Wichita eagle., 1888-05-25
cheerfuHy accepted by the traveller.

Soonie's beau came in during supper. a
fuzzy faced. silly looking young fellow,
who went quite of his head At the Sigh.
of the stranger and could only giggle and
look more foolish than ever.
In Soonie's eyes, however. he was evil
IDENTIFY very precious piece of humanity.
though she cast many pleasant looks to-
ward the guest.
IS soon as the supper things were
cleared away Mrs. Stubs 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, said
the old man. rubbing his bare feet ON the
floor and tumbling into bed with only so
much preparation as hog might take,
and was soon snoring frightfully; this
efectually banished sleep SO far as our
traveller was concerned In few mo-
ments the ladies came back into the room
and Mrs. Stubs turned in
Soonie and John Henry were now left
alone before the great fireplace, she stand
ing on one side of the hearth nervously
q
gaudy pattern. her only treasure except a
faring chrome of Joseph and His Breth-
rem" which hung on the wall. while he
chewed vigorously and e1pectorated 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. blushing Wv
idly. and left the opening Of the even
ing's exercises entirely with him
Saw mighty big chicken fight up ter
the store this even'n' huh. huh" said he
'.Did you, he-he; which whuppedY' said
she
The ice was broken. and when the trav-
eler again looked toward them their chairs
were hopelessly damned. and all outlines
were confused
1t may have been that the presence Of
the handsome and well dressed stranger
prompted John Henry to unusual boldness
tonight; at any rate he was soon telling
his love in true backwoods heroics If he
was bashful and awkward. she was coy
and shy Perhaps she, too, was thinking
of the traveller and comparing his easy,
unstudied grace with John Henry's heavy,
numbering manner She held back and
hesitsted long before putting her promise
into words.
"Oh. Soonie." he finally blurted out. ''if
you likes me. and don't likes to say SO,
just squoze my hand"
This appeal was probably irresistible,
for the next moment there was quite a
reciprocity in the hugging line between
them-quite unanimous. in fact Her
heavy masses of auburn hair hung over
his shoulders, and her bangs were all
mussed up with his carroty forelocks
while the red ribbon at her throat and his
flaming necktie were indistinguishably
mingled
The fire burned slowly out and was not
replenished but Henry staid until the
traveller. with many sad memories tug
ging at his own heart, drew the cover
over his head and slept. despite the snor
ing of his strange old bed fellow.
When he awoke the next morning the
entire family had been long up. The old
man was out feeding the stock; Mrs
Stubs sat in the doorway smoking and
looking down the lonely road. thinking,
perhaps. of that fair. brave hearted boy
who so long ago went out that way to
lime Guv'ner Brown" as the smoke
curled blue and lazily from her pipe;
Soonie was making bread at table few
feet from the bedside.
Good mawnin'." she said, with smile
Lo,, ~ nod live
and tempting until he thought of John
Henry's tobacco stained mouth and shud-
dered.
You'd better be gittin' up" she said.
'breakfas' is most ready"
Get upl 1t certainly was time to get
blooming and bright eyed young lady
looking calmly on at a distance Of six feet
bow he suffered as the time few onward
and she loitered about the table and
would not go away nor turn her back upon
him The biscuits were all made and she
began to set the table, calling him ''lazy
boy" and again telling him it was time
ito git up an wash.
year IAtef the tf3Veter returueo that
way.
Half a mile up the road he stopped at a
new one roomed cabin, and in the doorway
sat Soonie with cob pipe In her mouth,
and she was alternately knitting androck-
ing white haired baby. In the piny
woods all the children have white hair. A
dog inside the house growled heavily, but
was quickly silenced Soonie recognized
the traveller and called her husband
John Henry came slowly into view from
behind the house, elected shower of TO-
bacco juice upon flower bed, threw a
well worn "chaw" among the struggling
rose bushes and said. al IN one breath:
"Goodeven -tollable-Aght, mister."-
Ionis Galrart IN Ilatroif Erea prass