Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-07-14
LOYAL "NUB. /"
Or, Nubblns and Pipplns.
BY OLIVE HARPER.

Sho q hOiAy PesAS WIZ SohJ 6SAAS4
ing the delicious fruit.
The pretty, but not very productive
farm belonged to Mr.. Preston, VIII
was pastor of the little white church.
But if the church spire spoke of re
pose and peace, not so did the fact tina
the pastor was the father of sever
daughters, all nearly grown to woman
hood, and three of them advanced t.
old maidhood The daughters were al
good-looking girls, even the eldest
ones, while the youngest two were ex
quisitely lovely. Their mother, who
had been Miss Apple, died when the
youngest was baby.
The pastor, who was man as full Of
quaint humor as he was full of godli
ness, called his girls his apples The
baby and her sister were called @blos-
SONS" by their father and the rest Of
the girls, while the two eldest went by
the names of "Nub," and "Twist," and
the three intermediate ones were re.
spectively called Russell, Pippin (or
more often Pips), and Cider.
1t was never considered out of the
way or wrong that the minister should
give his daughters these nicknames,
for it was in keeping with his charac.
ter, and the seven girls were known in
the neighborhood by these names.
Pretty the girls had always been,
good they were known tobe, notable
housewives the five oldest were con-
coded, and yet none of them had ever
married. And only one had ever had
an offer, or even beau.
Sometimes good friends would try to
condole with him on the probability of
having so large family on his hands
forever, when the girls should have in
duty bound married, and so left home
But those friends never mentioned the
subject second time-to the pastor.
Some fourteen years previous there
had lived III this place a handsome
young man who worked out his APP
premiership at the glowing forge of
the village blacksmith, and he had
often been seen to pay those little at
tentions which spoke of his preference
for Miss Preston, otherwise known as
"Nub" or "Nubbins," and she received
them with sweet gravity, in no wise
discouraging, nor on the other hand en-
couraging them. But Walter Dewitt
was poor, and worse, his father had
died drunkard after having broken his
gentle wife's heart, and so the son not
only had his own way to make in the
world, but also to rise with the weight
TO his fathers misdeeds on his should
ders. He did bravely, and the people
around spoke of him as "likely young
man."
: As soon, or even sooner than the young
people were aware of their growing lik-
ing for each other, everybody began to
discuss the advisability of such mar
riage, and had settled every point
to their own satisfaction long before
Nubbins really knew her own heart in
the matter.
One lonely evening she was walking
slowly along the meadow, keeping her
watchful eyes on the two BLOSSOMS"
who were respectively 2 and years
old She had brought them out
here to play in the daisy-spangled
grass, to give her sick mother a respite
from their childish noise, and here she
stood while Walter came walking up to
her, as a man walks when he is deter.
mined to do or die.
He took her hand at once, shyly and
firmly, and said:
"Miss Preston, Nubbins, I love you.
You must have known it long time,
but have come to tell you, and to
ask if you ever could love me! Do you
think you camp"
"Yes, replied the girl, frankly, sim
cerely, without coquetry. and with a
world of tenderness in her tremulous
voice.
Holding her hand in his tightly, he
said, solemnly:
"May God make me worthy so pre-
cious gift! But, Nubbins, I have come
also to say goodbye. You know how
Winchester is arranging to take ship
load of sash and blinds out to Califor-
MIA, around the Horn. I am to go
along. and when we are there / will 90
to the mines and work at my trade, and
1 think shall do as we'll If not better
than those who go for gold, and as soon
as / realize enough money to return
for you shall come, and then. dear,
we will be married, If you are still will
ing You mustn't look sad, for I shall
probably not be away more than Q
couple of years, and We are young. yet,
and I am poor. We must go to your
father and ask his consent
Mr.. Preston was not sorry that Wal
ter loved his daughter. and he said:
We'll. Walter, am willing that You
should marry my daughter, but, of
course. you will want to wait until You
can provide her home"
Then the plan for Walters depart
ure was explained and approved of,
and the three went to the invalid
mother, who gave her consent tearfully.
for she knew the true nobility of the
heart that beat in her daughters bosom.
aHal hal" laughed the minister.
walter, I married . rosy apple, and
you are going to take up with sNub-
bin.''
RI prefer this very Nubbin' to all
your apples or girls, Mr.. Preston, and
+ wouldn't change her or her name for
miliionsls
So it was all settled, and Walter
IL - n