Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-04-11
But Matt would not comply. With
one jerk she freed herself from hin;
then, swift as lightning she ran back
across the hills toward the sea.
CHAPTER VII.
MATT GROWS ,lATRIMoyIAL.


caravan had curious dreams, and
throughout them all moved like a pre-
siding fairy, Matt of Aberglyn. Some
times he was wandering OH stormy
shores, watching the wrecks of mighty
argosies; again, he was in mysterious
cayerns underneath the ground, search
ing for and finding buried treasure; still
again, he was standing on the decks of
storm-tossed vessels, while the break
ers thundered close at hand, and the
bale-fires burned OH lonely headlands.
But at all times, and i'll all places, Matt
was his companion.
And, curiously enough, Matt in his
dream was very different TO the Matt Of
waking reality; taller and brighter-in
fact, as beautiful as vision can be; so
that his spirit was full OF a strange
sensation of love and pity, and the
touch of the warm little hand disturbed
his spirit with mysterious JOY. So vivid
did this foolish dream become at last,
that he found himself seated on sunny
rock by the sea, by Matt's side; and he
was talking to her like lover, with his
arm around her waist; and she turned
to him, with her great eyes fixed on his,
and kissed him over and over again, so
passionately-that he awoke!
1t was blowing hard, and the rain was
pelting furiously on the roof OF the
caravan. He tried to go TO sleep again,
but the face of Matt las he had seen it
in his dreamy kept him for a long time
awake.
Now, young man." he said to him
self, "this is idiotic. In the first place,
Matt is child, not young woman; in
the second place, she is vulgar little
thing, not young lady; in the. third
place, you ought to be ashamed of your
self for thinking of sentiment at all in
such connection. Is your brain soften
ing, youngster2 or are you laboring un-
der the malign influence of William
Jonesp The kiss you gave to this un-
sophisticated daughter of the desert
was paternal, or say, amicable; it was a
very nice kiss, but it has no right to
make you dream of stuff and nonsense
But the influence OF the dream was
over him, and In that housekeeping,
half-waking state, he felt like boy in
love. He found himself calculating the
age of his own friend. Let him seel it
was fifteen years since, in her own fig
urative expression, she come ashore
and the question remained, how old
was she on that interesting occasion?
AS far as he could make out from her
appearance, she could not be more than
/ 81 - Tor "a Hopacal 20 that aaa har
kiss was decidedly precocious.
At last he tumbled off again, and
dreamed that Matt was young lady Of
beautiful attire and captivating man
ners, to whom he was engaged; ind
her speech. strange to say, was quite
poetical and refined; and they walked
together, hand In hand, to country
church on green hillside, and were
| just going TO enter, when who should
appear upon the threshold but Mr..
Monk of Monkshurstg But they passed
him by, and stood before the altar,
where the parson stood in his white
robes, and when the parson asked aloud
whether any one saw any just reason or
impediment that the pair should not be
joined in holy matrimony, the same
Monk stepped forward, with Mephis-
tophelian smile, and cried, "Yes, dol"
On which the young man awoke again
in agitation, 10 find that il was broad
daylight and fine fresh summer morn
Wnom Should he tind waiting for him
when he had dressed himself and step
ped from the house on wheels but Matt
herselfg Yes, there she was, as wild
and as quaintly-attircd as ever, quite
unlike the ethereal individual of bis
dreams; but for all that, her smile was
like sunshine, and her eyes as roguish
and friendly as ever.
Conscious OF his dream he blushed,
while greeting her with friendly nod.
We'll, Mattg Here again, ehY" he
said; adding to himself, This won't do
at all, my gentleman; if this young per-
son continues to appear daily, the cara
van will have to move on"
Matt had evidently something on her
mind. After looking at Brinkley
thoughtfully for some minutes, she ex-
claimed abruptly:
William Jones don't like you neither.
No more does William Jones' father"
Dear me!' said the young man. I'm
very sorry for that"
"He esays-William Jones says-youre
come here prying and spying. Do you."
MY dear Matt" replied the young
man, lightly, Il come here as an hum
BILE artist, seeking subjects for my sur
passing genius to work upon. If it is
prying and spying to attempt to pene-
trate into the beauties of Nature-both
scenic, animal, and human-I fear /
must plead guilty; but, Otherwise
She inter- upted him with all impa-
tient exclamation, accompanied by a
hitch of her pretty shoulders.
Don't talk like that; for then know
you're chatting. Talk serious, and I'll
tell you something"
"All right. I'll be serious as par
son. Go ahead!"
MIR. Monk, of Monkshurst, wants to
marry me. He said so to William
Jones'"
The information was delivered with
assumed caIelessness; but after it was
given, Matt watched the effect of it up
on the hearer with precocious interest.
Brinkley opened hiseyes in very natural
amazement.
Come, come, Matt; you're joking"
~No, amt. It's true"
But you're only child--a very nice
child, 1 admit--but to talk of holy mat
rimony in such connection is--excuse
my neutrality-suspicious., People
don't marry little girls"
But Matt did not consent TO this prop
osition at ali.
Il amt little GIRL she affirmed,
with decisive nod of her head, I'm
sixteen, and I'm growe6 up,"
The young man was amused, and
could not refrain from laughing hearth
ly. But the girls brow darkened as she
watched him. and her under lip fell as
il she would like to cry.
| IF you 60 on laughing she said. I'm
run straight back home, and never come
here no more"
well, I'll try to keep my counte-
nance; but the idea is very funny, Real
ly, nowy Don't you see II in that light
yourselfps
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