The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-12-28
"set up and eat hearty" was cheerful

ly accepted by the traveller.
Soonie's beau came in durin,
supper. a fuzzy faced, silly 10 okin!
young fellow, who went quite of hi.
head at the sight OF the stranger anG
could only gigg.e and look more fool
ish than ever.
Ir Soonie's eyes, however, he wa:
evidently q very precious piece o.
humanity, though she cast many
pleasant looks towards the guest.
As soon rs the supper things were
cleared away Mrs. Stubs "fixed thu
BEDS" and %instructing the traveller &c
lie "along with the old man." she and
Soonie left the room.
"You kin sleep in here with me"
said the old man, rubbing mis- bare
feet on the floor and tumbling into
bed with only so much preparation
as a hog might take, and was soon
snoring friehtfully; this effectually
banished sleep SO lar as our traveller
was concerned. In a few moments
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 standing on one side OF the hearth
nervously toying with a china cup
and saucer of gaudy pattern, her only
treasure except q flaring chrome oil
Joseph and his Brethern," which
hung Oh 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.
"Dld you, he, he; which whupped?"
said she.
The ice was broken, and when the
traveller again looked towards them
their chairs were hopelessly damned
and all outlines were confused.
1t may have been that the presence
of the handsome and we'll dressed
stranger promoted John Henry to I'M
usual boldness tonight; at any rate
he was soon telling his love in rue
backwoods heroes. If he was BASH
full 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 n
She held back and hesitated long be-
lore putting her promise into words.
ooh, Soonie," he finally blurted out.
riff you likes me, and don't likes to
say so, just squoZe my hand"
This appeal was probably irresisti-
BILE, for the next moment there was
quite a reciprocity in the huoging line
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 forelocks, while the red ribbon
at her throat and his flaming necktie
were Indistinguishably mingled.
The fire burned slowly out and was
not replenlshed, but Henry staid I'm.
cries tugging at his own heart, drew
the cover over his head and slept,
despite the snoring OF his strange old
bedfsllow.
When he awoke thenext 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, o: that tair,
brave-hearted boy who so. long ago
went out that way to zine GUNNER
Brown" as the smoke curled blue
and laz;ly 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 he thought
of John Henry's tobacco-stained
mouth and shuddered.
you'd better be gittin' up she
said, "breakfas' is most ready"
Get upl 1t certainly was time to
get up, but how was that to be done
with q blooming and b~right-eyed
young lady looking calmly on at a
distance of SIX feet?
How he suffered as the time flew
onward and she loitered about the
table. and would not go away mol
turn her back upon him. The biscuits
were all made, and she began to set
the table. calling him a 'lazy boy"
end began telling him it was time 'tc
get up an wash"
A year later the traveller returned
that way.
Half mile up the road he stopped
at q new ore-roomed cabin, and in
the doorway sat Soonie with a cob
pipe in her mouth, and she was alter
nately knitting and rocking q white
haired baby. In the piny woods all
TIE children have white hair. A dog
inside the house growied heavily. but
was quickly silenced. Soonie recog-
nized the traveller and called her
husband.
John Henry came slowly into view
from behind the house, elected a
shower OF tobbaco juice upon afower
bed, threw q well worn ''chaw" among
the struggling rose bushes and said,
all in one breath:
Observation-Disclosures, mis-