The morning call., 1891-08-25


1t was only a shingle, lettered roughl;
with shoeblacking and suspended only by
several yards of rope from the limbs of two
trees across the broadest Three Forks
road, but its effect upon the people wa!
something marvellous. The "artiSt" couiC
not have desired more, even though his am
bition had taken wings 1t was to be a granC
success to a certainty.
BY evening the whole population had read
the notice and were sending word of the
event near and far. And when ii wa:
known that the stake" for the race was
Name Ellis-Od Farmer Ellis daughter
the people grew wilder than ever. Those
who knew the true state of affairs SYM
pathized With the girl and could have
thraShed her father for setting her up, so L
speak, for the winner OF the race.
She was pretty little girl, and the ad-
miratiOn Of the town. Every one knew hel
and knew, too, of her love affair How lcng
she'd loved young Wilkins, how he had
loved her, and how the whole thing had
ended. Everybody remembered it all. and
never saw her OF thought of her without
smiling at the recollection of the pretty
picture the two young lovers made, and
signing at the END of their romantic dream
Farmer Ellis thought he had a number OF
good reasons for not wishing young Wilkin.
for sUn-In-law, but no one else agreed With
him.
He and old man Wilkins had been at ont
time rivals for the same heart and hand, and
the latter being the favored one the former:
heart became Immediately filled to overflow
ing with enmity and a desire for vengeance
But he married later Oh in life a great
church woman, whose goodIy influence
tended to down his malice, and he was be-
ginning to be a Peace on earth and good
will toward all men " sort of man until he
saw young Wilkins, his rivals son. His re-
semolance to his mother, the woman he had
striven so vainly to win, and son of the man
who had come in between them. so filled
him with bitterness that he hated the boy
more than he did the father.
But not so with his daughter. The two
young folks were in love with each other
from the first time they looked into each
others faces. But knowing Farmer Ellis
feelings toward anything by the name oi
wilkins. and fearing the result il he guessed
their secret, they managed to love and live
In a sort of dreamland for many weeks with
out his knowledge.
However. Il pretty girl is never loved by
one boy ct time, and, of course, when the
second steps in SO does jealousy. Some one
played Natchnan for awhile, and standing
well in Farmer Ellis graces gave HAT,
and ere another moon Name had to give up
her lover.
He pleaded with her to run away with
him, and some of her friends, who hated to
See the sweethearts break up, offered to aid
her IN slipping away, but when she thought
of the lonely life her old father would lead
without her, sne said nay, ana the lovers
began life in different paths
Ned Wilkins fingered in town for many
days, hoping the affair would take turn for
the better but not so. Name was undergo
ing a life through bolts and bars as il were.
With her old dad as chief jailer, gatekeeper
and Waterman. SO there were no more meet
ings between them.
Finally, in despair, Ned left town and
was not seen again. Name bore up bravely,
though she grew pale and lost the gayety of
spirit for which she was so well known.
New lovers came aud went, grew jealous,
desperate and disheartened, all without the
least encouragement from her. though many
a nod and smile from her father, whose
fear of Ned wilkins return made him
anxious to have his daughter welded and
out of his reach.
Farmer Ellis had for two years been very
unfortunate with his crops. and at the end
OF the second season his cash had gotten So
low that he found it necessary to seek aid
from some source.
Now, be had two neighbors-very promis-
ing young men--who were both playing
tier cards zealously to win him for a
father-in-law; so, taking advantage of theil
attachment for his daughter, he made a re.
quest OF them, and each, knowing il would
~ make him stronger in the old mans eyes and
raise him in the girls estimation, granted
the loan willingly.
As time sped without either making any
progress in their courtship OF seeming t.
grow in the least in Names favor, their
hope weakened. and on the strength of il
they reminded the old man of his indebted.
ness now and then. very much to his dis
pleasure. he hadn't cent to make even 6
part payment, and no prospect for paying
The whole amount for years, then only by
hardest labor and greatest economy.
lie thought over 1t for many days, and
hnally became very respondent. There were
Dut two ways out Of debt-to sell the bulk
OF his property, which would be his ruina-
tloD, or marry Name to one Of them. Tie
hrst means was out Of the question; the sec
ond-lust the idea-for that would diminish
the debt one-half Immediately, and the
other half, with the son-in-law's aid, could
soon be settled. So far, good, but what
would his daughter sayP
Alter day or SO Of worry he laid bare
before his daughter the circumstances, to
whom 1t gave annoyance and unhappiness
But, having given up all hope of seeing Ned
again. and knowing both men to be above
the generality In morals and ever ready to
help ller father, she meekly consented to
wed elther-they to decide.
Her father was moved for moment at
her lack OF affection for either, but the busi-
ness qualities OF the arrangement did away
with his sentiment aud he made haste to in
form the lovers that the path for one of
them was clear, but which one he left TO
themselves.
Both were highly pleased, but knew not
now TO settle tho affair. Farmer Ellis then
stepped up with assistance aga in and kindly
advised race-horse, foot or wheel-the
winner to claim the girl. This was voted
capital, but. on account of the warm weather.
tney concluded to decide the contest by a
horse-race. "
Farmer Ellis was jubilant, and iovously
made the notice and hung it where it swung
Ior week back and forth with every breath
of air.
1t was read and reread by men and wo-
men, spelled over again and again and then
nemorized by the children.
Every one looked eagerly forward for Sat.
ufday, and when that eyeutful Qay did ar
rlve the town was alive in every sense of the
WORD. People poured in town all day from
miles and miles out of the settlement; some
walking, many on horseback, and by wagon
toads. such excitement was never known
before in all OF Tarapin Creek.
From noon till dusk they were going To
iIree Forks as fast as their feet, horses and
Tehlcles could take them. And by O'clock
the whole population of Terapin Creek and
nai-doZrr other towns were at the ap
pointed place and fast becoming impatient.
Mnen the two men-Tcm Mason and Jak,,
Ed@ ards-walked slowly down the path
ieading the ponies which were to decide
their future for them.
few moments later the bride-eiect co mn
In view. with her father-in- lasw-be the per-
sonlhcation Of pride and she pale and down
cast. be led her up to the platform-made
for her spec cial beneft-and sat down beside
her.
The horses were drawnsin line and every