Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-01
III FULFoRDs.

Ihe FultOrdS We're IN q great fuss
about getting their daughter Millicent
married.
To be sure, they were always in a fuss
about something-father, mother, sons,
daughters, and all.
Could the whole Fulford family be
boileddown into one quadruped and that
quadruped a hunter, it would undoubt-
edIy prove what is known to Nimrods
as a '%rushe:."
The Fulfords are all alike in a good
many things. They are none of them
in the least clever; but in that they re-
semble the immense majority of their
neighbors. Still l have wondered and
wondered how it is that with really
such rabbit-like brains they do not make
utter shipwrecks of their lives. l have
partially succeeded in solving the mys-
terry.
First, their stupidity does not lie in
She direction of not knowing how to
take care of their money, of which they
possess a good deal. Distressed friends,
flash spectators, and, indeed, the whole
crew Of %'.bleeders," as the slang term
has it, might appeal to them eternally
in vain. They have no heart and no
ambition.
Secondly, although the world is quite
aware what small fry-intellectually-
the Fulfords are, yet practically, and
perhaps on that very account, the
world is rather fond of them and acts
as if it could more easily spare a better
family. You see they are a living COM
pliment to every one else-the foil, or
Background, against which superior
people, and the still larger class of those
who fancy themselves superior, shine
out.
Those who envy them their good looks
and good means-neither of which, by
the bye, are very tremendous-owe them
no grudge for these because consoled by
their mental shortcomings and general
lack of social weight.
Thirdly, they take their life easily to
a degree marvellous in people who. are
not philosophers. 'sIt is due to their
'dlgestions, wonderful constitutions, and
so FORTH says the world, and no doubt
that has much to do with it.
When l say they take life easily, 1
mean as to its troubles, cares and de-
teats, Tor, as l began by announcing,
whenever anything has to be done, from
a Journey to a wedding, they are in
stantly all fuss and furry.
The eldest daughter is married. She
married, in her first season, a middle
aged M. F.. with lots of money, and
now two c~hildrcn-the Fulfords are all
prolific.
But Miilicent has hung fire most dis
1resslngly, and her third season is now
ura"lng to = close. Hitherto no one
mas minded much, but now the family
nave just woke up to the fact that Win
hey and Flo, the two next girls, who
happen to be twins, are quite seventeen
anu Will therefore be presented next
season.
The sort of way they all play with
1helr cards on the table is a wonder to
1ehold. # a son, of whom, like the
[uaughters, there are many, gets plucked
por an exam.-and they almost always
40 get p~lucked-the whole family pub
llsh the fact in all directions, and seem
never to feel the modification OF such
E1n occurrence in the pleasure Of impart-
ing so interesting a piece of news.
IN the present instance, about Milly.
Ihey all announce the fact wherever
lihey 60, and almost before her face,
mat they are dying to get her off their
lands, on account Of the next two who
are sprouting up.
They find consolation, I suppose, in
a1-lng their grievances, and, perhaps,
also in the words of sympathy which
Ehey evoke Perhaps, too, they are in
hopes Ola useful suggestion or a helping
aand. Anyhow, they could no more
lolo their tongue about a shoe that
plnches than so many babies. What
khey want they must clamor for, whether
nat Is tho right way to get it or no..
ptlll 1t is surprising how often it does
urn u the right way with the Full
But though the family have no hearts,
p the higher sense of the word, they
re not only fairly afectionate one to
hotksS but are quite as capable of fall
I'm love as other people. And this is
maj happened to Millicent a couple of
ears ago, and hence probably why she
as hung fire" SO, as people express
o see Milly's attachment was not
ne where there was any immediate
iospest of marriage. Allan Cameron
a. . very nice young Scotchman, and