Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-06-10

over anything easily, una Know failure
would 90 hard with him. Moreover,
Jack was not the only obstacle" Sam
Parker, Shorty's Nettie's papa, also OBJ
iected.
Parker was shrewd Maine Yankee.
with a total disbelief in the ability of
womankind to use reason and a record
of some sixty years of devotion to an
earnest hustle for the fascinating but
elusive American dollar. Nettie was the
only daughter and the youngest child in
a family of seven, and the old man,
close listed as he was, had spared no eX
pense in educating her literally. 1t
was only natural, therefore, for him to
object, especially as Nettie was barely
eighteen and had only been out of school
few months.
He called on Jack Que afternoon, not
casually, as he usually called, on his way
TO or from town, but with direct pur-
pose. Jack was under the weather, and
lay on the sofa. was reading to him
when Parker walked in
"Howdv. Flemin', laid up, air We?
Howdy. Faber; purity warm, amt itf
Thanks, / will set spell. And he sat
down or the edge of chair and began
tracing figures on the floor with his big
spur He seemed nervous, and rose to
leave the room. but he waved his hand
| and said: ''Set daown, Faber. Set
still. Guess l amt got nothin' t say
but what We mout ez well hear"
Here the old man stiffened up in his
seat and stated the object of his mission
in a good -natured but thoroughly de-
cided way, closing with:
"Neow, Fleming, l amt no 'bject'on
t tn leetle feller-not mite, he's tip
top good boy, an all that. But faint in
reason th't Pm goin' t spend more'n S3, :
600 educating young un, an then let
'er 90 an marry mother young 'un,
'thout airy red An that's what it'll
come tew. fust thing we know"
Now, ParkeI's remarks were in the
nature of a revelation to us. OF course,
we knew that Shorty had put in good
many evenings at the Parker ranch, but
we had never guessed that his visits
there had any significance. A courtship,
too, with six big brothers loafng around
is difficult matter. 1t is easy enough
to fall--just fall-in love with a girl if
there is no one to hinder But with six
young men, with whom one is on good
terms, sitting around and occupying q
large portion of ones attention, it is q
matter of getting in love, which, accom-
plished, is rather more serious than q
mere fall into the same.
Fleming sat up and ran his fingers
through his hair gravely. Then: u
quite agree with you, Mr.. Parker.
don't know what to say TO Percy, but
will try a little strategy and see if he
can't be kept at home. If that don't dc
| can talk to him -,o,-
And here began M connection will
Shorty's love affair. That evening Twas
writing busily when some one opened
the door of my den and walked in.
was Shorty. He sat down quietly an(
took up a paper, which he looked at TO
several minutes, while / scratched ava,
at my work Then he threw down tn
paper suddenly and turned to me with
"Faber, what was old Parker here TO
today"
tried to dissemble, but Shorty is no
! body's fool, and interrupted: "Oh, rot
said he, Il reckon you think I'm fool
Now, honestly, what was he here for
Finally told him about the converse
ton between his brother and Parker. II
sat silent for few minutes. l could Sc
his face twitch. Then he turned hi
eyes to my face and said, slowly: "Fabel
l know Pm young and all that, but
know my own mind Jacks a goo
brother and feels in duty bound to tax
care of me, but guess | can tend
that myself 1--we made up my min
to marry that girl if she'll have me, an
all the Jacks and Sam Parkers in til
!, world can't stop me-" and Mr.. Perciv,
Fleming set his mouth hard and wake
ont. He called at Parker's the ne!
evening despite Jacks strategy"
There was another caller at Parker
that evening, in the person of Morr
Cottrel. wealthy rancher from up Il
"Five-Mile. Shorty, when he g
home, mentioned this fact to me, vii
some feeling in his tones. Cottrell W
no old duffer. He was man of thirt
and wellread, and a gentleman and Il
pidbpOtb VI lluNlll- MN lOi a liNhi NOu
have sent despair to the heart of any pc
niless young man less determined tia
Shorty Fleming.
For two or three months Shorty col
tinued his calls at Parker's, grown
more and more gloomy and savage as Il
days went by, for old Sam Parker VI
something of a strategist and manage
to keep the poor lad from getting a sing
private interview with Nettie, therel
giving Cottrel clear field, which W
evidently satisfactory to the latter, a
though he did not seem to make niue
progress.
One evening Shorty came to my roo
!, in state of mind. He had seen Sa
- Parker that day, aud the latter had tol
him, as gently as possible, some gallin
truths about his age and his pennile
condition, concluding with the cheerfl
information that he "reckoned Net Ina
bout decided t take up with Cottrel
anyhow"
OF course Shorty was Respondent, hi
he was none the less determined. "F
Der, I'm going to see her to-morro
afternoon and-and ask herr
The time and the hour favored Short
but hardly think Nettie knew her 9w
mind The boy who came riding slow
home through the shadows next evenir