Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-11-14


sed, an want Their matter to stopthere
till after I'm dead, then yer can court all
yer want to-" and he chuckled at the
improbabi'ity of their waiting, and shot
q mouthful of tobacco juice in the ear
of a pig standing munching Tan ear OF
corn some ten feet away.
Then suppose you will not give
Your consent at all?" asked Hiram
rather dejectedly.
Mary time, my lad. Nothin' agin'
you, though. Go in an tell julie what
I've said" answered the old man, some
what astonished with himself for the
unheard- of privilege he was granting
Hiram.
Thinking that it was useless to con-
tinue the conversation further. Hiram
sauntered into the house, and finding
Julia, soon made her acquainted with
the state OF affairs.
They agreed to met the next evening
under big oak tree in her fathers pas
ture, which was hidden from the house
by slight raise of ground, and then and
there decide what they were to do.
Shortly after coming to this decision
IJltall uOUk his departure.
When Old Brig came in he notified
Julia that he did not want to
hear any more OF her counting
scrapes, and Julia mentally vowed
that he should not. Feeling satisfied
that Julia would obey him, the old man
said no more upon the subject, but if he
had known her true thoughts, perhaps
he would not have felt so certain of her
obeying him.
The following evening Julia stole out
of the house unnoticed by any of the
family, and made her way toward the
big oak where she was to meet her
lover. She thought she was early, but
she found Hiram there before her. At
ter a true lovers greeting they sat
down beside the tree and commenced to
talk over the situation and lay plans for
the future.
The pasture contained something
near 100 acres. Its surface was dotted
here and there with trees. So intent
were they in their talking and
planning that they had not observed
the near approach of Julia's father. He
had come into the pasture in search Of
one of his cows, and, observing two
figures seated under the oak, he had
approached to see who they were.
The first intimation the lovers had of
anyone being near, was savage growl
from Jack, huge bulldog belonging
to Hiram, which was lying near
them. Looking around, they saw Old
Brig approaching, barefooted and with
sleeves and overalls rolled up. He re-
cognized the lovers as they hurriedly
started to their feet. Shaking his fist
angrily at Hiram. he shouted:
"Tll larn yer to come sneakin'
around my gal, you miser-
able galout. you. I'm er
goin' to wipe the groun' with yer as
quick as kin git thar" and the old
man came on with long strides.
Hiram realized that Old Brig meant
all he said, and that it was either run
OF light, nelther OF winch he had any ue-
sire to do; he knew the old fellow could
best him in tussle, and he had no de.
sire to run in the presence of his sweet
heart.
But Jack suddenly relieved his mas
ter's fears by charging on Old Brig.
The old man knew the dog was bad
one, and he stopped and looked around
for a club, but none was to be seen.
Hiram shouted to the dog, which paid
no attention to his calls, but kept
straight on for the old man.
Perhaps if Old Brig had had his
boots on, he would have stood his
ground, but as it was he beat hasty
retreat.
Finding his efforts to call back the
dog unavailing, Hiram shouted to Old
Brig to run his best; but there was no
need of that; he was covering the
ground at a terrible rate, and his horny
feet were striking fire from the stones
at every jump.
Old Brig soon reached tree with
low, spreading branches, and, grasping
limb, swung upwards, He was none
too soon. for at the same instant Jack
sprang for him and fastened his teeth
in the rear OF his overalls. The strug-
gle was short and sharp; finally Jack
fell with thud to the ground ind the
old man swung up beyond harms reach.
Jack sat under the tree and Hrowled
savagely at Old Brig, and Old Brig in
turn used some very forcible language
toward Jack.
"Do call off your dog. Hiram; father
will never forgive you for this if you do
not, " pleaded Julia.
Never mind, Julia; Jacks dandy,
and now that we've got the old man up
a tree, we'll make him come to terms
before we let him down. Let him
fume if he wants to; it won't hurt him.
Let's go over toward him, ".and they adj
vanced leisureiy toward the spot where
Old Brig was up tree.
"Why don't you call that drafted
brute OFF," he shouted angrily, as they
approached.
"Oh, Jacks all right; guess he
saved me from lickin' you or bein' licked
by you; it will be fine thing to tell the
neighbors how Old Brig took to a tree, :"
and Hiram laughed heartily.
"Ain't yer goin' to call that brute
OFF,"
"Not till you and l have little chat
and come to some kind of an under
standing" rejoined Hiram coolly.
"Jule, take club an drive that crit
ter away!" shouted Old Brig.
oh, father, how can You expect me
tn 1o what vo,, dave moi do ro,1;o1