The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-12-03
HER SISTER NELL.
Why She Went South to Take
Caro- of Kate.

9ueu LON MOTION duu his VIE cdue
frpen the north to the prairies of south
weSfern Louisiana to try rice farming
they brought each their most cherished
possessions.
TOMS consisted, for the most part, of
= varied and interesting collection of
theories.
lie brought, also, a very respectable
financial hacking and a fund of good,
practical common sense. These saved
him from collapse when he saw his
theories knocked out by the hard facts
of his new life.
Mrs. Kate brought her etch;ngs, her
water colors. her jars, vases. rugs and
draperies. She had a rather worse
time arranging these in a Cadian
house than Tom had with his theories,
which is saying a good deal. Both sue
ceeded fairly well, however, and at the
beginning of the second summer their
house had become the rendezvous of
the boys" a lot of young fellows
Tom various northern states, most of
them, like Tom, rice planters. Their
home was at present a board shanty,
set in the midst of far-strctching rice
feds, where they kept house for
themselves after the manner OF men
I'M watched of women. Small wonder
they found at Toms a pleasant respite.
John McRae, whose rice fiat vas
est and stayed longest. lie was older
than the rest and quieter.
He had dined with them. n breath
less noon, and afterward crossed to the
parlor, which Kate had a trick of keep
ing cool and shady in the hottest
weather. Kate filed the pipes: Tom
took the sofa and Mac. stretched in 4
most comfortable chair, smoked awhile
in silence.
you're a decent sort of 4 fellow.
Tom" he said at length, land | don't
envy you a thing. but this"-with n
comprehensive wave of his hand
isn't exactly calculated to make one
enthusiasts over Black Jim's house
keeping"
This" Included the excellent din
ner Just eaten, the cool shade of the
pleasant room. an d Kate herself in a
most becoming gowu.
We'll, then, why don't you do as !
did. marry your best girl and bring her
down nero to look after you" queried
Tom.
Mac pulled away awhile before he
answered: Il haven't any best girl. /
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 ont of
schnol and left me with mother, four
children and Il mortgage to look after.
] laid the case plainly before my girl,
told her here was bound TO be nard
work.: but that | knew | could pull
through, and if she wanted to take hold
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.
] told you she was sensible he ex-
planned.
Here Kate shifted contemptuously.
But even that failed to interrupt the
even tenor of Macs tale.
~ L Nthl W dioliV- abu w
George, how | did work. But / pulled
through at last, as | knew I would:
paid the mortgage, educated the chill
dren and provided for mother" All
this was delivered between the puffs of
Macs pipe in his usual quiet tone,
without Il trace of emotion on his thin
face, and from first to last his amused
smile did not nary.
lie reflled his pipe and concluded, as
if lone with the subject:
MY folks have got out of the habit
of thinking of me as a marrying man, |
and l reckon, as they say here, they're
about right"
That was all ri ght so long as there
was the mortgage, the mother n the
children to be considered, but now"
and Kate paused. suggestively.
but now" said Mac, rising, I've
no cali to be dawdling here. Carter
told me this morning that the twin
levees were seeping badly. I've got to
hold up all my water if l make a crop,
so / came into the Magnolia saloon for
something to sharpen up the shovels."
He paused by one of the tables and
took up a picture which lay there. 1t
was a bright-fared girl. with an air
of spirited self-r Glance.
Now, that's a nice girl" Mac !
said, after a moments examination of
the picture.
.'She just is" said Kate, emphatic
ally. Its my sister, Nell. She's nice,
but not nice and sensible like your
stick OF a girl"
Think not?!" and Mac continued to
give the picture the same careful scru-
levee or a clogged pump.
NO, indeed" replied Kate. ''If there
was hard work to be done, Nell would
20 at i: with all the energy she devotes
nowadays to having a good time"
That would knock n harder job than
yours silly, Mac" and Tom laughed.
well, if Won don't believe me, Just
70 and see my sister Nell. Mr.. John
McRae." said Kate with great dignity.
That sounds alluring, but I'm too
aged to run any risks. Before | do
rnything | must be assured of several
Macs eyes twinkled, but he Spoke
luitc as if Kate were an agent for a
new pump or a grading plow.
What, for instancc??' Hates tone :
vas crisp enough to have warned Tom, /;
Max went on calmly. {
We'll" he said, meditatively, this" 1
again his gesture included the .
arrangement of the room-"and the S
you're always giving us, and {
.hc way you have of meeting Ton in a I
'retty gown when he comes "A hot and I
.ired. But | don't want to be too =
.rasping. ! wouldn't iDsist-at first 4
lnyway-on sitting with her in the c
iusk in a hammock, as ! saw You and t
Tom doing the other night" b
Wouldn't you?" asked Kate, with l
aim derision. Mac laid down the pic
urc, rose and shook himself.
We'll. Carterln be furious if I'm not \
Jack by supper time. Good-by." ii
He came back, however, wi of the v
lariug sunlight to say: K