The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-12
NJ NiTls RDsflC
M uxAw VIII

II 0lln 1U01lOs
N ELLA WHHRA
The situation was romantic
He was leaning over rail fsooe, wiplAs ID
brow with . somewhat soiled bat very hAnd-
some handkerchief, whom hs discovered her.
She was kneelins In The grass LITTLE Wy
Oh, hunting for wild strawberries, which shs
dropped into apartially Allied Tin pail
Her sun bonnet had fallen back, end now
revealed very flushed facs and tumbaed
mass Of brown hair
He thought her profile very pretty, and her
wrist, o. it was disclosed below her print
sleeve, shapely and whita He wishsd she
would look up, - he was growing curious
concerning the color Of her eyea He felt
sure they were brown
Just at this moment whirr Of wings caused
him to turn his eyes in another direction, and
no saw covey Of wild prairie hens just Set
Ting upon an angle Of the fence In near range
Helifted his gun quickly to his shoulder, took
aim and fired
The birds all few away unframed But
the girl in the grass gave little shrek. and
sprang up SO hastily she tipped her pail Of
berries over, and they all disappeared in the
long, tangled grass.
ooh, how provoking!" she cried, in . tone
Of real vexation, a. she looked down at her
empty pail
"Allow me to help you pick them up" said
our hero, calamity, ~ he sprang over the
fence with an easy bound, and bent to bis task
as lightly as il he had always picked berries
from tangled grass for = livelihood, instead Of
attending to the foreign business Of one Of the
largest commercial houses in the world He
picked away in silence for fully five minutes
without looking up.
II was now the young lady's opportunity for
inspection. She saw medium sized, strong
" built figure, clothed in hunting suit evil
IDENTIFY news head Of closely cropped hair,
suspiciously near badness upon the crown; .
peculiarly pallid complexion, , very handsome
moustaclc, wcll-wsxcd and glossy, and, - he
lifted them, just then two very liquid snd LAM
guild blue eyes,
eyes, they are brown" he said, mentally,
as he met her glance Aloud: 81 think your
pail is quite as full as IL was before
madcmoiselle. shall take pleasure in assist
ing you to completely I'LL it il You will al
low"
And his glance and smile, and the perfect
modulation OF his voice, was as delightful to
I4isle Ashley % it had been TO score-nsy, toa
hundred women before her.
"I-I thank you" she stammered; "but !
have enough for tea now, and 1t is late, and I
must 60"
"But you have not enough for tea IL take
tea with you," said our hero, with respect
full demeanor, which was one Of Richard
Westbrook's most taking qualities with the
ladies.
II a mans manner, glance and tone are only
respectful and defcrcntial, nothing pleases Q
woman more than certain amount OF b0ldness
in his words and actions.
"You sec," he continued, in answer TO her
look of surprise. II am lost left . party Of
friends this forenoon, and wandered through
the wootls in search Of game, until am COM
kct You are the first human being have seen
in hours, aud have dinod on few berries !
must have supper soon or perish. I have no
idea how far am from Benton station, where
was to Join my friends at o'clock And now II
il s."
indeed, 'syou are to be pified You are five
miles from Benton station, and you must be
hungry, know Well, we'll, you may 60 home
with nett is just half . mile from here. And
Ruth will have supper ready, know and You
will be welcome And the hired man 10 going
to Benton Falls this evening You can ride
with him."
"But my train goes at 4"
"Well, there il another ut q And Jeol may
70 early enough to get up there for the Z O'Clock
train H.. will help him with the cows so h0 can
Richard glanced down at the slender hands
and wrists.
"Yon milk cows? Impossible" he said.
ooh, do not make business Of it" Lisle
answered calmly; "but can do 1t when &C.
casion requires. / would not be thoroughly
genuine country girl il could not Now here
10 fence to climb. Will you please go first
and then help me over!"
fence" said Richard, a. he sprang lightly over
''They can do it but they do not always dis
play their agility on every OCCASION" Lisle re-
torted, IS she stepped to the ground at his aide
ronSor en ts e co y ,s%
out OF the attic window to tell the men in tho
hay field that supper will be ready a. soon as
they can get down to tho house"
a9T dsistfu!!y grinisiys life gu. hsEe
world from tho one left this morning"
"You are from Lake Resort, suppose?
Eyes. l have been there week my home
is in Albany, New York. I WAS induced to come
to Lake Resort on account of the fish and game
III neighboring localities. But came ont here
this morning. and have tramped all day and
never shot bird"
.Yon have tried though" said Isle, mis-
chievously. 'But here we are now; please
take seat on the veranda in the shade while
I tell Aunt Ruth we have company to tea and
help her pick over the berries"
"What . charming, fresh, unspoiled child Of
nature she isl" Thought Richard Oh she disap-
peared "Sweet eyes and mouth and pretty
figure, and 30 simple and UNAFFECTED. All!
that il what attracts q man after he il worn
out with the articles Of the world aud DISCUS
ted with tho shans OF society. What an ideal
life one could lead here with such companion
as that, far from all the din and turmoil and
strife of the world"
"Tea is ready, sir" o very sweet voice an
nounced; walk this way il you please. sup
pose you would like to wash your face and
hands, perhaps. You may step into auntie's
room at the left here"
How pretty and restful and homelike the
mowers came in through the open window;
how motherly Aunt Ruth appeared in her big
ity, touched with slight awe Of his city orr
gin; how charming the table appeared u his
hungry eyes, with its healthy country fare!
"You had better sit right down-you and
Lisle,s said Aunt Ruth. "Joel will be gettin'
on to town now. about q. he says, il it'll &C
commOdate you any, and the menll be here in
few minutes, 30 it'll he plcasanter for you to
have your tea before they come"
And Richard sat down to tete-a-tete tea
with Lisle, i'll her print gown and with her
slightly sunburned face, guiltless Of powder,
and enjoyed it more than any stately dinner
which he ever attended, where ladies lured
him with beautiful faces and sumptuous CO.'S
tunes and glittering jewels
Then in came Uncle William with his loud
voice and his burly frame, TO break the spell,
and half a dozen red faced and penpiring farm
hands with linn.
s'StOrm coming up from the nor'west," he
said, Guess my llay'll catch it, but I've only
half-day's moving down. All the rest up in
snug stacks at noon. Neighbor Brown has three
acres lying yet I'm lucky for once Whew!
there comes the thunder! A regular night of
it, guess we'll have"
SO it proved Joel could not go to stown," a.
the little station five miles distant was designat-
cd. and tine night yet in storming furiously.
Richard, not ut all reluctantly. accepted the
train went to Lake Resort at u, but as at that
hour it still rained, he turned over upon his
comfortable couch and concluded to wait until
evening
He was in no haste to leave Lisle Ashley's
sweet presence.
lie illleda the day in delicious fashion.
llsle sat over great basket mending, while he
read loud or talked to her III hls rich, thrilling
voice of foreign lands and people,
GLOW well she listens. So few people pos
scss that accomplishment, too" lie thought,
n MI al. had \ lei 4