Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-28
Jack to tell her she looked as pretty as

Jack to tell her she looked as pretty as
a peach, while he persisted in driving
with one hand, and keeping the other
along the back of the seat. 1t was on
one of these memorable drives that
Jack told Kitty how dearly he loved
her, and asked her if she could DO satis-
fed to be the wife Of an unpopular
country doctor.
ut is asking a great DEAL" he had
said, almost sadly, ''but what love could
make up to you you should have.
dear"
And Kitty, with uncomfortable CO.
quetry, longing all the time to put her
head down on his shoulder and cry for
Joy. had laughed instead, and babe him
wait. She was too young to think of
engaging herself yet, she said.
When Kitty drove now, it was behind
a far handsomer horse than Jacks
heavy roam that his father had owned
before him; and her companion was
handsomer, too, in his slim, ~aristocratic'
style; his compliments were mole con-
else and delicately worded, and he never
put his arm on the back of the seat.
One afternoon, when Kitty went to
read to old Romeo, she found the old
man huddled together on a tiny patch
of sunlight, which continually disap-
peared, leaving him shivering and blue,
and danced back like q tormenting
''will-o'-the-wisP," while q miserable
fire smouldered in his diminutive stove.
"Why. you poor, freezing c~reature!'
cried Kitty, gajly. sit is evident that
Especial providence sent me here to-
day. I'm going to make that fire blaze
in 8 way that will astonish you; and
I've a piece here about the assassina-
ton of Lord Turretville that will prove
beneficial by making your blood bod"
The old man, upon whom the cold
had a bad effect, made a severe remark
about the "h'inappropriatc levity of
young FOOLS" and thumped his stick
upon the floor, frowning blackly, while
he %inwardly chuckled with delight at
this welcome break in this dismal day.
The fire soon cracked cheerily, and
Kitty flew around, putting the things
to rights, which the overworked me-
chanic's wife had left in confusion, for
she was IN orderly little soul, and de-
clared she could not read in q clutter.
Suddenly she uttered a sharp cry, and
sank down on the floor.
"Lord, how you do worrit me, sour
rying round 80, and %scrceching! What
ais We now?" demanded her agreeable
host.
Kitty turned her pale little face to-
wards him.
"That thing in the corner" she said.
81 ran against it, and it has cut my
foot badly, I'm afraid"
"What, not my sickle?" screamed
the old man, rising cxcitedly in his
chair. 81 hope you amt stained my
sickle with blood,h and he sank down
again, as a twinge of rheumatism seized
his own foot.
81 don't think your old sickle is
hurt" said Kitty, pettishly, with tears
of pain in her eyes. Oh, dear how it
bleeds! But it serves me right for wear
ing these hateful Newport ties, Just be-
they make my feet look smaller"
and she gave the u~not1ending shoe a
twitch. "Of course there is no linen
to be had here, and, as usual, I have
forgotten my handkerchief; it's fortu-
nate my stockings are scarlet" With a
rueful little laugh.
"Many's the time,' solilequlzed the
old man. "that sickle has moved my
lords terraces and garden-borders: it's
a relic, that there sickle is; and Mar
thy. she'd just secured it up bright's a
dollar. I hope you amt dimmed it
much, have YEP" he asked, anxiously.
81 don't know DOR care anything
about it"' blazed Kitty, righteously in
dignant at this supreme selfishness.
~ on a find out yourself, if you like"
she continued, rather cruelty, for she
knew the old man could not cross the
floor to save his life, 'for I'm going
straight home" and she bounced out,
leaving the satire of the Montagues to
vent his spleen upon the empty air.
The cut did not prove very serious,
for it soon stopped bleeding, and Kitty
found she could walk without trouble.
She did notsseven limp, for DIR. Recquar,
driving leisurely behind her, admired
her graceful carriage, when a foaming,
emerald-eyed monster dashed by, snap
ping at kitty's ankles, and tearing q
large piece from her dress. The girl
stood motionless for a moment, look
ing after the mad creature, already a
speck in the distance; then quietly
dropped in a dead faint. A crowd col
lected instantly, and Kitty was carried
into the opposite house. DR.. Recquar,
terribly pale and shaken, followed.
There was a hubbub of questions over
the poor little u%pturned face, until, in
less than three minutes, DR.. Golett mi
raculously appeared upon the scene,
white as death, but self-possessed and
strong.
"Go out, all OF YOU" he commanded.
"Have you no humanity, that you make
this unfortunate girl the object of Your
idle curiosity?'
The crowd skunk out abashed, and the
two doctors were left alone with their
unconscious patient and Mrs. Turnbull,
in whose house they were. DR.. Go!ett
gently drew offthe little shoe and blood
soaked scarlet stocking.
"Would whisky be advisable?" asked
the other doctor, in a hoarse, trembling
voice. "a red-hot iron? l have had
no cxperience-but she must not die"
he continued, wildly. 'For Gods sake,
| what shall we do?'
II have had no experience either"
said young Cole tt, looking old and
worn. ''Tnere is no iron available, but,
~ ! 7 Ill