River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-08-18
BAPTIZED BY FIRE.
Uncle zarah's Story of How Cap
pie Won Her Husband.

Uncle zarah's Story of How Cap
pie Won Her Husband.
THAT reminds me of an incident"
said Uncle Zarah. That riding mas
ter may think he knows it all 50 far as
grace Il concerned. though his ideas
of grace differ with mine materially;
but Id like To tell him about one
woman have known who had been
accustomed To the management of
horses in rural parts or on the plains
who had been at home on a horses
back all her life and seldom essayed
any gait but a 'gallop.' yet who could
lay it over any rider in this city for
grace"
Uncle paused to polish his glasses,
then remarked, iuterrogatively: You
remember Mrs - Her name was
CaptOla- Did ever tell you how Cap
pie won her husband?
at was an early September morning
IN the late sixties. The summer rams
had made vegetation rank and the buff
falo grass was then thIckly matted.
brown and dry as powder The night
=
TO skylight copper in the morning.
and a strange stiffness brooded in the
air.
~ had been given orders for brand
ing q bunch Of steers to send TO the
lower range, and a. / came mp on the
porch / discovered Cap in her dingy old
riding habit, sitting on the edge swing
ing her feet and swapping quirt, her
pony browsing Just in front of her, and
beside her was Henry-the owner of
the big Home ranch and her affianced
lover His bride rein was thrown over
his arm. and he was earnestly begging
the girl to comply with some request
PLEASE. Cappie, yield 10 me this
time
But l want the gloves and whip
"T'll buy you a gross of silver
mounted whips and a dozen pairs of
JOuvin's best: import them especially
for the purpose. if you would give up
riding at the fair
That would be a circumstance,
wouldn't it?' flashed Captols- i could
shake them under Miss Oates nose an
say: There! just see what l got fnr
letting you win the prize" No. Hal. i
isn't the gloves or the whip, but a
mean little ambition | want TO crafty.
That woman called me a hoyden, an
uncultivated little heather, and said
couldn't ride little bit. I don't mind
the hoyden and heather l suppose l
am both, but i can ride. and mean to
do it
Little girl. you hurt me when YOU
talk so thOughtleSsly.'
land you hurt me cruelty, she
cried. passiOnately, As she turned her
flashing ewes on him. I'm ashamed to
ackuC Wedge how much. / thought
YOU loved me, but you don't When
lou sec me beside your mother and
your Incompatible sisters, and-3nd
that horrid prim Puritan, Miss Oates.
YOU get ashamed of me and want to
make me over by the square and level
of ' our own social world, but you can't
do IT, tried to cultivate the litrle
prairie anemones. but they always
died. I'll die, too, under the eultivating
process so yOu-I think-you can
have your ring back and with little
s.sb CaptoIa began TO tag al her gaunt-
lets, but Henry caught her hands.
my dear little wild bird, love
you. ! am twenty years older than you
are. but never said that to a woman
till met You. am graver and
Quieter than you are, but like
your sunny ways your bright
nature. My mother and sisters do
not know YOU as well as / do, and
they want me TO marry Miss Oates.
They are looking for flaws in NV gem.
and don't want them to have a chance
TO think .lsy have found one. 1t is
such little thing / have asked you.
Your father Is aw ay; there Is no one
20 attend you, as you utterly refuse my
escort unless | desert my mother and
the other ladies. which | cannot do.
You-well, You know, little girl. thar
YOU are very unconventional in bot!
manners and dress, and l do wish Won
would try 10 win them over. child
Henry paused. feeling tina: he wa.
making a bad matter worse.
Never" Cap replied. angrily. ss
she jerked her hands away. They may
take me as am or not at all II mann
ma had lived maybe l would have
been different-aS prunes and priSn,s
as Miss Oates. pOssibly-but I've onlg
had dad. and he likes me best as asa
i never would have thought of riding
at the fair. only when we were all cut
horseback riding one night after Miss
Oates first came. she said. purposely for
me TO hear. that sticking on was not
good riding by any means. and made
fun OF my ''old-faShioned" riding habit
And Caps tears splashed down on the
dIngy black calico.
'''YOu are much prettier ia il than
Miss Oates Is in hers. returned Henry.
warmly.
- oh, yes said Cap mOckingly. much
prettier: but YOU don't want to see me
match my skill against her grace; but
l Will; and l VIII win the whip and
gloves, 80 now
Then we viii discuss the matter no
further
"Adios. then. senior. until tins after
noon. and remember she called. as she
vaulted on Bret's back and turned TO
20, after to-day l mean To show that
dad has a. much money as anybody.
don't care for dress. but IL Won do You
shall be pleased. and with a saucy kiss
from her finger tips she rode away.
II felt sorry for both. but | knew it
would come out all right. In his sum
mers on his stock ranch, only two miles
away. Henry had seen Captola grow
into willful. but lovable. girl. and had
yielded up all the strength of his great
heart TO her: but as she was too young
TO marry he was waiting for her. His
mother and sisters had come from the
Quaker city to inspect the possible
addition to the family, and were horri-
fed a. her unconventionalities par
ticularly her going about by herself
The special grie vance was over the
county fair.
''Nias Oates and some Of the oiJ