Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-08-04

true, the longing, restless, yearning de-
sire for greater scope, more NE,
more activity-the protest OF ms
vigorous organization against longer re-
preston.
Then, that last night at Squire
Gray would he ever forget it?-the
old man and his good dame IN their
high-back rockers, placidly contents
Mary, more quiet than usual, with a
shy look in her sweet, brown eyes that
bafied his comprehension, but still babe
him hope. Oh, why, why could he not
have remembered how they despised
Dakota? Why did he launch out IN
grandiloquent praise of the "magnlfi-
cent grandeur of her scenery" the "un-
heard-of richness of her SOIL" the
picturesque lakes;" the wonderful
business activity" and elegant eli
mate" He could still feel that shrink
ing within himself as if all the veins in
his body had suddenly been clogged,
when he recalled Squire Grays inter
ruption at this point with, "How about
the billiards., Johnny? You amt trying
to get another batch of Workers out
there, be you?" He even wondered
sometimes afterward if they really did
think he was falsifying about the coun-
try Just to "catch the immigration. He
had said the same thing numer-
GUS times in making a land deal,
but never with such eagerness to bear
conviction with his words. He was, in
deed, too much in earnest to notice the
covert meaning to old Squire Gray's
speech and his sly glance at Mary's
blushing cheeks. And sweet little Mary
Gray never could guess why Johnny"
left so suddenly that night without
claiming the private interview he had
so earnestly besought of her in the aft
ernOon.
No wonder that Johnny" brooded in
his own little den after each of those
terrific snow storms, when other men
were happy with their wives and sweet
hearts, and he felt that such storms
alone kept from him the only woman
he had ever cared to call wife.
The third morning after Johnny"
boarded the train at his home in Da-
kota, the train slowed up at l., and
our hero was deposited, baggage and
all, on the depot platform before he
quite grasped the situation, awakened
suddenly, as he was, from profound
sleep. Then he didn't get hold of it
right, apparently, for he grumbled to
himself in sheer amazement as he tried
in vain to get his bearings" through
the binding, freezing, blowing snow!
"Ill be blowed !-startedfo for New York
State - been travelling Just got off
sleeper here I am in Dakota.
Sure left Chicago have got on
the wrong train. Queer-quess it's me
all right enough" And Johnny" gave
his arm vigorous pinch to see if he
were really alive, meantime making his
way into the depot
Hello, Bill. Why, I-I-you," taking
a good look at the agent, "you amt
Bill, and-and-" casting his eyes about
the room, "this looks like L."
"That's what it is, sir, responded the
afable agent. whats the matter with
it? Anything?"
"Why, surely" said Johnny" still
puzzled, "that's Dakota blizzard out
there"
II guess you're right, stranger. GER
tainly never saw one like it before in
York State"
$50 it's in New York, is it? and this
is L-?" exclaimed Johnny" who,
finally comprehending the situation,
rushed out the door at wonderfully
vigorous speed.
A little while afterward the door-be1
at Squire Gray's was rung vociferously,
and the servant, showing Mr.. Carnes
into the parlor, ran to tell Miss Mary
that Mr.. Carnes was out there and he
must be crazy, because he kept mutter-
ing something about $50 York States
got it at last, has she?"
Perhaps Mary guessed what he meant.
Anyway she was soon in the parlor, bid
ding her guest cordial welcome and
saying, Johnny how did you get
here?"
with the blizzard, Mary, of course.
They've got one here that beats Dakota's.
Amt I glad? Don't you know how glad
lamp"
"Glad! Why, Johnny Carnes, how
can you be so wicked?"
But all the same the color was burn
ing like pink sea-shells in her cheeks,
and the expostulation, began so forcibly,
ended in scarcely audible whisper, as
her eyes fell under "Johnny's" earnest,
loving gaze.
Wicked, Mary? Well, what's good
enough for Dakota is good enough for
New York; at least" and here John
ny's" sangfroid vanished, and he looked
down, then out the window, got wofully
red in the face, squeezed the little hand
in his as if he was afraid it would get
away, and behaved altogether like
bashful school-boy.
But Mary, shy little puss, innocently
put in, yes, Johnny, I agree with
you. What is good enough for you is
that isl was going to say-"and now
Mary took her turn at blushing and
stammering until you would have thought
it was game they were playing which
one was trying to excel the other.