The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-28

fuse; %, accompanying Sis, went up the
Il bet I kin dig faster than you" she said,
~ she stuck her tsn.pound hoe into the
ground.
SI shoulap't 3. surprised. am not
SWh U1 al Ss yon best ats' she asked.
II bet You air mighty ham to make love
to the gals.
line
..Mebby you amt bean tEy 9.I right hard"
She Kept close beside me and talked
ceaselessly of love. 'sEf the right sort of a
man wuz to love me right hard, do you
want to know whut I'd doS' she asked.
"What would you do?''
I'D call him lasses all the time. Wouldn't
that be sweet2
.sYes, rather"
"Whut would you do ef woman loved
you right hard?'
II don't know"
You'd call her 'lasses, wouldn't your"
II might"
'.Wali, is 'lassesa"
II suppose So" answered, with desire
to pay her compliment. She smiled upon
me, and then hastily stepping to one side
she seized hog that had got into the pota-
to patch and tossed him over the fence.
just then the dinner horn blew.
''Now," said the host when we had sat
down to the table, there is billed rooster.
We've had him long time. but fur month
or mo- lately l didn't think he wuz goin' to
live, He tuck suthin the matter with his
throat an you mout have hearn hin, cough
half a mile, but we doctored him up till he
wuz about fitten to eat and then killed him. -
Ihad no appetite. The girl after strip
ing the meat Oh the wish-bone, held up the
horseshoe-lo looking thing and told me to
the table, but soon returned and took her
place beside me. After dinner my host said
that as the creek had not run down, I would
greatly obllge him by continuing to help
Sis dig potatoes. II would come up an dig
toe" be added, ''but I have got power Of
6ddlin' about to do"
wanted to risk the creek and told him
so, but he would not hear to it. "W'y
bless yo' life," said he, you'd git drownded
sho. To-morrer morning will be time
enough, an in the meantime you will be
dom of me great favor by helpin' git the
potatoes in. Ricolleck that I don't charge
you nothin' fur stayin' here, an bein' an
fur another"
How did long for night to come. The
hard work was scarcely less wearying than
the siokening talk of the girl. Once I told
her that 1 should be compelled to 60. but
she shook her head gravely and said: "That
would make pap awful mad. forgot to
tell you, but you mustn't make pap mad.
have know'd him to foller a man fur week
that had made him mad. An he mighty
nigh allus ketches up with the man he fol-
lers."
was asleep by the time touched the
bed that night, and having been too tired
to think Just before lying down, ! dreamed
of what fool had been in accepting any
terms offered by the old man. On the fol-
lowing day announced my 6rmly-Rxed in
tention of leaving. The old man protested
great astonishment. "What!" said he.
"trifle with the affections of my family an
then leave us in the lurch."
could only gasp in establishment.
"W'y, you promised to marry Sis" said
he.
This staggered me. Promised to MARI,
her!' exclaimed.
eyes, fur right out thar in the tatel
patch you lowed that you wanted her,
didn't you? Wall I reckon you did
You lowed she was 'lasses, an of that aim
AKIN in this country nobody don't know
whut is; an agin you pulled with her tn,
other day-pulled the wish-bone of the OLE
rooster that you mout at one time have
hearn cough q half mile. An don't 20,
ricolleck when she got up frum the table
Well, she put her piece of the bone up il
the fork of saplin' an you walked unde
per, now son, fur don't want to hurt you
An another thing, my son, don't try to rul
away and leave us after triflin' with our at
fections. I've got whole host of kinsfolk
nigh here an they will be nightly pleased
to know that Sis, thar, is goin' to marry