The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-10-13

Lnc angular form OF MISS Ferk1nS anu
the stalwart STOPPING bulk of Josh.
She tossed her head and held fast to
her parcels.
II guess bought what wanted to.
guess I can do that" was her reply,
with a confident look at Josh.
II guess you kin, Lyme" said Josh's
slow, mild drawl
kin amt correct, Josh. You
oughter say cam observed Lyme
severely.
Josh looked gently round upon his
monitor. Old Bess, the gray mare,
knowing herself bound for the Orter
country roads and home: AS the
buggy ratified with decrepit wheeze
wind caught the hayward wisps of
straw hat and made ruffied, pretty
with the delights of unlimited pur-
chases in ''store things
well Lyme. amt great on gram
mar. But guess you are right was
Josh's docs:e response.
You better send him to the Female
academy, down to Bumpsville, too.''
laughed Miss Perkins shrilly.
"Wonldn't do no harm to send 9th
ers beside him there" Lyme flashed
back, setting her pink lips in line
that Josh had learned to know.
The woman and the girl had no fur
Their words for each other after that,
and Josh. his blue eyes troubled and
deprecating, gave his whole attention
to Bess till the two neigh boring farms
were reached, and Miss Perkins was
deposited, first, at her own door.
II tell you if harm amt bound to
come to Josh Conway for the way he
spoils that there Lyme, then the Sc
crets and visitations of Providence
amt what l take 'em to be!' 'Manda
Jane stood among her ''folks'' in the
Perkins kitchen and delivered herself
in quick, rageful, oracular sentences
of doom, as she tore off her Sunday
bonnet, reckless of preserving the
string from creasing. ''You oughter
seen the things she bought to the
store! and Josh's money a-goin' like
water. and her having no claim on
him but being the child of his pardner
when he first began out here. I guess
the pardner knew he had a good
thing when he up and died and left
Car'lyne to Josh for him to be her
guardeen! First, Josh sends her to
the academy to Bumpsville to make q
fine lady Of her, and now there amt
nothin' too good for her nor no one
can't speak to her!'
What / look at is" remarked Mrs.
Perkins with rigidity, that it ain'tr
pectable for a man no older than Josh
to have a young girl livin' to the
farm. He Oughter marry some set
tied woman first.
Eyes, he oughter marry 'Manda
Janet" ironically exclaimed old man
Perkins, with loud guffaw, ut which
the women frowned.
Meanwhile Lyme, Josh having put
up old Bess, was unfolding her store
treasures and DOMINIC them, one by
one, before the square of dingy look
3ng-giass in the sitting room on Josh's
farm.
How do you like me?'' she said.
And before Josh's dazzled vision she
executed pirouette of her own in
vention, all her ribbons f1uttering, her
color high, her gray eyes flashing
with fun and triumph. Then she
planted herself suddenly before him,
arms akimbo: 'What you reckon all
this fnery's for. anyways, Josh?" she
queried. And as he made no answer,
only looking at her with the silent,
absorb bed. doglike devotion which he
had displayed from the day when,
crying chit in a short, black frock, he
had brought her first to the farm, she
continued: ''Why, to bring some Of
the boys down to business, of coursel''
'.Down to BUSINESS Josh repeated
the words vaguely, with a startled
look.
eyes. stupid! Amt it time I was
married? Amt goin' to be eighteen
next.month? Well, then!''
''If you want to be married, Lyme"
Josh,s words came slowly as was their
wont, and the puzzled look had deep
ened in his eyes, II guess-I guess we
kin fix it,
But with shrek of laughter Lyme
had thrown both her arms about his
neck.
ssGracious, you're the biggest goose,
Josh. L don't want you to fix anything.
Amt got beaux enough, I'd like to
know? All i got to do is to choose.
And that's what I'm going to do, too!
I'm going to get married, and
you ARE too, Josh, cause you'd be
lonely when I went. TN going to
AAAoAu -WCAls liz AA0ooOA ~AO-duO
you. you're going to marry''-she
passed and stood away from him
@1Mandy Jane Perkins!'
mo, no, amt going to marry her
or anyOne!'' Josh exclaimed precipi-
lately.
But Lyme interrupted imperatively.
4.Sh. You don't know what's good
for you, Josla, but do. You need a
wife. and you orter know there's lots
aud lots OF girls would take you if
you'd only spruce up, because you're
handsome, and you're young yet:
you're young, if you'd only give your
self a chance and not be so quiet and
settled and act so like an old man
older than Daddy Perkins! Now,
don't say Mahda Jane would be my
choice for you exactly, but l suppose
you want somebody steady enough;
and if she amt very pretty or very
young, and amt got good temper,
she's a splendid honsekeeper. They
do say her preserves are better than
ice cream, and then, you know, Josh,
she's just dying TO have you. and all
her folks, too, they're thinkin' all the
time how nice it would be if you were
a married man and Manda Jane your
wife!"
And with another ringing laugh,
LYME pirouetted again and flashed out
Of tbs room, leaving Josh wordless