The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-02-11
"SnYl" she hiSSe1l

NEATLY turned. But there's no l.
for retaliation now Let's come t."
understanding. III be generous. in
surrender to you. I'll yield to that will
lowy figure. those soft eyes, those rosy
cheeks and ruby lips" He was still
holding her tightly clasped in his arms
minnie. dear. the Good Book says.
Love your enemy and do good to them
that despitefully use you. | love my
enemy: it is for you to do good to one
who has despitefully used you"
Minnie had ceased to struggle. Indeed,
she might as we'll have struggled i'll the
arms of a grizzly bear. But her tongue
was free. and she made good fight with
this.
"Never!' she cried Indignantly If
you had sought my acquaintance like a
gentleman" -
'Id rather not be a gentleman than
miss holding you this way. You re
lovelier than vanished rifle stock.
And you have head like haystack
afre."
And you have lips like cherries"
Think of lover named l. Ball, and
with such an ugly gray eyeball at that"
"You can make it j if you like: you
don't seem to know the difference be-
tween an and a J. Besides you'll he
Minnie Ball and that's more deadly han
| an Eyeball."
The girl laughed through her tears ~
spite of herself.
Never! never in the world"
Now, really. don't you think it v'ts
little unkind of you trying to mix iue.
with my cousin?
Minnie felt guilty but wouldn
own it.
You see, you might have raised
: quarrel. and | might have killed }, or }
might have killed |, and we might both
have been executed. Do you know how
!; they execute soldiers in the army?"
mo. and don't want to know Let
me go at once or I'll call papa"
THAT would be the worst kind of
strategy. Papa would see you in your
present peculiar position and it would
| all come out about those two notes you
wrote to and | But as | was saying,
about executions in the army
This is dreadful Let me go. say"
Not till you own you've been a
naughty girl"
I'm afraid have been little mean"
and she hung her head.
"Do you want to make up for what
you've done?'
Yes"
Then give me kiss by way of atone
ment"
Il won't"
! Just one little one will make it all
, right"
No"
Not one?
NO
! Think of the enormity Of the offense
and that it will be all forgiven and OBJ
liberated"
Il can't keep saying no all day
can r.
| Ike drew her lips to his and kissed
them.
! "You are an ungenerous. ungen-
tle"-
Ike stopped the word in the mildle
with another kiss.
"And shall take measures to have
you punished for
Smack!
You're not playing prisoner right at
ALL" said Ike. "Prisoners Of war don't
talk that way. They're glad enough to
be taken alive" And he gave her an
other by way of punishment.
"Do yon mean that you are going to
do that eve.y time open my MOUTH
"Certainly do. Discipline must and
shall be maintained in this command"
"Then III keep it shut"
"Now, Miss Minnie. listen to reason.
and Ike. who had an intuitive idea of
what kind of reason a girl is most in
cined to listen to, set off at trot. tell
ing her how lovely she was and how
badly he had behaved, but that he
couldn't help it, seeing how desperately
in love he had fallen-and. well, to make
long story short, he conquered peace.
The war was ended then and there, and
it must be confessed that there are nc
more battles for the historian TO record,
for never was there such reconstruc-
ton as came to pass between these two
beligerents.
So they were betrothed, and John and
Matilda declared that they had never seen
such a .'spooney" couple Indeed, il
anything could have brought John and
Matilda together it would have been
the lovers example. But they Were
too slow about it. Matilda was too proper
and John was too dignified So thes pu'