The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-08-14

HZA& -
Yes, MIR. Perkins, / will!''
Shall we 60 right to the parson's?"
saidJohn.
Ell suppose so,'' said Meta.
..It's the best way said John, .If
I begin a Job, I generally like to go
on with it."
So they were married. Meta vent
back to Mr.. Briggs house, until her
young husband could break the news
to his uncle. Mrs. Briggs received the
bride with some faint semblance of
welcome.
John Perkins is a likely fellow
said she, .tand the deacon is the richest
man in Yellow Pines. I will allow,
Meta, that you haven't done badly for
yourself. If you'd told me what you
was calculatin' for"
"But l was not calculating" said
Meta, Indignantly. II thought
Of such q thing. until John asked me
to be his wife"
"Thatil II do to tell, said Mrs. Briggs
with a dry chuckle.
Meanwhile, John went brayely to
his uncle.
Uncle" said he, Il guess you'll
have to spare me q bigger arter
this"
Deacon Perkins, a dried-up with
cred old man, with a strong likeness to
the chimpanzee tribe, looked up from
his account book with a snarl, which
revealed q set of ragged yellow teeth.
"a bigger rQom?" said he. .'Wha
There's at least q dozen rooms in
the house you don't use,'' said John,
land they'd be all the better for being
occupied; and besides-as if this was j
mere incidental fact-"I've been get
ting married."
The deacon dropped his spectacle
case, and as John picked it up and
handed 1t back to him, he added:
ITO Meta Milton
The deacon's little eyes glittered like
very small gas-lamps, e G through a
November fog
You've married her. have you??"
said he.
Yes. SIR said John.
We'll, then" said the deacon, "you
can take her somewhere else and sup
port her, for I'll never see mol speak
to either of you again as long as l
live.n
John.
.Am I in the habit Of jokingp" said
Mr.. Perkins, with an ugly grin, that
made him more chimpanzee like than
ever. If you're SO very independent,
you can go and hang out your flag of
freedom at your leisure!"
This was rather hard on John, who
had always been taught to regard him
self as his uncle's adopted child.
But he was too proud to sue for q
rich mans favor.
"Just as you please, SIR said he.
.'But won't you let me bring Meta to.
see youp"
mo, l WON'T" said the deacon.
"Oh, John, l have ruined you!" said
Meta, when he came back to tell the
tale.
Ruined me, puss?' said he cheer
fnlly-.not a bit of it! You've been
the making of me. 1t amt good for
nobody to hang on the c~oat-sEirts of a
rich q I'm more independent now
than | have been for ten years. If
Mrs. Briggs will let us stay here for a
few days
4 couldn'. possibly!' said Mrs.
Briggs, freezing visibly. IF your
good, pious uncle discountenances
you. it amt for me to set myself up
ag'in his judgment"
Very vel" said John: Farmer
Drake wants a hand to held clear up
the maple hills this winter-Ill engage
with him. My Meta shall have a good
home somewhere!n
When Mrs. Briggs heard that John
Perkins had rented the little one.storied
cabin by the railroad. and furnished it
for his bride, she shook her head fore
bodingly.
.sIf Meta can put up with a hole like
that, she hain't no proper PRIDE said
she.
But Meta was as happy as a lark.
1t was a humble home, but it was
her own. And john came home to it
every night, with a face as cheerful as
the dawn.
Il wish it was a palace, puss, for
your sake said he.
81 couldn't be happier, John, if it
was" Meta brightly answered.
sAnd you don't mind your Cousin
DSSS PstsSiuS yOo III iHc SLEeet, Wltu-
out speaking to your
Not in the least, if you don't mind
Deacon Perkins returning your letters
unopened
"He is an ill-tempered old crab"
said John, with q hearty laugh.
And she.' merrily retorted Meta,
sis q venomous old gossip
While the public opinion of Yellow
Plains unanimously CONDEMNED Mr..
and Mrs. Perkins to the poor-house in
the course of q brief time.
He hasn't a cent of capital" said
one neighbor.
And she amt no management and
never had said another.
Buys bakers bread and makes her
pie crusts with butter instead o. drip
pins" said Mrs. Briggs. ..Did n
one ever hear of such shiftlessness? I
for one. wash my hands of them
Until, one day, Deacon Perkins died
sitting in his chair. with his spectacles
ON his nose.
Well go to the funeral, Meta said
John to his wife. s.Of course he has
left all his money to the Gattawooche
Indian Mission, as he always said he
would. But he was my uncle after
ALL
Very WE'LL said Meta. well go.''
All the ne%ighborhood was there, Of
course. yhe richest man in Yellow
Plains did not depart this life every
day. But every ono Inoked coldly mon