The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-20
PAUL PERKINS PASSES.

Dul ihere was one within sight and
hearing of these rare intellectual
pleasures who was very miserable.
The parted draperies at the windows
revealed to HIM the guests of General
Standish ut the very height of their
symposiac, the General himself at last
the acknowledged symposiarch, but
this view seemed only to increase the
melancholy of this unknown onlooker.
He turned and paced gioomily, .mcdi-
tatlvelv under the great elms, on the
lawn of General Standish's residence
in Leverby-by-the-S Sea. Once in a
while he glanced at the open window,
hoping to catch II glimpse of her
he yearned to see, whose voice he now
and then heard with pangs of passion.
AT length a fair woman came to the
porch and seemed to be about to ven
ture out, and Paul Perkins rashly
stepped forward. as quickly to draw
back again into the shadows. For he
had seen n with classic brow and
heavy gold bowed spectacles step be-
side the young woman, and he heard
the philosopher say:
"Be prudent, lady; the dew is fall
ing, if you speak in this night damp
let your lung air vibrate the local
chords in your larynx gently, that in
hammation set not in"
Dew" she said gently. Surely
there is no dew, professor. That is
but the license of poetry. 1t is the
exhalation of vegetation to which you
refer. How beautifully the moon
f~unctionates tonight Leave me, pro-
%fessor, for awhile. l would mediate"
The scholar did as he was bid, re-
turning to his fellows. Then sudden
ly the fair woman rushed down the
steps, out upon the greensward, her
face strangely passionate in view of
the recent calmness of ii. She clench-
ed her hands as though in agony.
Young Perkins saw her; heard her
agitated breathing, and. unable longer
to restrain himself, he came from his
~concealment.
"Minerva,' he moaned.
She heard him. She gave one quick
glance at the window that she might
kpow if any n saw her, and, seeing
no one, with impassioned manner she
seized the young mans hand and
tiercely dragged him to a place of
ooncealment. Then she wildly turn
ed upon him, and he saw her beauty,
that it was marvelously enhanced.
sPaul,' she said, i'm habbereas-
ted. 30 back not on nc. mo, how
is if said'9 Don't you go back on
me-
He gasped.
"Drop that" she said, fercely.
"Oh, there must be reaction, or-or
I'll hy-fly-off the handle. Stand
there, Paul Perkins, and let me talk
slang to you until l bring Minerva
Stardish back to earth again"
Aud she did.
When the reaction came she said 70
the wild-eyed young man: IF you
ever talk anything more to me but
downright Yankee dialect I'll let YOU
slide of-away-no, I'll let you slide;
that's it. Oh, how much good that
does me! Now. that pops won and
is at last crowned one of them. let me
be a risky girl again; and you, you
up brace-no, brace up, for my sake,
Paul.
The young man became himself.
In place of melancholy there was al
most frenzy of JOY.
You make MI pleased, Min. You're
worth my life, but hang me if l could
have kept up this cultured
racket another month. 1t would have
killed me. But the old gent will sour
on me worse than ever, now he's
kigh-cock- alorum among 'em, after
trying SO hard, ever since Blaine was
nominated. l swear, Min, I've tried
the culture and mugwump dodge on
him for all I know, but it wouldn't
wash" "
That's it, Paul. Talk to me some
more like that. 1t does me good"
''But, Min, how am / going to fetch
the old man round? I've played my
last card"
mo, you haven't. I'm just Boston
girl enough to tell you how you can
work a noise-no. racket-ah! I like
that-that'll fetch him. First make
him break all up-no; what is that
term, Paulp"
"Break HIM all up. you mean"
Eyes; splendid. Break him all up
by joining the-the-oh, the Prohibi-
ton party. Tell him that's the evolu-
ton Of mugwumpism. That'll make
him swearing mad, and when he
swears you can handle him. He hasn't
sworn since he's laid on this-no, been
on this lay; that's it. Then tell him
he's got to be a consistent. mugwump,
and as you are an applicant for the
office of son-in-law, mako him exam
inc you, give you a certificate, and
send you to me. That's the way the
commission does, and I'm the appoint
ing powerain this business, commish
or no commish. Then for taffy, Just
praise his horseback riding. Tell HIM
there isn't a mugwump in Boston that
L. - -