People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-12-30

her husbands shoulder from the win
dow and surveyed the handsome young
fellow who was in the act Of assisting
Bessie to dismount.
why, do believe it is Tom" she re-
turned How handsome he's grown
to be-
Handsome, the dickens" and he
strobe toward the door angrily. III
pay him for his impudence in ridin'
with our Bess"
Flinging the door open he faced Bes-
sizes escort with an angry fash in his
eyes
81 don't ask any odds of any Hart
ley" he said, grufly, brushing Tom
aside. 81 can help my own gal off her
pony"
Father" mildly demonstrated Mrs.
Fowler from the doorway.
81 mean it!' he went on, rudely drag
ging Bess from her saddle. Now you
go in the cabin and stay there, Bess,
and y0u," to Tom, get on your beast
and ride back to your dads ranch. l
amt goin' to have you hangin' round
here, film my gals head full O. non
sense
Bess staggered into her mothers
arms, and hid her burning face on that
sympathetic breast. Tom Hartley's in
dignation was aroused against the old
man, but by great effort he con-
trolled himself to speak calmly:
See here, Mr.. Fowler, what's the
sense in letting your old misunder-
standing with father separate Bessie
and me? | love her truly, and believe
l could make her very happy" Tom
went on, fearlessly. ITS New Years
tomorrow, and think you and father
had better bury that old fuss and be
friends again. He's willing if you are.
1t would make Mrs. Fowler and
mother happy, l know. Come, begin
the New Year with all the old dis
putes and dislikes cast away, and let
Bessie and me enjoy an unclOuded hap
pineSs"
New Years be hangedr' replied
Fowler, admiring Tom Hartley's spirit,
although he was resolved to be unre-
lenting. You can tell your father l
amt willing to make up if he is. l
amt forgot all he said, and I'd just as
lief begin my calendar of the New
Year with that old fuss as with any
thing else. Ride on, and don't come
back to Big Elm any more. You can't
have Bess, and you're notneeded here, "
and, pushing his wife nd daughter into
the cabin, he shut the door almost in
Toms face.
Singing with indignation, the young
fellow mounted his horse and rode
away. As he passed the window he
had brief glimpse of pretty Bess cry
ing her dark eyes red on her mothers
shoulder. The sight almost maddened
him, and he felt disposed to ride back,
force an entrance, and carry her away
from that unreasonable ogre" her
father.
But who knows?" he communed
with himself THE New Year may
bring about something for Bessie and
me. No need to make the fuss worse,
if | haven't done so already. Maybe
the old man will cool off little. I'll
wait and see" and he rode on.
Then he began calling his father and
the postmaster at Big Elm rather I'M
pleasant names for being so foolish as
to allow slight mistake to cause such
disruption Of friendship. Why
couldn't folks exercise more sense,
more dispassion in the affairs Of bust.
ness? 1t would save so much trouble
if they only would.
The sun had set. Darkness was set.
ting over the prairie, and the stars
were beginning to appear here anG
there in the blue vault above him. But
unheeding the lateness, Tom Hartley
rode on, he cared not where. He was
in no mood to go home, and, as a kind
Of reaction Of the condemnation he haC
been showering out, his heart became
heavy, and he began to entertain ap
prehenslons of his ever being able K
win Bessie Fowler
1t was growing chilly, so he spurreC
his horse into reckless gallop Thii
rate of travel suited him better and ht
let the spirited animal go as fast as h,
pleased
They had just entered some low
woody bluffs along a stream, when tn,
horse caught one Of its forefeet in
, deep rut and stumbled, linging its ride
violently to the rocky ground
Frightened at its own mishap, tn,
horse extricated himself and went tear
ing off across the prairie, leaving it
master where he had fallen
r Tom Hartley was too stunned t,
move for several minutes. When h
did at last attempt to rise he realize,
: that his right arm was badly sprained
i But congratulating himself on hav