Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-02-28

80 'n"' one evening, after glancing
from The window as the street door
smut to, after a rather prolonged good
bye, he saw him in the moo,i;rh+
coolly walking down the graveled natb.
way, between the two broad grass plots.
Why, mother, Jim Pine has been 70
see Eliza" he cried.
The mother had known it must come
some day, but now she was very much
frightened.
Yes, jack" she said, Drawing it out
with a smile, Jim comes pretty often.
lheyy We liked each other from children.
those two have, and there isn't a finer
looking fellow that I know Of anywhere.
or a better son; and old neighbors, too,
Jack-an old friends son."
odd friends?" said Jack Homer
testify. when a man is poor, he must
1--we near poor folk, and live like them.
But we've gone up. If I'd had some
women, Id have had credit for it; but
you'll begin to think you like low down
folk best, Betsy"
mo. and 1 never did," said his wife.
But Jim isn't low down, nor Jerry
neither, only poor, poor as honest work
ing people are, if that's poverty, and
Jim is educated q good deal better than
you and I, Jack-just as our Eliza is
and there's no reason for you to despise
them; it was just luck. You might be
over there in Wooden Row and he here
on the hill if the chance had come to
him instead of you"
"Ah," said Jack Horner, "the taking
OF chances makes the difference. You
don't do it by letting 'em pass"
Il agree to that, jack" said his wife.
"Still, I think Jim is n to take
chances. His mother was capable
smarter than his father. Come, Jack
remember that Eliza needn't look TO,
money!"
"She's got to have a gentleman, any
way" said Jack Horner. II want he,
to marry into one of the old families.
amt going to have a tinker's son coming
after her for her money, and he banged
his fist upon the table furiously, so thai
q decanter and glasses that stood there
danced about and jingled.
He gave his daughter a lecture mex
morning at the breakfast table, to which
she prudently answered very little, un
til toward the last Mr.. Homer sale
something about "sneaking into a mans
house."
"Jim sneaks," she said. "He
walks up to the front door and rings tn,
bell. He sees me in the parlor, just a
a man always does when he calls on
girl"
you've Kept it from me-" said til;
father. 81 never thought it Of you"
"Pa, DEAR" said the girl, coming an,
kneeling beside him. 81 never knew
girl to go about telling folks she had
beau; but you might have seen hin
any Sunday night. And now we ar
talking Of it, pa, 1 will say hat if 20,
don't let me marry Jim, I'll never MARI,
any one."
YOU'RE likely to Idie an old maid
then, Eliza" said MI. Horner; and a
he spoke he decided that on Thursday
when he went to Wooden Row to col
lect his rents, he would speak to fathe
and son-men had more sense than wo
men. When they saw there was n,
chance of his money, Jim would drol
the thought Of marrying Eliza, and thel
the girl would see that she had only t.
forget him.
with her chances" the old man said
@it's doing her no wrong"
This was the reason why he was 81
astonishingly quiet, when the womel
expected q cene.
On Thursday he carried out hi
plans. He had been collecting a goot
deal of money, and came after dark t.
the three houses that were his il
Wooden Row. When he had got hi.
rent, he went, for the first time il
years, down to the tinsmith's door an6
looked in.
Jerry lifted up his eyes; he was read
ing the daily paper through his glasses
by the light Of a little kerosene lamp.
"Glad to see you, Horner," he said,
ut is a good while since you stopped
in. But better late than never.
Jim, push up the rocker here. Many
q time you've sat in it before. And
how is your health, JACKIE?
any health is good enough, and
hope your is" said Horner. "But I
won't sit down. What 1 have to say ]
can say standing. It is only this: I've
found out that Jim has been coming
overto see Eliza. I didn't know it be-
fore. Now I want that to stop. If
Eliza is q fool I'm not. You under
stand, Jim?"
II understand, anyhow" said Jerry.
"Jim is not rich enough for Eliza Hor-
ner. Where was your pride, to go after