The midland journal., 1892-12-30

He had dined with them, one breath
less noon, and afterwards crossed to the
parlor. which Kate had trick of keep
ing cool and shady in the hottest
weather. Kate filled the pipes, Tom
took the sofa and Mac, stretched in a
most comfortable chair, smoked while
in silence.
< X X
YOU'RE a decent sort of fellow,
Tom, he said at length, 'and L don't
envy you thing, but this with a
comprehensive wave of his hand
isn't exactly calculated to make one
enthusiastic over Black Jim's house,
keeping
This included the excellent dinner
just eaten, the cool shade of the pleas
ant room, and Kate herself in most
becoming gown.
well, then, why don't you do as I
did, marry your best girl and bring her
down here to look after you?" queried
| Iom.
Mac pulled away awhile before he an
swered, Il haven't any best girl. I had
one once-a nice, sensible girl"
Il hate nice, sensible girls, inter-
rupted Kate; but Mac went calmly on.
Father died when | was just out OF
/ school, and left me with mother, four
children and mortgage to look after.
laid the case plainly before my girl,
told her there was bound to be hard
work; but that L knew I could pull
| fhrnpnh and &c e.lo 4oI b tolr L.
and help all right. If not, say so-and
'Good-by, sweetheart
''She wrote me the incest kind of a
letter ; said she couldn't think of COM
ing between me and my duty to my
family, but she 'should always etc.
But it was good-by all right enough.
l told you she Was sensible, he ex-
|, aimed.
Here Kate shifted contemptuously.
But even that failed to interrupt the
even tenor of Macs tale.
80 [ went to work alone, and, by
George, how did work But pulled
through at last, as l knew would ;
paid the mortgage, educated the chill
uren and provided for mother"
All this was delivered between the
ruifs of Macs pipe in his usual quiet
tone, without trace of emotion on his
thin face, and from first to last his
amused smile did not vary.
He refilled his pipe and concluded, as
if lone with the subject:
My folks have got out of the habit
Of thinking of me as marrying man,
al L reckon, as they say here, they're
aoout right.
That was all right, so long as there
was the mortgage, the mother and the
children to be considered, but now
md Kate paused, suggestively.
But now, said Mac, rising, I've no
call to be dawdling here. Carter told
me this morning that the twin levees
We're seeping badly. I've got to hold
up all my water if l make crop, so
came into the Magnolia saloon for
homething to sharpen up the shovels. -
lie paused by one of the tables and
to k up picture which lay there. It
WAS a bright faced girl, with an air of
spirited self-rehance.
Now, that's a nice girl" Mac ex-
claimed, after moments examination
o. the picture.
She just is = says Kate, emphatic,
ally. Its my sister Nell. She's nice,
but not nice and sensible like your
suck of girl"
Think not p ard Mac continued to
give the picture the same careful scru.
tiny he was wont to bestow upon seep.
ing levee or a clogged pump.
No, indeed = Kate replied. If
there was hard work to be done, Nell
would go at it with all the energy she
devotes nowadays to having good
time"
That would knock harder Job than
yours silly, Mae" and Tom laughed.
We'll, if you don't believe me, just
go and see my sister Nell, Mr.. John
ArRae, said Kate, with great dignity,
That sounds alluring. but I'm too
aged to run any risks Before do any,
tuing L must be assured of several
things"
Macs eyes twinkled, but he spoke
quite as if Kate were an agent for new
pump or a grading plough
"What for instance ?" Kate's tone
was crisp enough to have warned Tom,'
but Mac went on calmly. 4"
We'll, he said, meditatiyely, "this: