The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-13
AQUAINT PROPOSAL.

S'SN>'''h'
as a tiny zephyr swept gayly by, watt
ing far and near it's incense of new
mown hay. In its wake huttered a
purple and golden butterfly, to poise
a moment upon the windows ledge.
then to soar boldly forward until it lit
upon q curious Old vase beside an
organ, whose yellowed keys cleaned
softly in the half-darkened room. The
butterfly and the vase mirrored them
selves in the polished oak floor, and
II the range had been right they could
have repeated hepicturcin the shining
surface OF each article offurniture.
A younggirl was the sole occupant of
theroom, with the exception, ofcourse,
OF the butterfly, who had winged his
way to Il small oval mirror and was
busily making his toilet, as his com.
panion, hunming merry tune, busted
carefully a squatty teapot, whose fat
little spout and comic tout ensemble
at once inspired a longing for tea
brewed in such novel quarters. At
that moment q voice calling "Marthy!
Marthy!" echoed through the house,
followed by "Run-quick; old Tim'sin
the corntield, and my hands are all
over dough-"
Hastily replacing the ancient heir
loom on a spindle-legsed table, the
young girl darted from thereon, while
the butterfly, startled at it's toilet,
spread its wings and hoated swiftly
out into the sunshine again. Snatch
ing a snowy sun-bonnet from it's peg
in the hall, Martha flew down the gar
den path across to an adjacent
meadow. In her hurry she failed to
notice a gentleman slowly advancing
in her direction, until two masculine
hands stayed her progress.
With an exclamation of surprise,
Martha raised her pretty blue eyes
and met a pair ofdecidedlygood look
ing brown ones, gazing with evident
appreciation at the dimpled, blushing
face, from off which the sun-bonnet
had slipped, disclosing a crop Of red
dish golden rings lying close to the
finely shaped head.
81 beg your PARDON" murmured
Martha, the bushes and dimples WAY
ng deeper, but I didn't see you, l
was in such a hurry"
Don't mention it. Wouldn't have
missed the-the pleasure for anything.
III Il:n tn ln ,,r Intr - ,,.,,,,l AZ,
gentleman with considerable empha-
sis. y
Such a ripping laugh as dubbed
over the lips OF Martha at this speech!
which she hastily apologized for with:
Il didn't mean to, really; but what
you said sounded so odd
"Iou couldn't do it again, could
you? assure you | never appreciate
cd being a-old until to-day. /"
"Oh, the cow" exclaimed Martha.
suddenly recollectins her errand. II
forgot all about him." and away she
sped, the gentleman hurrying after,
repeating:
Cow! Himl Let me help you. /
1really am very clever with COWS. In
fact l would like to make them a
study"
However,..when the field wasreachcd
no COW IA to be seen, and remarking
that doubtless some OF the hands had
ousted old Tim, Martha turned her
steps toward the house, thinking the
gentleman would proceed or his way.
To her astonisfment, however, he
kept along by her side, observing:
Are you acquainted with Willow
Brook FARM"
"NNhy, yes; it's my home. I was
born there" answered Martha, sur
prisedly.
Happy farm! I mean-a-it must
bea lovely place. You see, the fact is
that is, I have q note for Mrs. Dun
can of Willow Brook Farm"
"My mother!' calculated Martha,
opening wide her blueeyes. Whereup-
on the gentleman scanned with newly
awakened interest a square envelope
he had extractedfrom his breast peck
ct, as he added.
u am an old-Ishould say my moth
en- ID an old friend of Mrs. Duncan's,"
making a rough calculation of the
length of time it might take, all things
favorable, to place him on equally rs
good footing with the daughter, while
Martha's thought ran very much in
this wise.
"Would be nice looking if he wasn't
SO sallow. Wonder if mother will ask
him to make us a visit. Ineverh heard
her speak OF an old friend that had q
sem.
BY this time they were proceedingu
the path that led to the farms pretty
rose garlanded porch, and having ush-
cred the gentleman into the parlor we
have already been introduced to, with
a demure littlecourtesy and the words
~ will send mother" Martha left him.
In a few moments a comely, rosy
checked woman came hurrying into
the parlor with:
Good afternoon, sir, Marthy tells
me YOU have q letter for me from an
old friend"
eyes, from my mother" and the
gentleman held toward her the letter.
Having read it through, interrupted
with ordinations such as "Bless mel"
"Who'dhave thought it?" Mrs. Dun
can, her pleasant face deepening into
a smile calculated.
$50 you are little Paul Dorsey. My!
how time flies. When l last saw you,
you were only a little shaver. 1t must
be nigh onto fifteen years q. And
to think OF Lucindy's remembering me
all these years and sending her son to
see me. Not that | have forgotten
her-not a bit. Only with one thing
and another one hasn't time TO think
much of old days. You see your ma
and I went to the same academy,
and we thought a sight of each other;