The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-09
BAPTIZED BY FIRE.

may think he knows 1t oil so lar as
grace is concerned, though his ideas OF
grace differ with mino materially; but
I'd 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 u horses back all her litc
and seldom essaycd any gait but q
'galop,' yet who could lay it over any
rider in this city for grace"
Uncle paused to polish his glasses,
then remarked, interrogatively: "You
remember Mr.. -? Her name was
Captola. Did I ever tell you how
Cappie won her husband?
1T was an early September morning
in the late sixties. The summer rains
had made vegetation rank, and the
buffalo grass was then thickly matted,
brown and dry as powder. The night
had been gray and still, and given place
to q skylike copper in the morning and
strange stiffness brooded in the air.
~ had been giving orders for brand
ing a bunch OF steers to send to the
lower range, and rs / came up on the
porch l discovered Cap in her dingy old
riding habit, sitting on the edge swing
ing her feet and anapping q quirt, her
pony browsing Just in front Of her, and
beside her was Henry-the owner Of
the big Home ranch and her atfianced
lover. Her bride rein was thrown
oYer his arm, aud he was earnestly beg
ging the girl to comply with some re-
S'Pleaso, oappie, yield to me this
time.'
"'But 1 want the gloves and whip ).
an buyyou agross OF silver. amounted
whips and a dozen pairs OF Jouvln's
best; import them especially Tor the
purpose, il you would give up riding at
SThat would be a circumstance,
wouldn't it." flashed Capitoia. q"
could shake them under Miss Oates
nose and say: There! Just see what l
got for letting you win the prize" No,
Hal, it isn't the gloves or the whip, but
a mean little ambition / want to crafty.
That woman called me a hoyden, an un.
cultivated little heather, and said !
couldn't ride a little bit. l don't mind
the hoyden and the heather. l suppose
] am both, but l can ride, and mean to
do it."
"Little girl, you hurt me when you
talk so thoughtlessly."
"tAnd youhurt me cruelty she cried
passionately, as she turned her Hash
ing eyes on him. I'm ashamed to &C
knowledge how much, I thought you
loved me, but you don't. When you
see me beside your mother and your
incompatible sisters, and-and that
horrid prim Puritan, Miss Oates, you
get ashamed OF me and want to make
mo over by the square and level OF your
" social world, but you can't do 1t. l
tried to cultivate the little prairie
anemonos, but they always died. I'll
die, too, under the cultivating process.
So you-I think-yOu can have your
ring back and with little sob Capitola
began to tug at her gauntlets, but Henry
caught her hands.
"iMy dear little wild bird, Hove you.
lam twenty years older than you are,
but never said that to o woman until l
met YOU, 1 am graver and quieter than
YOU are, but l like your sunny ways
your bright nature. My mother and
sisters do not know you as we'll as | do,
and they want me to marry Miss Oates.
They arc looking for flaws in my gem.
and Idon't want them to have a chance
to think they have found n 1t is such
u little thing 1 have asked you. Your
father is away; there is no to at
tend YOU. as you utterly refuse my es'
cort unless l desert my mother and the
other ladies', which l cannot do. You
well, you know, little girl, that you
are very unconventional in both man
ners and dress, and l do wish you would
try to win them over, child Henry
paused, feeling that lie was making o
bad matter worse.
"'Neyerr Cap replied angrily, as she
ierked her hands away. They may take
me as | am or not at all. II mamma
had lived may be l would have been
d%i(erent-as prunes and prisms as
Miss Oates, possibly-but I've only had
dad. and he likes mo best as l am. l
never would have thought OF riding at
the fair. only when We were all out
horseback riding one night after Miss
Oates firspcame she said, purposeiy for
me to hear, that STICKING on" was not
good riding by any means, aed made
fun of my "old-fashioned" riding habit
And Caps tears splashed down on the
dingy black calico.
"iYou are much prettier in 1t than
Miss Oates is in hers returned Henry
warmly.
much prettier; but you don't want TO
ace me match myskill against hergrace;
but | will; and l will win tho whip and
gloves, so now!
"'Then we will discuss the matter no
further
noon, and remember she called, as she
yaulted on Bret's back and turned to
90, after to-day l mean to show that
dad has as much money as anybody. l
don't care for dress, but II you do you
shall be pleased and with o saucy kiss
from her finger tips she rode away. .
~ 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 a wllful, but lovable, girl, and had
Welded up all the strength OF his great
heart to her; but rs she was too young
10 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 at her unconventionalities, pasticu-
larly her going about by herself. The
special grievance was over the county
""Miss Oates and some Of the city girls
were going to ride for the prize, proper
" chaperoned, Of course. CaptolS sud