The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-08-15

her feet, an indignant hush on her face.
30, he not only laughed at her, but &C
tually insulted her. Meeting Fred
Colby were not as bad as this. Why did
she come out here with Tom at all!
She might have known something
would happen.
II beg your pardon" he said again,
this time quite humbly. II seem quite
unfortunate today"
Minnie made no answer; she merely
bowed coldly as she turned away to-
ward home. She had forgotten the fish
save as the cause of this unpleasant
ness, and it had wriggled back into the
water.
Min" this in an aside from Tom,
saint yer glad Fred Colby didn't see
yer9'
This was quite too much. Minnie lost
her temper at once.
'Tom," she said, with stern dignity,
II shall tell Aunt Frances of your be-
havior. 1t is too much for any one to
bear That l should be insulted by a
stranger is bad enough. III not have
such rudeness from YOU"
81 wonder" the stranger said, not
noticing the reference to insult, IF by
your Aunt Frances you mean Mrs.
Gregg"
What possible difference could that
make to him2 Minnie wondered; and
she made him no reply. But here, as
before, Toms perfect inconsistencies
came to the front.
''You bet, he said, with more en-
phasis than elegance. 'Mrs. Grey is
lny mother, an if yer have got any
thin to say 'gainst her, let me know.
Wot do yer want ter know fer9 Minis
on her dignity just now, but tell yer
she's as curious as the rest O us ter
know what yer want ter know fer"
The stranger laughed.
81 wonder if was such a terror when
I was boy?" he said. "But if you're
really so anxious to know, I'll tell you
l have come up here to spend the SUM
mer, and have letters of introduction to
Mrs. Frances Grey. Can you tell me if
I will be welcomed And where does
she live2'
cat home, of course" said Tom, i'm
politely. GAS ter beia' welcome, l can't
say. Yer see we're expectin' teller on
here ter see Min, an she mightn't like
ter have yer round. Gals is funny
things, yer know"
"And boys are worse" said the
stranger, with another laugh.
Here Minnie interposed She would
not let her own personal feelings stand
in the way of politeness.
IF you wish to see Mrs. Grey" she
said, "you can come with us now. We
are going home, and you will then have
no difficulty in finding it,"
''Thank you," was the reply; 81 will
accept your kind invitation"
ut is no invitation at ALL" Minnie
said, not Wishing him to think she was
relenting. II merely thought if you
were going it would save trouble for
yOu W ~ WlC1l AOW
'"Thank you, nevertheless" said the
other, understanding her meaning and
thinking none the less of her for it. 81
think your town is very pretty, and ex-
pect to enjoy every moment of my stay
here. After the city it is so refreshing.
Have you ever been in large city for
any length of time particularly in the
summer, Miss Gregg"
There was chance for more fun,
and Tom, like regular war horse,
smelled the battle from afar. Not a
muscle of Minnie's face moved as she
made reply.
II have been to the city sometimes"
she said, ''but the country suits me
well enough"
min amt special particular" said
Tom, with mischievous grin on his
sunburned face. And Minnie knew
that he would keep up the deceit as
long as she wished.
"Well, don't wonder, =" said the gen.
tleman; country life suits me best,
too. l sometimes think l will live here
myself"
''You might not enjoy it as much as
you think if you had to live here" said
Minnie, wickedly. eve often find it
dull"
Eyes, and yet somehow we city peo-
pie don't give our country cousins half
credit for what they are"
I'm what PARTICULAR" queried Min
ME, demurely.
"Why, so many of them are so well
educated and really fine people. But
then they do have more time and are
not so cramped."
Sand did you think, asked Minnie,
as Indignantly as though she had lived
all her life in country town and re-
sented any possible slur upon the life,
that country folks are not as good in
every way as city peoplea For my part
I think them much better in every way.
There are so many wicked people in the
cities
The other laughed. 1--WE are wicked
Get" he said, ''but we're not half SO bad
as we're painted. There are SO many
crowded into small space, and SO many,
good and bad together, one scarcely
dares to judge any. In the country it
Is different. You need not associate
with such people. You are given
chance to find out what person is and
need not accept them as friends unless
you wish. The life is broader and deep
er. You don't know how I envy you"
He talked well; Minnie rather liked
him in spite of the unpleasantness OF
their meeting.
When they reached the house Aunt