Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-04-01
SHORTY LOCHINVAR."

The victim Off first attack of love is
pitiable creature, particularly when
there are obstacles. which is usual
ly the case.
l always feel sorry for a chap in
this sort OF a pickle. and l felt par
ticularly sorry for poor Shorty
Fleming. 1 knew / ought not to
encourage him but he was such a
good little beggar. and so much in
earnest. that l would have defed a
far more severe man than his brother
Jack for his sake. Besides. Shorty
was not one OF the chaps who get over
anything easily. and l knew failure
would go hard with him. Moreover
Jack was not the only 'obstacle. :"
Sam Parker, .Shorty's Nettles papa
also objected. He was not stern.
unreasonable parent by any means,
but his objections even if presented
good naturally, were none the less
formidable. Parker was shrewd
Maine Yankee with total disbelief
in the ability of womankind to use
reason. and record of some sixty
years of devotion to an earnest hustle
for the fascinating but elusive Ameri-
can dollar. Nettie was the only
daughter and the youngest child in a
family of seven, and the old man.
close listed as he was, had spared no
expense in educating her literally.
1t was only natural therefore, for
him to object especially as Nettie
was barely eighteen. and had only
been out of school few months.
He called on Jack one afternoon.
not casually, as he usually called. on
his way to or from town. but with a
direct purpose. Jack was under the
weather. and lay on the sofa 1 was
reading to him when Parker walked
in.
"Howdy, Flemin'; laid up air ye?
Howdy, Faber; purity warm. amt ftp
Thanks. will set ~ SPELL" And he
sat down on the edge of chair and
began tracing figures on the floor with
his big spur. He seemed nervous, and
rose to leave the room. but he waved
his hand and said: set daown. Faber
Set still. Guess l amt got nothin' T.
say but what We mount ez well hear"
Here the old man stiffened up in
his seat and stated his mission, in a
thoroughly decided way. closing with:
"Naow. Flemin', l amt no 'biec-
ton t tn lettle feller+not one mite;
he's tip-top good boy, an all that
But faint in reason th't Pm goin' t
spend more'n three thousan' dollars
eddlcatin' young 'un, an then let
FER go an marry mother young 'un.
'thout airy red. An that's what it'll
come tew, fust thing we know"
Fleming eat up and ran his fingers
through his hair gravely. Then: IL
quite agree with you, Mr. Parker.
don't know what to say to Percy. but
] will try little strategy and see if
he can't be kept at homo moro. If
that won't do. l can talk to him."
And here began my connection with
Shorty's love affair." That evening
was writing busily when some one
opened the door of my den and walked
in. 1t was Shorty. He sat down
quietly and took up paper which he
looked at for several minutes, while l
scratched away at my work. Then
he threw the paper down suddenly.
and turned TO me with: "Faber. what
was old Parker here for to-dayp"
l tried to dissemble but Shorty is
nobody's fool and interrupted: 'Oh,
rot!" said he: j reckon you think I'm
a sucker. Now. honestly what was he
here forp"
Finally told him about the CONVEX
sation between. his brother and Par
ker. He sat silent for several min
utes. / could see his face witch.
Then he turned his eyes to my face
and said slowly: '.Faber, I know I'm
young and all that, butt know my
own mind. Jacks a good brother.
and feels in duty bound to take care Of
me- but guess 1 can tend 70 that
myself. 1--we made up my mind to
marry that girl. IL she'll have me, and
all the Jacks and Sam Parkers in the
world can't stop me-" And Mr.. Per-
cival Fleming set his mouth hard and
walked out He called ut Parker s
the next evening. despite Jacks 'strat-
egy."
There was another caller ut Rarker's
that evening. in the person OF Morris
Cottrell, wealthy rancher from up
the .Five-Mile." Shorty, when he
got home mentioned this fact to me.
with some feeling in his tones. Cot
trell was no old duffer. He was man
Of thirty well-read. and a gentleman,
and the prospect OF having him for
rival would have sent despair to the
heart Of any penniless young man less
determined than Shorty Fleming.
For two or three months Shorty con-
tinued his calls ut Parker's growing
more and more gloomy and savage as
the days went by. for old Sam Parker
was something OF a strategist and
managed to keep the poor lad from
getting single private interview with
Nettie thereby giving Cottrell clear
field which was evidently satisfactory
to the latter. although he did not seem
TO make much progress. s
One evening Shorty, came to my
room in state OF mind, He had seen
Sam Parker. that day. and the latter
had told him. as gently as possible.