The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-01-21

Or the Story of a Subterfugeous Man
Who Made a Failure.

cyclones" she reproachfully broke in. ,
Weren't we speaking of cyclones this
morning?' he meekly asked.
"No."
when was it we were speaking about
c~yclones?"
"I don't know"
Wasn't it last week?"
81 tell you l don't know"
owe must have been speaking about
cyclones some time
81 don't remember that we have"
"Well, now, you may not remember 1t:
Memory, you know, is a very ~treacherous
thing"
at seems to be-" she answered. 81
told you to send some coal up this morn
ing, but you didn't do it."
II ordered it. Are you sure it didn't
Gomez"
Ordered it she c~ontemptuously re-
peated.
eyes, ordered it. Wasn't my fault
that it didn't come. Did my part"
"Why, you told me not more than an
hour ago that you had forgotten it, and
now you say that you ordered it."
They were sitting in front of the CRATE.
He passed his hand over his brow in a
helpless way, looked at the clock, shook
his head sadly and said:
al cannot help what my former declara-
ton was; I may have uttered numerous
absurdities, while worried with a trouble
some deal that | have had on my hands
for some time, but l know I ordered tina
coal early this morning"
Eyes, I suppose So"
Louise, you are cruel"
"l o yo1 think so ?" she e~xasperatingly
asked.
eyes, I do. You are not only cruel,
but are actually heartless."
Did you bring that lambs wool?"
81 stopped in the store and they said
that they were out Of the best quality"
"Why didn't you 60 to another store?"
Well, / wanted to catch a car and
well, I wanted to get here in time for
dinner, and I thought that another time
would do for the lambs wool, so when
they told me that they didn't have the
best quality I hurried away so I could eat
dinner with you
"But you didn't get here in time. You
W ere nearly two hours late"
Again he passed his hand helplessly
over his brow.
81 started all right," he said, " but the
car stopped just as we were going into
the tunnel. [ asked the conductor what
was the matter, and he said the cable was
broken"
Why, you told me that you were de-
tanned at the Office"
ooh, that was yesterday evening"
"No, it was this evening""
"That's so. 1t was yesterday evening
that the cable broke"
Why, you were at home on time
then"
He leaned over and propped up his
chin. He was the picture of Ill used sad
ness, of cruel neglect. She spoke again
and he moved uneasily.
"Well, Louise, we won't talk about
it. 1 have done my best, and if [ have
failed, why, 1 cannot help it."
"You have done your best to prove
that you have not failed" she answered.
Silence followed. "What were you
going to say about cyclones ?" she asked,
after a time.
ooh, yes. 1 was thinking of some
thing that took place out on a Kansas
prairie. A terrible cyclone about ten feet
wide came through the country. The
narrowest and most foTcible cyclone the
people had ever known. When it struck
a building it simply cut a hole through it
and went on. Struck a hill after it crossed
the prairie. Bored a hole through. Rail
road is going to use the hole for a tunnel.
Went on and struck another prairie.
There it encountered two men walking
along. They were about ten feet apart.
They didn't hear the cyclone, and one Of
them had just taken out a corkscrew, and
was abou to hand it over to the other
one, when here came the cyclone. 1t
passed between them, but took the cork
screw away. Terrific wind. Why, when
they found the corkscrew, about a mile
further on, it was Strengthened out like a
darninng needle"
James, you actually tire me. You'd
just as we'll stop trying to talk. Did you
bring an evening paper?"
Gone in my oVercoat pocket, I believe"
She went to his overcoat and took out
a small bundle, unrolled it, and then
laughed.
What's the matter, Louise p
Nothing, only here is the lamb
wool"
He arose, put his arms about her. and
tenderly said Darling, 1 have been
a villain. I tried to defend myself
for &
"No, James," she answered, putting
her arms around his neck, "you are the
most lovable man in the world when
when you don't try to deceive me. But
you Won't do it again, will your"
"No."
"Never in the world p
"Never so long as I live"
She was satisfied, was happy, and
James really meant what he said. Mar
well, ahl-Qpie P. Read, IN Arkansaw
Traveller.
A HOUSEHOLD ANGEL.
For a good, everyday household angel
give us the wom~n that lauohs Her his