The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-10-20


of green and brown and gold bunch
grass that bowed its tasscled heads as
| the breeze passed over it, waving like
| n many-colored sea away to the dark
mountains with their snowy tops,
formed n picture almost sublime in its
| perfect loveliness.
THAT there grass is cen Almost
ready to cut" remarked old Dick. ~
guess I'll borry the bishops hay-rick
| to-morrer, an 90 after load o hay,
| an YOU yungstcrs kin come along an
help stamp it, Of You want to-.
The children set up joyful shout.
for this was treat to them, as it
would be to any one, to tumble about
in the long grass, to fish for minnows
in the cool, gurgling creek, to wade
| into it knce-deep for watcr-cress, to
| pick tart, wild strawberries and to eat
all these delicaces with the sweet
homemade bread and country butter.
And after this delightful day, how
pleasant it was 10 roll i'll the sweet
smelling hay, with the breczes cooling
their sun-burnt cheeks during the long
| ride home.
The wagon drew up Mt last in front
-
shalcd the children into the Coop"
with n good deal of forcible persua-
sion.
How de do, Sister Johnson" said
the store keeper, who was also the
Mormon bishop; "well, Cadde, | see
you're rs fat and sarsy rs you ever
| was"
Caddic stared at him scornfully, not
because she was offended at his free
language, she was quite used to that;
but this uncouth creature had rs much
natural coquetry rs any other fifteen
year-old girl.
"How much beyou payin' fer tip-top
butter nowp" she asked: "I'll let YOU
nev tnls mere, Of you II give me SIX bits
roll fer it"
"Oh, come now" he said, "you
don't want to do me out o all my pro-
fits like that Seein, it's you, I'll let
We hev two bits Il pound fer it, an
that's more'n I'd do fer ennybody
else"
"Well,' said the girl, Il guess I'll
Jest look at some shoes, an if kin see
par like, I'll take 'em fer the but
ter"
Caddie's mother had gone with her
numerous offsprings to visit friend,
trading. Her elderly admirer took ad-
vantage of this fact to plead his cause
with the handsome girl.
You've got purity foot, fer gal o
your size, he said as she tried on pair
of calfskin shoes, declining all help
from him.
''Huh?" said the lady, too engrossed
with her task TO notice the compli-
| ment; "yas, these here shoes fits kinder
slick, but don't b'lieve they's hold
water when the snow comes
"Oh, they'll hold water fast
enough" he answered.; "but they aint
half nice enough fer sech hansum
foot rs yourn. Now here's pair o.
kid shoes I'm a-savin' fer my wife"
"Wcll,t asked Caddie, sharply,
'.then why don't you give um to herP
Lord knows she needs um bad enuff."
Now look a-here, Cad he said;
''thets tomfoolishness, an you know
it; Mirandy don't want fer nothin', and
she don't care about iineries, but most
girls does, an | tell YOU what, my
second'll hev the incest duds o any
woman in town.
Caddie had put her shoes on again
by this time. and she did not propose
to listen to him any longer. 1t would
not be wise TO quarrel with the bishop,
but she had no desire ito play second
fiddle in no kind o. music" and she
told him so.
"Haw, haw, haw," he laughed, II
guess not. | kin jest see the way my
ole woman I'll hev to step around when
you air Mrs. Burns. See here, Caddie,n
he added, rs she turned to 20, II want
to talk to you, an you might jest as
well listen now as emmy other time.
You know your pa went prospectin'
last year, an furnished the gubb fer
the trip. Well he found 4 purity good
claim, an now an Eastern company's
sent an expert out here to look at it,
an like rs not they'll buy it. Well,
one night yer pa got purity full here in
town, and got him to sign bill o
sale of the mine. Now he don't know
nothin' bout the company. an he don't
know thet the paper he signed wuz a
bill o sale to you, if you'd be sensible
and marry me, like your pa wants
you to"
II don't b'lieye you've got no bill o
sale. said the girl, quietly; ''show me
the paper"
Her face was dark with anger. She
looked very pretty, 10 she sat there in
the dingy little store, on long pack
ing box her glorious brown hair had
been blown loose by the wind, her rag
ged sun-bonnet hung by its strings
around her neck, her blue eyes were
bright with excitement, and her brown
cheeks glowed. The bishop looked at
her admiringly rs he returned with the
paper. She rose TO her feet, and her
slight, round figure showed, even
through the clumsy pink calico, its
graceful. curves. She moved round
between him and the open door of the
stove, in which wood fire burned, for
the evenings are cold in these noun
tain villages, and then rs he read aloud,
she suddenly snatched the paper and
threw il into the stove. He sprang
forward with an oath, but it was too
late, and when he turned to look for
the girl she was gone.
The next day Dick johnson rode up