St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-28

tnat When good mothers warned their
daughters against young men who could
only give fine words In proof Ut affec-
ton the damsels experienced strong
mlsglvings as to what they would say If
10 Madison were to propose.
But 10 saved them the necessity of
deciding any such question. He pro-
posed to nobody; he made love to no
body; he seemed to have no special IA
vOrites among the girls of KIngsboro.
He never even fiirted. lie seemed to
heartily enjoy himself when with ladies',
and to express his gratitude so deftly
as to leave no one word upon which
to base suspicion of any stronger SEN
timents. And he did not stop at con-
quering the hearts of all the Kingsboro
girls. Without any seeming intention
to do so, he won the hearts of few of
me elderly women Ill the town. They
ala not mean to give cOuntenance TO a
SNOWY idler, but somehow when 10
would coax some bad or frettul child to
take walk with him, and then send
the child home with head full of Bible
stories and a mOuthful of pretty songs,
the mother Of the child would reluc-
family admit that the handsome dO-noth-
Ing did have real good heart.
There was not at Kingsboro any club.
that institution so industriously hated
by all good women, but there was a
gathering place which fulfilled all the
requirements of club. and that was
the .postotfice. The mail stage was
nomlnaiiy due att in the evening, so
that half the male population congre-
| gated in Bill Burth's saddle shop, which
formed the ante-rOom Of the pOstoffice.
Immediately after supper, and they
usually enjoyed two-hOur season of
conversation before the arrival and dis
tribution of the mail gave them a hint
to go home.
Subjects for conversation were not
very numerous at KingsborO, and as the
FEW native characters with any salient
points had been thoroughly discussed
during the many sessions of the men
who waited for the mail, the arrival of
10 Madison was perfect godsend. 1t
is hardly necessary to say that 10 found
put few companions among the Kings
boro men. The young men hated him
for estranging their sweethearts, and
each OF the older men was afraid that
10 might marry his daughter and come
under the paternal roof for support.
One cool night several weeks after
JOS appearance at KIngsboro, the OPP
posing theorists as to JOS character in
dulged in many-cOrnered and very
lively duel. 1t was during a season
when sudden atmospheric changes
made most of the Kingsboro people bill
ious; otherwise the bitterness with
which the conversation finally came to
De characterized would have been mex
plicable. Squire Ripson so far forgot
his years and dignity of character as to
call Bill Burth, his temporary host, a
fool for holding that Joe could be moth
ing worse than well-to-do young man
enjoying himself. while Bill, nOtwith
standing the kindness of spirit which
was proper to a man who was a Metho.
dist class leader. called the squire a
liar. Both men were on their feet, in.
Ginning slightly forward toward each
other and looking words which should
never be spoken, when suddenly
the mail stage drew up with crash at
the door.
The postmaster threw last parting
glare at the squire, and carried out the
mail bags, while the whole party fol-
lowed to see who might be in the stage.
The light streamed through the open
door into the stage, and the villagers
saw inside single passenger whom
they recognized as Cincinnati sales
man through whom some of the Kings
borO merchants sometimes purchased
goods. They were about to turn away
IN mingled disappointment and resigna.
ton when suddenly 10 Madison, who
had just arrived at the Office. sprang
into the stage and threw himself upon
the passenger, while the stage turned
quickly, the driver whipped up furiously
and started for the hotel.
The stares which passed around the
patty of spectators were simply appal-
ling in their Darkness. AT last Squire
Ripson recovered breath enough to
gasp:
''Detective!'
"NO such thingv shouted Bill Burth
through tha delivery windnw NIt,a