Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-06-19
CHAPTER VII

| Importance 10 communicate.
CHAPTER VIII.
Whenever Jim Dane had ANYTHING of
Importance to communicate, it was GEN.
orally a signal of distress to the family
who gathered about him GREATNESS and
anxious, as they did on this occasion.
1t was no use to glance interrogatino
looks at Jim's countenance previous to
such divulgings, for, until he had spok-
en-. it was impossible to guess what sort
of egg his mind had Matched out. AS
he sat-tipped slightly backward in his
chair. his body and limbs stretched out.
his feet crossed, hands thrust deem in
pants pockets and chin resting upon his
breast a pleased smile lowered about
his face, suggesting that the aforesaid
egg had brought forth nothing short of
turtle-dove for peace and good will:
but the family and Storm did not seem
less anxious on that account.
well, Fanny" Jim said, I've con-
ciuded to move further west. This old
claim don't sell worth euss and I'm
blamed tired of waiting for some one
to buy it. I've come to this conclusion.
that | will leave you and Sam here to
run this place and I'll take the rest of
the family to claim two hundred
miles from here. You and Sam can
get married and hold this place till
you've chance to sell it, and if YOU
make good sale I'll give you enough
of the proceeds to start you in life right
handsome. This is all / have to saw.
1t is growing late and let's all 90 to
bed now. You and Sam will have three
weeks to do up your counting in; but
hurry it for I'm going to leave here in
just one month.
The resolution to live a grand and
noble life made such a short time ago
by Storm was badly threatened with ut
ter humiliation by Jim's proposition.
Storm was generally submissive, but
she was possessed of considerable cour-
age, and Jim had often said, when
''she gifts spell she's hard heifer to
lead. On this occasion she arose and
with considerable dignity smoothed
down her apron front. Her eyes were
fixed modestly upon the floor, but two
red spots glowed ON her cheeks and
Jim could interpret them without half
trying He dragged his heels lima
turedly along the floor as he came to
a stiff sitting posture, and before Storm
could speak said:
''Well. what is it?''
eff you please, Father Dane, I'll not
marry brother SAM" she answered.
The deuce you WON'T calculated
Jim.
mo, | WON'T" said Storm spiteful-
ly.
"Well. you jist will It's not for
little beggar like you to refuse son of
Mr.. James Dane. saw you and that
tenderfoot gospel sharp spooning out in
the grass tonight, and Jim Dane gives
it out that if he hangs around you any
more I'll deposit full pay lead mine
inside his ribs. You've got to marry
Sam, an that's the end of it. Seems
you've bucked about it, I'm goin' to
have quarter section of courtin done
right now. You, Sam, step up and
put your arm around Fanny and kiss
her. Start operations at onst or I'll
basic you a forty-pounder," Jim said.
Sam was half a sleep, and, although
he seemed afraid to disobey his fathers
commands, he appeared in hurry to get
ly vivid with rage. Jim, to expedite
matters, grasped Sam by the coat col
lar and fairly hurled him toward Storm.
She lodged Sam and tried to run out of
the door; but Jim was too quick, and
took a grip on her arm that made
Storm fairly writhe with pain. He then
led her to bedroom door and pushed
her inside the room with, "Stay in there,
you little huzzym He next pushed Sam
in the bedroom where Storm was, and
said as he shut and locked the door on
the outside, you two will have to do
some counting afore you get out of
here'
Storm looked around, found lamp
on the old bureau and lit it; then she
drew up chair and opened the book
Professor Cam had given her.
Sam yawned and said: Father grows
to be bigger fool every year"
He then threw himself on the bed and
went sound asleep in few minutes.
Storm sat and read the book. Hour
after hour passed and still her pretty
head was bent over its pages and eager
ly her limpid eyes followed line upon
line-chapter upon chapter. The book
Storm read was Victor Hugo's Les Ms
cradles (The Miserable Ones), and as
she dwelt on the life of good Monseig-
neur Welcome of the silver candle
sticks, or followed the precarious exist
ence of Jean Vatican with detective
Javert on his track like spectre hound,
or agonized and hoped and feared with
Marius and Cosette, and found at last
that .'the grass hides and the rain eff
faces new light broke in upon her
budding fancies and she walked, moved
and breathed in a clashing world of
which she had never before caught
glimpse or even dreamed.
When the night was far spent she
laid the greatest-the father of all ro
mances aside. She looked at Sam; he
was sleeping soundiy as he had been
for many hours. Trying the door. she
found it still locked; indeed, Jim had
woke up in his bed many times during
the night and chuckled to think .'how
foul I've got that kid and kiddess on
the marriage RACKET.
Storm LAID down on the bed beside
Sam and laid her arm lightly around
his neck; then after saying her prayer
she dropped asleep. That same arm
had rested on the same neck a hundred
times before in childhood when Sam
and Storm had slept so, and they found
it no inconvenience to be children again
now that they were grown and necessi-
ty demanded it.
Pooh. Jim Dane, your an old idiot
to suppose your designs could prosper
under such circumstances. A fire will
hardly burn without fuel. and most GER
tainly fuel will not burn without fire
Two loves are seldom found under one
roof-that is, two loves that desire to
wed and blend.
But why waste ink and paper, as our
whole complement of characters now
lay sleeping peacefully, aud the future is
all in tomorrow, for some will rise and
some will fall while the old world wags.
Tomorrow, we wait for thee with I'M
utterable longing.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
The Vassar College girls enjoy good
I 4. l..