Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-12-12
We four bits to have it turn

have. I'd give four bits to have it turn
out that way"
That night Phrosy came home tired
but radiant. John Dalton had harnessed
up his two-horse team and brought part
of the picnickers down to the village
himself, s'just to be sociable," he had
said; and he had invited her to sit be-
side him on the front seat, and he had,
moreover, told Ben that he was coming
down to play him game of checkers
now and then when the evenings got a
little longer.
What wonder was it that the world
seemed rose-colored to Phrosy? and
what wonder was it that when John
Dalton-not waiting for the evenings to
lengthen perceptibly -made his appear
ance in her home, and, after making
friends with her mother, proceeded to
devote himself especially to that lady's
daughter that she thought herself the
Eappiest girl in the world. Only one
thing Swallowed her heart; supposing
that he should be angry when he found
out that the shirts, which still came,
through Mrs. Jenkins, to that mysteri-
GUS ''old woman" were her task, and
that he was making love to his washer
woman? That fear made her almost
cowardly after she began to feel that
she was growing to care for this quiet,
manly young fellow as she had never
cared Tor any one else before, and, al
though she knew that she must tell
him some day, she put that day off as
long as possible and grew. girl-fashion,
as nervous and feverish and miserable
as possible over her innocent little
secret, until even her mother noticed
that Phrosy was ''fretting,". as she
called it, and wondered thereat.
One day John Dalton brought matters
to a focus by simply and seriously ask
ing Phrosy if she could make up her
mind to come to him and let him take
care of her, as he had longed to do ever
since he first met her.
81 think that I fell in love with YOU
at first sight" he said, in his straight.
forward way, land ever since then l
have been hoping that you would let me
make things easier for you some day.
Do you care enough for me to be my
wife, Phrosy?"
Poor Phrosy! She blushed and hest
tated, and then put out her hands like a
frightened child.
81 am afraid 1 do" she faltered,
''but first must tell you about-about
the shirts!'
John Dalton was mystified, but GER
tainly there was nothing about shirts
that could separate them. He prisoned
| the pleading hands lovingly and smiled
| down into her blushing face. Never
mind the Shirts" he said. ben must
| get some one else to do his up for the
| future; and as for me, you'll never have
| any trouble about mine, for there is a
| nice old woman who does mine up like
new. You couldn't get the job away
from her if you wanted to, my dear"
Phrosy's face was sight to see now,
between laughing and crying, embar-
rassment and half-frightened amuse-
ment. ''Oh, John Daltonr' she said,
pushing him away very feebly, you'll
never want to marry me now, for it isn't
Ben's shirts I am thinking of at all-its
| yours-and IL never meant to deceive
you at all, but 1 wanted new dress so
| badly at first, and then afterwards it
was such an easy way to earn a little,
and it helped along so. Please don't be
angry, and please don't laugh, but Tn
| the nice old woman John, and I am
very sorry!''
Phrosy Miller is Mrs John Dalton now,
and is as happy as possible in her lovely
home, where her mother has grown
| strong and wei, and where Ben has al
ways room and place of his own. She
| doesn't do up" shirts at all now. for the
babies claim her attention; but as he1
husbands linen is always immaculate il
is to be supposed that some other mice
old woman has been found who gives
! satisfaction in that line.-FlOrence
| Allen in Housewife