Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-08-13

1
| a lifetime to a woman.
He had come to think it would not
be such wonderful evil-nay, in some
cases. perhaps, it might be very pleas
ant Gust here the brown eyes of Mary
Hilton would rise before him) for some
| body.
He never really knew who 'some-
body was, until, one day, going over
TO the mansion, he encountered hand
some dark young fellow, who cast on
| Mary such looks of admiration as made
Tom 5 fingers itch to grasp him by his
collar and assist him speedily from the
house. He restrained himself; but
| from that time forward, when he
dreamed of the brown eyes, it was
with the thought that, perhaps, they
might be appreciated by him.
lie even went so far as to picture to
himself how the old dark, heavy din
ing-hall, which had been used by the
Burtons for fifty years, would brighten
| up if those eyes were to be opposite
| him ut the old-fashioned carved oak
table, looking at him from behind the
antique silver tea-urn, or the quaint old
| English server.
4
would ask her to be his wife. Fred
would chaff him-sure. He would be
great bore. When Fred made Jokes
at his expense, of late, somehow he
couldn't think of bright answer until
it was too late; but he must expect to
| sacrifice something.
Thoughtless Tom. Hadn't a thought
but that she would accept him. Why,
he was wealthy, had been smiled upon
| by many n designing mamma. and still
more designing daughter. To speak
| truth, in all the years of his life he had
been made an idol by his mother, in
| dulged by his father. bowed down to
by the world. How could it be other
wise than that he should become tri-
| file confident of the result?
Can one wonder that he was startled
not little when. having asked Mary
| Hilton's hand in II manner which had,
| perhaps, a trtlc of assurance in il. the
girl rose up and laughed deiiaaiIy,
scorGfuily, and, indeed, mockingiy at
| Ia m?
Waving him off, rs he approached
nrr to take the hand he felt sure must
Jo his She answered him:
| .'l1rrN ynu? Snail Il? Oa, no. Mr..
| Blu. ton, ! think not. Wh,? Why,
hcVsr s4a. N rry IN, body al AL, YOU
| huoW. an i. Ain. W. worn never To
nafr III A,.o,c il me j. Thomas
| tilit !" I = .s'iil y IN r nor one who
cannot waltz. nor one who cannot play
| skilfu!Iy on banjo. And never. aercr
will | marry II man who SAYS | am as
! black as chony aud a. homrly as
| hedgc-fcnce.
With another hooking laugh she
turned and LEI, him.
Grinding his teeth, and muttering
anathcmas against the stupidity which
prompted him 10 give uttcrancc to the
sentiments which he knew she must
have overheard, Tom wendell his way
| back to the house.
I'm going home tomorrow. | have
received Il telegram saying must come
and attend to some affairs about
bonds, " said he to Fred, whom he met
as he entered the house.
''Oh, no; you can't possibly go to-
morrow" said Fred. you can't get
ready, and. besides, tomorrow we are
going to brand the cattle, and we will
all ride over to the ranch, Alice, Mary,
you and |, and you can see what you
have said you would not miss for any
thing"
Tom could make no reasonable ex-
cuse, so it was arranged that they
should 60. He hoped Mary would not
| go but she, fearing Alice or Fred
| would suspect the true state of affairs,
concluded to go, and rode up to the
| door at the time appointed
She greeted Tom as usual, there be-
ing nothing unusual rs to her appear
ance, except the feversh flush of her
cheek and the sparkle of her eye.
Each carried. slung at the saddle
bow, heavy navy revolver. Tom
knew he couldn't hit mountain with
that thing" but Fred insisted that it
might be of use, so he agreed to .'trans-
port it.
When they arrived at the ranch, the
cattle were being driven into the cor
raj, most of them having been corral
ed.
Tom rode up to within few rods of
the entrance, and thoughtlessly dis
mounted from his horse.
The cattle which are herded on the
plains of Texas are nearly as wild and
untamed as buffaloes. The herders,
whose duty it is to keep them within
bounds, are mounted on horseback, and
never dismount near the herd. The
strange creatures have n dread of a
man and horse together, but man on
foot is an object which excites them to
such an extent that for man TO dis
mount near a herd is almost certain
death.
So the moment that Tom touched
the ground a thick-neckcd. heavy, cur
ly-headed bull gave i tremendous bel
low, and dashed from the herd towards
him.
Tom turned 10 mount. but before he
could place his foot in the Stirrup, the
frightened pony gave terrified scream,
and broke from his hand and fled.
The great bull stopped moment,
paved the ground, snorled again, and
came on with rush.
Tom made tremendous leap TO
dodge him, but he was caught fairly
by the terrible horns and thrown far
into the air. The great beast stood
ready To toss him again when he fell.
Fred drew his revolver, but dropped
it in his haste.
Alice was too frightened to do any
thing, and stood waiting TO see him
tossed by those cruel horns. when there
We're two sharp re. orts, and the bull
fell upon his knees.
Nary Hilton rode deliberately up to
within short distance, and, cooking
the heavy weapon. her hand WAS as
steady Is if cut from marble as she sent
a bali crashing through the animal !
massive skull Steady were her nerves
rs she rode homcward. while the I'M
conscious form OF Tom was carried by
Fred and one of the herlers.
Only when sine had dismountcd from
her pony TO walk to the house did her
strength give way, and she fell in q
dead faint.
II Through the long months that fol-
lowed, while Tom lay helpless, she
watched beside him, bringing slowly
back the life into his shattered frame.
While she watched beside him. placing
cooling bandages on his bruised and
broken arm, or passing her hand over
his burning brow, she learned to know
how much he was to her.
What would she do without Tomi