it's uobody's but hers, retorted
Mrs. Fuller, decidedly; land if she didn't
choose to go she wouldn't. But she's tlckled
enough to 90, poor girl, after workin' in the
kitchen all day." and the gray eyes looked
right through Billy at Tige, who was pa
tiently waiting behind his masters chair
for his supper-time to come. Mrs. Fuller
was not sorry to get in back-hander, as
Billy mentally designated this speech, at
tarily, but frightened up and nodded his
appreciation energetically when the old
farmer continued his protest.
"Now you don't go far enough, mother
that's always the way with you; you either
go too far or you don't go far enough" In
spite of his slow, measured way OF speak
ing there was a sound of impatlence IN
his voice which his wife knew better
than to provoke further. So she silently
busted herself over her plate while he con-
tinued: Here's Billy, now, has been with
us for two years and more. he quit
the herder'S business (not that l approve
of the wild sort of life they carry on, but
- ~ ba
| say, and came to work for me-and a
good hand he's been, no one can deny-be-
cause he happened to take fancy to Eva'S
pretty face; and he was about right there,
too; and he has stayed with US through two
harvests, and been faithful hand. He has
saved his wages and pre- empted as good
| quarter-Section of land as there is in the
South Platte valley; he's got Eva to likin'
him and we've told 'em God bless 'em,'
I and for him to lose her now through your
worldly and unconsiderate notions about
| this Phillips chap-juSt as if he was better
than other people because he's been away
| to school few months, and his fathers
| got three or four sections of land and few
more head o. stock than the balance of us !!
why, [ say it would be just like presentin'
him with the cup % CrHSus"|
"Cup of Tantalus, pa" interrupted
merry voice behind Billy's chair, that made
his ears tingle with pleasure. He hoped
that Eva had not caught the drift
| of the conversation, however, and was just
| going to run round and feast his eyes with
| the sight of her, and let her see the JOY in
| them, when he heard her ask some one to
come in and have some supper; so he
| speared another potato and almost scalded
| himself with hot coffee instead.
BILLY, will you go out aud drive Mr..
Phillips horses around to the stable"'
! asked the young lady carelessly, as she
la ia aside her smart hOnnet with the bright
pink ribbons.
Billy muttered something very low, but
was pushing back his chair when the old
farmer began:
you'll do no such thing, Billy; you just
sit where YOU are and eat your supper.
Tell the fine young gentleman, Eva, that
if his fiery steeds won't stand hitched to
the hitchin'-post he can drive 'em round
to the stable, and put 'em in the empty
| stalI'- .-.-
"Why, Rufus :" exclaimed his wife.
land that he'll have to excuse Billy
and me-" went on Rufus: ''for we're eatin'
our suppers, and it's rulnous to the dlGeS-
ton to be disturbed at meal-time."
Eva was somewhat surprised at this,
for her father was usually very Scrupu-
lous on points of hospitality; but she de-
livered his message, choosing her own way
of expressing the matter. Mr.. Phillips
however, had already decided not to ac-
cept the hospitality of the Fullers, and
after a brief conversation with Eva, OF
which the others could hear, now and
then, little slvery laugh accompanied by
a great guffaw, he drove off.
Finally, when she came in and took heI
place at the table, Billy ventured to look
at her. She did not deign to offer him a
greeting but broke into an enthusiastic
description of her ride, addressing herself
in a general way to her father and
mother. Of course Billy could listen
he was sitting opposite her and
could not we'll help hearing her
lively chatter without leaving the table
and this he had no intention of doing unit
he had satisfied his appetite. He tried il
vain to keep down his rising indignation
and wrath at her and young Phillips, anC
, | the persistency with which she avoided
| meeting his eyes brought him several time
to the verge of choking. He soon came t,
the conclusion that she had heard and wa
offended at the remark her father had beef
making when she came in. But when sh
had exhausted the topic of her drive, an
; had irretrievably plunged Billy into fit o
the sullens, she suddenly turned her blu
ewes on her father, and throwing her hea
: back until her yellow hair was lighted u
by the last rays of the crimson sun throug
y the open door. "What would be like givin
some one the cup of Tantalus, and who wa
the some one 80 she asked.
! "O-yes," answered the old man slowly
5 without showing any of the nervousness
he felt; for this fair-haired young girl wa
+: accustomed to having her own way, an
T had a pert, Charming manner of maxim
the rest of the household uncomfortabI
. when she was crossed in it, which almos
. never happened, or when her right to do S
a was even remotely questioned, which di
e occasionally occur. "Yes," "said her father
| 81 always get Tantalus and CroeSus an
! Lazarus and Dives all mixed up, whe
n ! YOU'RE not around to straighten me ou
/ Eva"
n 'sBut what was it you were talking of :
{ Billy felt relieved. She had not hearC
: and he knew that her father could be d.
en-