The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-17
.erhere,s Ruth Boxn. ,.x-.ne-

the world!'
"No, it was her grandmother
meant"
"Old Mrs. Bowne!''
"No, the other one"
"There wasn't any other grandmoth.
er you could know! Mrs. Bowne's own
mother died when she was year old"
"Well, guess on the whole, u was
Ruth's geataunt meant"
"What allied her?" asked ne.
"Why -she-she was -she-had-
the-rheumatism, and"- ,
When he recovered himself, Miller
the miller said, "You keep your neck
out OF the moose; and remember, Ike,
I've got this mill to give away to
somebody"
"There's good luck ahead for him
that gets it," said Ike, as he passed
out, and up the ''gang plank" towards
the road.
Miller the miller was greatly exer
cised alter this, and fancieu he saw
Ike's heart stolen from him, and his
home made desolate by some flower
OF a girl who would turn into q scold.
ing woman.
Alas, alas, for Miller the miller! This
hour was coming on, and fate was
even at his very heels.
One night, thinking singing school
must have been out a long time, he
concluded to drop in at Deacon
Bowne's to ask what made his horses
crupper gall his neck.
The horse didn't know it did! The
miller thought by so doing he would
surprise Ike there; and then he would
he would he didn't know what he
would or wouldn't do!
When he went in, there was com
pany, and that was more than he had
imagined.
The first one to jump up and offel
him chair was Ike, who exclaimed
"Well, this is treat, to see uncle
out visiting! Here's q welcome fo1
you"
The bravery OF this took the spirit
all out of Miller the miller. He laugh
ed reluctantly, sat down after being
introduced to the deacon's cousins, a
stalwart man and n pretty little WON.
an by the name OF Craig, from Pine
Falls, some twenty miles away.
The miller actually stayed and ate
apples and nuts, and talked and
laughed with the rest OF the company.
He didn't go home till Ike said,-
"Come, uncle, this is pretty late fol
you and me to be out! We must &c
home now"
On their way home the miller re
marked,-
Every nice folks those Craigs are. ("
eyes, uncle, agree with you"
So they were agreed.
Next morning at breakfast the visit
was alluded to, and Miller the miller ac.
tually said, "That Craig wasn't such a
fool as most men are-he didn't marry
until he found q woman worth having
did he? Where do you suppose he
found this one, Ike?"
Found her? Why, suppose he
found her at homen'
A few days after this the miller ask.
ed Ike how long "Mr. Craig and his
wife, were going to stay at the Bow.
nes'.
"His wife's at home. Miss Craig lie
his sister," said Ike.
"Oh, yes! Well, l was thinking, Ike,
that all the years I've lived in the
mill I've never had any one here to q
meal, excepting beggars and tramps
The Bownes are good neighbors, and
I've half a mind to ask them over to
tea while they're here"
"Whew!" cried Ike, in iovial surprise.
"But who would make the cake and
the fol-de-rols they always have for
company" he added.
"I'd ride over to Beaver Pond, and
buy up lot OF stun OF the baker, and
some peaches and pineapples and
such things in cans, and other knick.
knacks. It's only nine miles, you know
I'd have the table all set before they
came. Have we dishes enough fo1
six?"
"Who are your six?" asked Ike.
4Why, Mr.. and Mrs. Bovine, AIr
and Mrs. Craig, and"-
Miss Craig interrupted Ike, with
a quizzical look.
six?'
Miller had indeed bought "a lot o.
stuff" enough to feast dozen fami
lies. He had bread and biscuit and
rolls, and crackers OF every shape and
name. He had fruit-cake and frosted,
cake, sponge cake and brides-cak
nut-cake, currant-cake, doughnuts
sugar cookies, molasses cookies, and
hearts and rounds. All these were
piled up on as many large blue-edged
plates, looking like a chain OF tiny
mountains.
Then there was canned salmon and
pressed beef and smoked beef, cheese
and three kinds of ples-such as they
were-and to crown them all, there
were two peach-cans, with the e1agger
ated pictures still on them, filled with
long sticks of candy ofevery name and
hue, and there were nuts and raisins
and apples!
The miller looked very sad as they
all rose from the table, saying, ther.
| was as much "stuff" now as whe1
they sat down. There was now story
telling, guessing OF conundrums anc
singing. The guests admired every
| thing, from the corn-room and The
hopper, down to the stuffed birds anc
pressed flowers; and on going away
Miss Craig told the miller it had beer
one OF the pleasantest visits she hat
ever made, and added, merrily,-
"There's an old deserted mill neal
us. l believe I'll buy it, and live in i,
myself!'
Miller the miller wanted to say
"You needn't do that; one mill would
hold three of us"
But he was too cautious.
Before long the DUSTY Miller wen
away on business.
Ike had to keep house two or thre,
days alone.
When the miller came back he said
| "Ike, am going to be married"
Married? When? TO whom?"
"Well, any one who saw Mr.. Craig's
! house would wonder at Miss Craig be
ing willing to live in the loft of a grist'
|