Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-07-06


filed with peanuts and stick candy.
She is radiant IN a new speckled
calico dress. with flowers Ia her hair.
and q knot of red ribbon at her
throat that beautifully matches her
cheeks. The old road brings no sad
memories to her. but calls up sweet
dreams OF future ha ppiness.
Supper comes at sundoWn-af feast OF
crisp fried meat, hard biscuits and
bitter black coffee. Even thes were
palatable, however, after a long days
ride through those desolate pine
Wiids, and Mr.. Stubs invitation 20
''set up and eat hearty was cheerful
ly accepted by the traveller.
SOOnie's beau came in during
supper, a fuzzy faced, silly 10 oking
young fellow, who went quite of his
head at the sight Of the stranger and
could only giggle and look more TOOL
ish than ever.
II Soonie's eyes, however, he was
evidently a very precious piece of
humanity, though she cast many
pleasant looks towards the guest.
As soon as the supper things were
cleared away Mrs. Stubbs fixed the
beds, and instructing the traveller to
lie ''along with the old man." she and
SoOnie left the room.
"You kin sleep in here with me, F"
said the old man, rubbing his bare
feet on the floor and tumbling into
bed with only so much preparation
as a hog might take, and was soon
snoring frightfully; this effectualiy
banished sleep so far as our traveller
was concerned. In a few moments
the ladies came back into the room
and Mrs. Stubbs turned IN.
SoOnie and John Henry were now
left alone hnf0Pn the Upaa5f fippVlcRn
she standing on one side of the hearth
nervOusly toying with a china cup
and saucer OF gaudy pattern, her only
treasure except Il haring chrome OF
"Joseph and his Brethern," which
hung on the wall, while he chewed Wig
OrOusly and expectOrated freely to
the imminent risk OF injuring her Sun
day dress. How silly and frightened
he looked as SOOnie, seating herself,
began idly picking at her frock, blush
ing wildly, and left the opening of the
evening exercises entirely with him.
"Saw a mighty big chicken fight up
ter the store this even, huh, huh, "
said he.
did you, he. he; which whupped?''
said she.
The ice was broken, and when the
traveller again looked towards them
their chairs were hopelessly jammed
and all outlines we're confused.
1t may have been that the presence
of the handsome and we'll dressed /
stranger promoted John Henry to un-
usual boldness tonight; at any rate
he was soon telling his love in true
backWoods heroes. If he was bash
ful and awkward, she was coy and
shy. Perhaps she. too, was thinking
Of the traveller and comparing his
easy, uns6udied grace with John
Henry's heavy, numbering manner. /
She held back and hesitated long be- !
fore putting her promise into words.
s'Oh, SOonie," he finally blurted out, |
eff you likes me, and don't likes to /
say so, just squOZe my hand"
This appeal was probably irresisti- !
bic. for the next moment there was |
quite n reciprocity IN the hugging line 4
between them-quite unanimous, In |
fact. Her heavy masses OF auburn |
hair hung over his shoulders, and her
bangs was all mussed up with his car
roty forelOclzs, while the red ribbon |
at her throat and his flaming necktie /
were indisCinguIshab bly, mingled.
The fire burned slowly out and was /
not replenIshed, but Henry staid un-
til the traveller, with many sad mem /
cries Juggling at his own heart, drew |
the cover over ms head and slept, /
despite the snoring OF his strange old /
bedf5llOw-
When he awoke thenext morning the |
entire family had been long up. The /
old man was out feeding the stock, 4
Mrs. Stubbs sat in the doorway /
smoking and looking down the lonely /
road, thinking, perhaps, of that tair, /
brave hearted hoy who so long ago /
went out that way to zine GUNNER
Brown" as the smoke curled blue
and lazily from her pipe; SOOnie was
making bread at a table a few feet
from the bedside.
"Good mawnin." she said, with a
smile on her ripe red lips, which look
ed sweet and tempting until be thought
of John Henry's tobaccO-stained
mouth and shuddered.
You'd better be gittin' up she
said, ''breakfas' is most ready"
Get up! 1t certainly was time to
get up, but now was that to be done
with q blooming and bright-eyed /
young lady looking calmly on at a
distance Of six feet?
How he suffered as the time few
onward and she lOitered about the
table. and would not 60 away nor
turn her back upon him. The biscuits
were all made, and she began to set /
the table, calling him q ''lazy boy"
and began telling him it was time ito
get up an wash"
A year later the traveller returned /
that way.
Half mile up the road he stopped |
at a new oEe-rOOmed CABIN and in /
the doorway sat Soonie with a cob I
pipe in her mouth, and she was alter .
nately knitting and rocking a white /
haired baby. In the piuy woods all 4
the children have white hair dog
inside the house grOwied heavily, but (
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