Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-12-16


time Joel Whitney. coming to dhnea
from the store, entered the gate, and
the two children toddlcd forward with
glad cries TO meet him. Soon they
were riding into the house one upon
cR9h OF the big mans aims, and he
Was lauging, and calling them his
little team, his span Of spankers,'
and other more or less hilarious lex-
prcssions Of his bluff good nature. For
the grain OF joel Whitueys nature,
though a ttiile coarse perhaps, ran
mostly IN one direction. lie loved
smooth roads, good horses and good
humoI. He loved his wife, too and with
much the same large unimpassioned
humor rs the others. But underneath
the smooth surface of his life there ran
soft acquisitive under-tOw, that with
apparent ease drew back from all his
operations with goodly profit, leav-
ing here md there richer bar than
follows on the gold deposit in the
stream OF common lives. Yet he
was not perhaps small-heartcd
save in the way Of busi-
ness; there he was quito inexorablc,
Starting when . lad with nothing be-
yond his stout arms and clear head. he
had mounted up by firm gradations to
n place Of not Indifferent moment in
the region where he lived. He had
risen by close attention to his projects,
tightening n cord here and tightening
cord there, though mostly with SEEM
ing fairness, until now at the age of
thirty-two he was person of some
means, Of large prospects, and OF fair
rcputc. He seldom went TO church,
and cared but little for literature be-
yond the county paper. He was not
incorporate. and frownod on all un-
chastity. though now and then he
thought a glass of beer refreshing.
Business and its practical at-
tainmcnt were the prime de-
siderata. With Mrs. Whitney the
much. The position which its success
ful carriage brought, however, was n
different thing. This she assiduously
worked for all that it contained. II
not first in spiritual things, she at least
moved we'll in front with those who
said wherewith and how the church
should be clothed and bonnetcd. Her
pastor, measured by her estimate, was
fashioned only little lower than the
angels His plain and amiablc wife,
however. was a factor in the spiritual
government which she quietly ignored.
Sociality too. as eXemplitied in benev-
olcnt "beesn and fairs, though some
what overshadowed and chilled by
times. was largely aided and aug
mcntcd by her leadership and never
failing flow Of gossip. To parties she
went with relish and svidity, and
parties she made, but deprecated that
necessity. Joel liked nothing that was
solemn, nor yet any thing smacking
over much of offashion; and when they
were seated at dinner that day he said
rather abrul tly: "The boys were
around this morning, Mary, and give
'em my consent to open the new mill
with ball tonight Suppose you will
JON the giddy reel?'
"No. sir,' she said, with a little
backward jerk Of the head, II don't go
to such places. Who all's goingP"
He laughed in his coifce-cup as he
drank; "Oh, the lower stratum sup
pose, I'm going to be there!'
"Jocl, / think you ought to hold
yourself above such places" she an
HhNlNhF hANANs AAOh ~ AOOhHs
He laughed again. appearance Is
big thing; it's even some peoples re-
ligiOn. Well, s'pose it's good as far
as It goes. The thing is going to be in
our mill, you know, and it wouldn't do
to let it go without touch of cream.
Several of us good ungodly are going
to grace the unhallowed revel. Fill up
me cup me lovely Ether!" He finished
with n laughing mock-eloquent flour
ish.
Mrs Whitney looked down at her
plate, and young girl Of perhaps
fourteen summers entered from the
kitchen She had smile on her face.
some frccklcs, n mischievOus turn-up
nose, and bright cross-eyes. She took
the cup handed over his shoulder. and
when she returned with the steaming
beverage he made flourish with his
hand and said: ''Aiiss Popp, Miss
Ether Popp, eldest daughter of Julius
Popp, attorney at law. lot |, addition
number ?, OpenstOne, Illinois. allow Ine
to invite you to the hop, Miss Popp, at
the new mill tonight y
The girl burst into a snicker and
went into the kitchen, and Mrs. Whit
NY lhphNh EbAIs nat tNtnAAl2 AAAtl
supper Joel lit his cigar and started
down 10 the store, but the ball e'ri-
IDENTIFY coming into his mind at the
gate. he turned aud said to Mrs. Whit
ney on the porch: ''If you can spare
the girl. better let her 90 down 10 the
mill awhile. I'll go round that way
when / close up and bring her home" "
Mrs. Whitney asserting he proceeded
down the street. After a time sne
called the girl and told her II her work
were finished she might make herseli
ready and go TO the party at the mill,
returning with Mr.. Whitney. After
the girl had gone, looking quite prstiy
in her ribbons, she put the children 10
bed and came out and sat upon the
porch. Presently the moon came up,
lloOdng the warm world with mellow
radiance; the big new mill down by
the river glowed with lights. and the
faint music of viOlins, mixed with tho
fainter sound Of the shuilling feet.
came up 10 the woman on the porch.
Then some couples boating on the
pond began 10 sing, their voices
sounding very pretty with the dis
tance. and Mrs. Whitney listening
half consciously suddenly became
aware that some barefooted OH ject was
coming near her on the porch. "Gra-
cIOusi what il itp' She burst out,
springing up and dropping some pieces
Of work from her lap upon the floor.
BY this time the object was we'll into
the light. II was about fourteen years
old, bare-footcd TO the knee, tattered
thence TO the neck. crowned with
rim through which the hair protrudcd.
sore Of nose. sunburned and gray as
miller with dust. "Graciousn said
Mrs. Whitney again. ''who are you?'
"Ab Heater NV Ohier, said the OBJ
ject I'm come TO see the kid; where
be il9" aud Mrs. Whitney, missing her