The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-03-04

of your quarrel with her. she IL now in
the orchard under a tree. lying fiat IN
the grass 'snubbing' about you. She's
rubbing tears from the corners of her
eyes right now with her apron. She's
drawing deep signs at this moment, and
has a chunk in the throat that she can't
either get up or down. Shed give the
earth and throw in a few other good
sized planets to be all right with you
again. Do as I've told yon, and if the
thing don't work you don't pay ne the
ten dollars, and l give you leave to kick
me clear across the county besides"
The speaker was a travelling peddler
and fortune teller The gentleman he
was addressing, as the reader has guessed.
was no other than Tim Holbrook.
WAL, you better reckon" returned
Tim, rubbing his hard hands together
in an excess of glee. ''ef we can jis' make
that ar trick work, ye're not only well
come to the ten dollars, but sixteen head
of fine fat shoats besides!"
Cit your rope an clear out then, and
30 will l." impatiently spoke the reser-
voir Of destiny, and off he went toward
the cabin residence of old Bill Copfield.
n
An hour later the fortune teller" was
in front of the Copfield home.
"Hellor" he yelled.
Hello yerself." glumly spoke d young
girl, coming out on the porch.
"Fd like to stop with you and get my
dinner" he spoke smilingly.
"There won't be no trouble erbout
that. Come in. We hain't got nothin
much to eat, but erbout az good az |
guess yer use to while yer goin through
this country. Have this cheer. Nam.
this man wants his dinner. Lemme have
your hat, stranger"
A few moments later the fortune teller
wal at the table. He sat in front of the
him all that he had suspected. He saw
the languid droop of her lids. He saw
the paths Of tears down her cheeks, so
dim that they would not have been de-
tected by all eye less observant.
Dinner being concluded, the man asked
the ''bill."
"Nuthin, stranger" simultaneously
spoke mother and daughter.
"That is certainly cheap" ~laughingly
spoke the fortune teller.
"Yas," returned Mrs. Copfield. but
it's all we ever charge"
well, well" spoke the fortune teller.
II must do something for such Il good
dinner. l am a fortune teller, and l
know the young lady would be pleased to
know her fortune. Most young people
would"
The young girl colored brightly and
said she'd like awful well to have il
told if he could tell"
A cup with coffee grounds staining its
sides and bottom was soon revolving in
the wizards practiced fingers. Finally,
in tones of deep gravity, he spoke;
young lady, you are in love-"
;, The girl turned to her mother with an
astonished look in her eyes. The mother
smiled through the veil of astonishment
= that covered her features.
"You are in love with a young r""n
spoke the oracle in tones of mys.a y
"You are in love with Il young man no
far from here. lie loves you. You hav'
lately quarreled. He thinks you hat
- him, and he has made up his mind to xii
himself"
-, "Oh, boohool Oh, don't say that!
" pleadlnSly crled the S1r,.
!, The fortune teller gazed long into tn
depths of the cup. Then II frightene'
=, look sprang to his face. His eyes sprea'
II open like saucers. His breast heaved
His hands clutched together. Finally h
, spoke, hoarsely:
"Quick, girl! Go to him! Go at once
He will soon hang himselfv'
"Oh, Lordy Gordw screamed the gir
= wringing her hands. where. oh. wher
~ is heT"
Down the road, I think. Oh, yes.
see him plain. It's under IL big oak dow
d the road not over 300 yards away. Il
at once and you can save him. Got go
"Oh. Lord help me! | know jus
Lord!"
But before the man could answer tt
~ girl had leaped the fence and was ri,
ming down the road like IL young fawn.
~ AS she neared the great oak she sa'
= her lover climbing up to the first limb
,n a new seagrass rope i'll his hand.
~ A wild scream broke from the lips
the girl.
"Oh. Tim, for Gods sake-for III
III sake, Tim. don't do that. I'll kill m.
e. self, too, if you do. Git down! Oh, d
er git down! I won't never, never do
any more"
CT The young man, affecting IL look
. great sadness, leaped to the ground. III
er girl grabbed his neck in her firm, shap
III ly arms and kissed him ~passionately.
at "Oh. Tim. what made You do thi
III Yon know | never done nothin to ma
- We mad. I'm nearly crazy now. won
at never treat We mean no more
IL, "Oh, bully for you, then. little gal!' +
III turned the happy young giant as he Dire
Il ler quickly toward his big breast, "Ye
Il talked so awful mean to me that mig
afore I left that l thought you hated III
ne I then made up my mind to hang m
self. I'd ruther a thousand times ov
Ks, be dead than ter live without We. "
MI got hur jist in time. Id er bin dea
stiff an a-grinnin, by this time eft
as hadn't err GOMEZ would jist shore
ke On their way toward the house thu
met the fortune teller, and the impulse
ter girl, in the excess of her happiness al
ri gratitude, threw her arms around b
pl- neck, while Tim slyly slipped a ten do
he lar bill into his hand.-James Noel job
son in Yankee Blade.
i'll
ou For Better Roads.