The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-03-07

7
road. Ike that famous war-horse who
shifted the battle from afar.
She soon beheld her enemy sitting on
the fence beneath tree at the roadside;
a slim. sallOw lad, bare-footed, straw
hat, dirty unblea"hed m slim shirt. blue
operalls, "galluses," which drew the
wasitband Of the same up under his
arms.
Jack Bills" began Miss Martha,
"what in the name Ofsense are you do
in with that gunP"
"Paw's," said he.
"Well, he ID no business to let yC
have it. Been shootin' turkeys?"
mo, ma am" "
''Seen any?"
"No, ma am"
81 know better"
"Who told you SOP"
Miss Martha was unguarded enough
to answer.
"Nr. John Baker"
"Ho Humph! Hello, Mr.. John Ba-
kerr
"Never you mind. Where were the
turkeys?" .
SHOWN yam way" with a nod.
| " Hot uiu NOu uo " tuClAs
"Never done nothin'."
"Don't tell me What did you do?"
"Nothin'; only but fire stone at one
of 'em. Didn't INTELLECTUALLY.
ooh, Heavens You wretch Where
did they go to?''
nowhere; only down the road"
Stiffly marched Miss Martha away.
Cried her enemy:
"May be MIR. John Baker d help you
drive 'em home"
No reply fir m the irate bonnet, set
steadfastly toward the turkeys.
Her flock homeward turned. she was
slowly progressing when she heard bug
gy wheels, and voice called out:
"Miss Marthy !-Whoa" to the horse.
.Miss Mar,hv Stand up here Pm
going up the country a ways here to get
some seed wheat. Won't you go long,
for rider ''f ~
81 can't. possibly. Mr.. john, Eve
80. let them 20 by themselves, and
come with me; do now, Miss Marthy.
I'd like to have COMPANY" s.. .r.
"Why didn't you ask your mother?"
"What did you say? oh, well, she
| was busy" .... ..-.
80 am l."
"No, you amt. Do you know, Miss
Marthy. Isometimes think I'll Kill every
turkey you We got.
"Why, John Baker! What do you
mean?'
"Well. you give 'em all your time.
Say, now. come on; won't your
What! Go riding in q sun-bonnet
and huckskin gloves?" .-
Yes; what difference does that
make?'
Miss Martha miled.
"Oh. no. l can't. My turkeys. Good
day'-and she was gone.
Il wouldn't care'n Jake Bills d
shoot 'en al" thought John.
''Good evenin', Polly. Is Miss Mar
thy IMP"
Twas John Baker who asked it, and
Polly replied:
Yes 'ah. But she's down in the
edge Of the orchard shutting up her tur-
keys"
:.All right. Guess I'll just walk
around that way
The sun had set, but the violet west
ern clouds. dashed and lined W tn rud-
dy light, stin she! pure, clear glow
over the landscal e; the vivid green of
the corn, now toned by the ruzzy whit
of its tassels, the dull yellow of the
| fields of cut wheat. and the soft brown
of mown meadows, presented calm,
res;fll scene.
Coming up through the red. fragrant
clover of the orchard was a slim figure.
with frizzv black hair blown about over
its read, W litish SIX rts iestoned over its
arms. an apron. full of soft something,
gathered up in front. John Baker has
tened to join it.
Good even, Miss Marthy. Can't 1
help you?"
.'Oh. no; be careful-you'll step on
those turkeys in front of you"
John sa nothing aloud for few
moments, but walked on by her side,
pulling clover blossoms as he went.
"When do you reckon y u II cut your
second growth, Miss Mar,hy?"
Before long, CUES. WANTED to
get my new hay-barn done be ore time
10 cut this clover, bat | don't bell we |
can. I've been depending on Bill Go 8
to d , mo t of the work; but he's such a
tritiing fellow. there's no getting any
thing done by him."
"Yes. he powerful unstiddy, Bill is"
Another silence.
Miss Mat Y. what's your opinion
about putin that bottom field of mine
in corn next year?'
8. would. if were you. / planted
mine next 10 it tn year. and I've got a
very nice stand of corn there"
..This land. jinin on h re as it does.
ought to all be in one farm; don't you
think so. Miss Ma thy?'
"Yes, I've often thought of it: but
then diin pose you'd want to sell.
II don't, Miss Marthy, but She
was now transferring the baby turkeys
from her apron to heir coop and count.
Ing them rs she did it.
'Gne, two
g! thought perhaps you"
''Fivc. six, sew"
"Might gointo-"
"Ninn, ten ="
THAT IS. I'd Ike to say"
"lwelve, thirteen-yes, they're al
he~e."
$50 am I, Miss Marthy; though You
don S en- 10 notice it."
Il m listening. Mr.. John. Won't
YOU please hand me hat board there t,
set uD by tn s dpor?'
''H re it is. Miss Marthy. Ill wall
till You get done
Silence. and n pr >longed counting,
and fumbling wi b do rs and sla S. 1hs
W TX could be protracted no further,
the last turkey was on its 70 st, an
Miss Mart a was relucta lily obliged t.,
turn her devot d b .ck upon Them.
John was going to be sure this time