Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-12-23

'this"-and aga his gesture In
cluded the arrangement OF the room
--.and the dinners you're always Civ
ing us aud the way you have OF meet
Ing Tom in pretty gown when he
comes in hot and tired. But don't
wan. to DO too graspihg. ! wouldn't
insist-at first anyway-on sitting
with her in tho dusk In hammock
as l saw you and Tom doing The other
night"
Wouldn't your asked Kate with
calm derision. Mac laid down the
picture, rose and shook himself
We'll Carter'll b. furious il I'm
not back by supper timo. Good. bye"
He came back however out OF the
glaring sunlight to say:
Il fear l must insist upon another
thing. I'm not proud. but there's a
look about Toms clothes that drives
me to despair when l contemplate
my own raiment"
BETTER set up Il clothes brush; It's
much cheaper than ANY other ar
rangement Interrupted Kate.
Tom groaned an emphatic assent 10
this proposition and Mac finally
mounted his pony and took his way
across the hot prairie towards the dis
tant timber line which marked the
course OF the Nez Pique.
This was in carly June. and the
Nortons saw no more CT him during
the month. Carter Mac foreman.
whom Tom saw in town reported.
| AM 1okv Oh - -~xtsH l.
self plumb out de way he gwine on.
He's at dem AR pumps and levees
early an late Say. II de hull r,cs
fiat ain flooded by do Fo' tn o. July,
de debbil himself CIV inc be to pay"
1t was in the dusk Of one OF the
first July days that Mac rode to their
gate.
Goodbye" he ca lied. without dis
mounting.
They left the pore and came dowr
the moonlighted walk for explana
tions-which he did not at once Offer
What is that" he asked a
length. respectfully indicating witt
his whip the fleecy affair in which
Kate had wrapped he rself against the
chill OF the Cult bre eze
"A shawl Nell made il for me u
Christmas she said, holding up
corner for his inspection.
I've always thou ght of shawls a.
ugly checked things" Mac com
mented. and then abruptly "Iu
gong North to SEQ mother aud the
boys"
There was curious pause in thi
announcement as il It's ending hat
been recOns idered. Macs usual quie
seemed reinforced tonight by an nd
ded constraint. and after little he
rode away into the soft radiance O
the Southern moonlight
The latter part of the week Kate
received her usual letter from hel
sister Nell. The week after there
was none. nor the week after that
Her veAation was becoming seriou
solicitude when Tom brought her tn
following letter:
| My DEAR KATE: We've been so bus
since MIR. McRao came there hasn't been
moment to write letters, 1t was awful,
nice OF you to suggest his stopping off L
see US. He talAs to father by the hou
about the country and to mother abou
you. H3 doesn't talk to me much, bu
watches me as II | were something un
usual
Father and mother seem to like him, bu
don't-much I'll write more next time
He's going tomorrow. Love TO Tom.
NELL.
p. Shes the strangest man I've eve
seen. Yesterday / left him discoursing t
father Oh red ricd." and III 9Th lii
pumps" and all the rest OF 1t, and betoo
myself 10 the hammock under the old M
| pie tree.
Presently he followed me with plan O
your house he'd drawn for mother. Their
wasn't any place to sill except in the han
mock or on the grass. and you know how
loathe bugs aud worms; so ! made room
for him in the hammock But before h
sal down he leaned against the apple tire
and laughed and laughed till | felt like
fool. He tried 10 make it up with me after
ward by saying he remembered somethin
you said TO him once about swinging in
hammock. IL must have be II very funny
don't think like him at all n
+. S. S.-Mr M-couldn't seem to T.,
member any closets in your house. Iaske
him whore YOU hid things. He said
must be on top of the armoir. Whats a
armoir?
Kate had barely time to catch he
breath before Nell's promised lette
came. IL was as follows:
My DEAR KATE: Mr. McR1e didn't g
today after all. but lad is really going {.
morrow. Aud is coming back in Noven
br. And we're going to be married ther
Tom, don't you let Kate writ. to know no
it all happened, for don't know myse
yet: only mother has always said some
. us ought to go down there to keep Kat
company, and YOU know how self sacrif
ing have always been / Just told job
J was writing to you. I'd give halt N
rice crop" he said, ITO see Mrs Kate
face when she reads your letter" Goo
bys NELL.
r. 81 think do like him after all
little n.
New Orleans Times Democrat.
All That Allied Willie.