The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-10-14

eyes darkening the lids and her face pale
in the dusky twilight, her hair curling
In moist little ends around her small
face. Bob looked at her, and his heart
failed him. But he remembered GER
tain Thomas Anderson, who report
said had loitered beneath the honey
suckle for the last few nights, and
brought back his oozing courage.
"They wuz talking about you last
night down at the pump" he remarked,
with assumed cheerfulness.
'sTalkin about meg' said Minna angri-
ly. How dared they?"
"Oh, Lordr' gasped Bob to himself.
"If she gets mad before / begin"
''They wuz sayin-sayin"-
"Wellr' sharply, ''what wuz they say
IMP
They wuz sayin how as you'd never
marry any one-you wuZ that uncertain
like and fi~ightylike."
"Who said that?' said Minna, turning
wrathful eyes upon him.
Il don't exactly remember" faltered
Bob.
mos likely yourself" disdainfully.
Bob could not truthfully disown the
remark, as he had made it frequently, in
confidence, to his neal companions In
the village. So, after this unexpected
home thrust, he remained intentionally
silent.
Minna pursued her advantage.
mice doings them, fur a man, she
went on CONTEMPORARY. Talking
about girls when they can't talk back
for themselvesE
II the reported conversation had not
been wholly imaginary, Bob would have
been stricken with remorse As it was,
however, although inwardly trembling,
he saw an opening and took it.
"But / spoke back for you, Minna, I
| did"
"Oh, you did, did your was the dis
~couraging comment. '.Since it wuz you
said the worst, seems to me it wuz all
you could do"
''They said q lot more'n I did," Bob
continued, with fictitious courage. 'sThey
said as how / needn't be hangin around
here, fur ye'd allus scorn me till the
Judgment and not marry me at ALL"
There wuz some truth In their re-
marks" remarked Minna ~snubbingly.
"But there's wusser nor that" he said,
with well forced gloominess. 81 said as
how I knowed you would marry me-
"Who made you so wiser interrupted
Minna sarcastically.
IAN a man bet me You wouldn't, an
AM bet him You would"
"Beasts!" calculated the much in
censed Minna.
IAN I bet a fearful lot. Minna. Gosh!
I'm scared to think of it. II I got to
give him all that money, the farm ull
have to 60 sure"
Minna looked frightened.
"How much?" she asked family.
wonder how much she'll stand?" Bob
asked himself perplexedly. Then he
glanced at her tentatively.
'Pm most afeared to tell you. It's
it's-gosh! Minna-it's $100.
'Oh, myr calculated Minna. "You
never did"
"a hundred dollarst" repeated Bob
chokingly, and overcome by the feelings
he had aroused he buried his head in his
hands. From this safe retreat he con-
tinued disjointed remarks broken by
emotion.
Don't care for myself. (Sigh.) I don't
want to live anyway, but the farm'll
have TO go sure, and poor mother and
father" (Sob.)
"Oh, no, no" said Minna tearfully.
They're old now to start over agin
Ia protracted sigh), but / kin work for
EN-. I'll do it, and Bob's shoulders
shook with nobly suppressed emotion
'it u'Il come hard to lose the old place
now -(sob)-after all them years"
"Oh, don't, don't, don't, Bob! I cans
bear itr gasped Minna, choking down
the tears. ssI'll-Il1"-
Bob waited q moment. Then he went
on:
"Poor sister can't go to school or moth
ing rocking himself to and fro in ap
parent deep grief, IAN there's no Woo
got for the winter"-here he wept aloud
and seeing this Minna, too, wept aloud.
"Oh, Bob" she cried. chow could yor
be $3.50 and she burst again int
tears.
"Dunno, Minna," he said in q chokin,
voice, ''but there amt no help for i
now. It's all got to go--farm an ALL"
Never said Minna Historically. :"
will marry you'll willg'
"'Tain't right to ask you," Bob salt
sadly and hypocritically. You dom
care nothin about mex
II didn't afore, > said Minna tearfull,
and ehamefacedly, .sbut that was On aw
full lot Of money to bet on me. I like yos
for IL, Bob, Idow
IAN you will marry meg"
She nodded.
.sThank yon, Minna," Bob said mourn
fully. SITS awfully good In You"
A moment elapsed before he started o.
} the real business of courtship-he had t
proceed carefully-and in that momen
Bob looked mp at q very jester Of q twin
king star and silently exchanged wit
y q knowing and prodigious wink